The British Council is proud to partner with Perth Festival to bring award-winning UK choreographer and dancer Aakash Odedra's mesmerizing Songs of the Bulbul to Australian audiences for the first time in February 2026.
Our support for Aakash Odedra's extraordinary work spans several years, having previously presented Little Murmur in 2024 and Samsara in 2020. This ongoing partnership reflects our commitment to connecting audiences across continents with exceptional UK arts and culture.
Songs of the Bulbul comes to Perth through ongoing cultural exchange. Perth Festival's Artistic Director Anna Reece first encountered the work during the Edinburgh Festivals Theatre and Dance Delegation in 2024, where the British Council facilitated opportunities for Australian programmers to discover exceptional new UK performances. These delegations play a vital role in our mission: enabling Australian arts leaders to experience innovative British work firsthand and bring transformative productions home to their audiences.
About Songs of the Bulbul
Birdsong like dance, is ephemeral. It exists only in the moment, vanishing as soon as it is sung. A meditative exchange between Indian Kathak dance and Islamic poetry. Spellbinding, spiritual and captivating: the myth of the bulbul is brought to life.
Songs of the Bulbul is a stunning solo dance work inspired by an ancient Sufi myth of a bulbul held in captivity. Bound by its constraints, the bird's despair deepens as its final moments approach. Yet it sings more sweetly as its end draws near, delivering one last heartbreaking song before its soul departs. The beauty of this songbird's melody serves as a metaphor for the fleeting moments of dance and life itself.
Songs of the Bulbul intertwines the graceful yet powerful art of Kathak dance with Sufi storytelling, creating a dialogue between the intense physicality of Kathak and the spiritual journey of Sufism. It's a collaboration inviting you into a transformative experience, one that transcends physical and emotional boundaries. It's a performance you will not be able to look away from.
From Persia to the Indian subcontinent, from freedom to captivity, Songs of the Bulbul explores the soul's journey towards divine love and enlightenment. Aakash Odedra's contemplative and captivating performance poses a universal question: will we remain confined to the material world like the caged bird, or will we soar toward liberation and unity with the divine?
Performance Details
13 to 15 February, 7:30pm
His Majesty's Theatre, Perth
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $59 to $99
For tickets and more information, visit: Perth Festival - Songs of the Bulbul