Review: Club Ninja, Sadler’s Wells

What child hasn’t dreamed of becoming a ninja? Agile, mysterious and full of stealthy bravado, the idea of the ninja promises excitement, danger and intrigue. Club Ninja, the latest immersive dance piece from Ichi Ni San, invites young audiences aged 3+ to slip into this shadowy world. Co-created by Takeshi Matsumoto, Makiko Aoyama and musician Rob Howat, the show combines dance, live music and shadow puppetry play to explore what it means to move like a ninja – often unseen but full of purpose.

From the moment the audience is led into the space, shoes removed, there’s a palpable feeling of secrecy. We’re invited to sit in a low-lit, screened zone surrounded by four moving panels, two of which swing menacingly. The darkness is near total. Shapes flicker in torchlight, figures glide past, and the smallest movement of a hand-held beam becomes mesmerising. When the ninjas reveal their faces in a sudden flash of light, there’s an immediate connection – fleeting yet strangely intimate. For some young viewers, though, this near-dark experience verges on unsettling; several children seemed unsure, even frightened, during the opening section.

The piece then moves into its second phase, offering more obvious clarity and playfulness: we are moved, herdlike, to a cushioned seating area through two waving flags, to watch the shadow puppetry unfold. Animal shapes made by hands leap across the screens, and silks waft and swirl through the space, giving a welcome lift of dynamic action. Then the screens open up and the focus moves to a larger projection wall, where the scale and energy expand into something approaching the epic. Perspectives are cleverly exploited to bring much needed humour. As the shadows swell and distort, the audience are invited back onto the stage, their silhouettes becoming part of a glowing community – now colourful – as the white light is joined by vibrant beams. This is a highlight: a joyful finale to what has been a mysterious and sometimes confusing journey.

Throughout, Howat’s musical soundtrack, with moments of live keyboard playing, is a standout element. Rhythmic, propulsive and inventive, it anchors the movement and gives the world of the ninja a heartbeat. But why is Howat in darkness, hidden at the back of the stage – costumed, yet barely noticed? The performers’ physicality, too, is beautiful to watch: precise, fluid and quietly humorous. There’s a genuine curiosity in how the company engages through the chorography with the light and shadow, and the concept of invisibility is rich with imaginative potential.

Yet, for all its artistry, Club Ninja struggles to find a clear shape or emotional through-line. The lack of narrative or identifiable characters leaves some children (and adults) unsure whether they’re meant to watch or join in. Is this really participatory? Where is the sense of connection – the jeopardy or mischievous spirit of the ninjas? We never quite know who they are or why they’re there.

While the show brims with ideas, it sometimes feels more like a series of visual experiments – some quite predictable – than a cohesive adventure. The result is an experience that intrigues the eye but doesn’t quite grip the heart.

Club Ninja deserves credit for daring to be different – embracing darkness, silence and abstraction in a genre that often leans towards bright colours and noise. It’s an ambitious, atmospheric piece with moments of real magic. With some refinement, this shadowy world could shine more brightly.

You can read more about the show in our recent interview with Takeshi Matsumoto here.

Concept: Takeshi Matsumoto
Co-Created and performed by Makiko Aoyama, Robert Howat and Takeshi Matsumoto
Rehearsal Director: Katie Stafford-Roberts
Composer Robert Howat
Set & Lighting Design: Ben Pacey
Costume Design: Giulia Scrimieri
Costume Maker: Paulina Knol
Shadow Artist: Sutarath Sinnong
Dramaturg: Lou Cope

Club Ninja is aimed at ages 3+ and plays at Sadler’s Wells until Saturday 1 November, before touring periodically across the UK in 2025/26.