Victory and defeat in a time warp

The characters in Until The Lions shift compellingly between states of torment and delirium

Chien Ching-ying (left) plays Princess Amba, while Rianto is Bheeshma in Until The Lions.
Chien Ching-ying (left) plays Princess Amba, while Rianto is Bheeshma in Until The Lions. PHOTO: BERNIE NG, COURTESY OF ESPLANADE - THEATRES ON THE BAY
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Akram Khan's Until The Lions gets its title from the Ugbo proverb: "Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter."

This piece of dance theatre, based on Karthika Nair's retelling of an episode from the Mahabharata, tells the tale of Amba, a princess who is abducted and humiliated by the warrior Bheeshma.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 12, 2018, with the headline Victory and defeat in a time warp. Subscribe