Stories at the Peacock Theatre: what the critics say about RB Dance Company's return

RB Dance Company's Stories is back at the Peacock Theatre for a short autumn run, and the critics have now had their say. The French company's noir dance thriller, told entirely through tap, urban jazz and percussion, opened its return run on Wednesday 14 October and plays until Saturday 31 October 2026, before heading off on a UK tour.

The show was created by Romain Rachline Borgeaud, who wrote, composed, choreographed and directed it. Its hero, Icarus, is a young screen star who finds himself trapped under the influence of his controlling film director. Ten dancers tell the story, on a set by Federica Mugnai with lighting by Alex Hardellet. We covered its earlier London run: read our 2024 report on the show.

The verdict at a glance

Opinion is genuinely divided. Best of Theatre gathered ten reviews in its round-up, nine of them with a rating, and worked out an average of 3.6 out of 5. By its count there was one five star notice, five at four stars, one at three and two at two. The critics agree on the energy of the company, on Thiméo Garin as Icarus and on the lighting. They part company over the plot and over how much tap the show really delivers.

The warmest notices

Seeing Dance, which raved about the show in 2024, liked it even more this time. "Two years on, nothing has changed. In fact, if possible, it is even better," wrote Nicola Claire, praising the ten dancers as "all multi-talented, commanding the stage at every step."

For West End Best Friend, Chris Abbott gave it four stars and found the opening ensemble number thrilling. "In that first scene, the sight of these skilled performers moving in unison is exhilarating," he wrote, and he picked out Garin as a dancer with "remarkable stage presence." His advice to theatregoers was simple: "Enjoy it as a feast of dancing rather than being too concerned about the narrative, and the company have a great encore too."

Where the critics disagree

The story is the main sticking point. Abbott admitted that "narrative coherence is not the strongest point here," and he was disappointed that masking along the front of the stage hid the dancers' feet from much of the house.

Teresa Guerreiro of London Unattached gave three stars. She called it "a short, high-octane show of non-stop dancing, with a perfunctory, barely understandable plot," and added that "you have to admire the extraordinary stamina of the ten-strong cast." The choreography was less to her taste: "Where Stories faltered was in its choreography, which I found samey and unoriginal."

The Stage was the harshest. Siobhan Murphy gave two stars under the headline "Loud and flashy," describing a "bombastic, muddled attempt to create a narrative through tap dance" that "leaves you bewildered."

The lighting steals the show

If there is one point of agreement, it is the look of the production. Guerreiro singled out Hardellet's design as the highlight of her evening, and several other critics in the Best of Theatre round-up praised the lighting and Mugnai's shape shifting set.

Tap purists should know what to expect. A number of reviewers noted that the show leans on jazz and urban dance, with the sound of the taps often drowned out by a loud recorded soundtrack. Fans of high energy dance and big visuals are likely to be the happiest in the house.

When can you see it?

Performances run until Saturday 31 October 2026. Evening shows are at 7.30pm, with 2.30pm matinees on selected Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Sundays are matinee only and there are no Monday shows.

How long is it?

The show runs for 1 hour 10 minutes with no interval.

Is there an age limit?

Under fives are not admitted. The production uses haze, smoke, loud music and strobe lighting, and contains themes of death, physical assault and murder.

Where does it go next?

After London, the show tours to Northampton, Stockton, Bournemouth, Bradford, Edinburgh and Truro in early November.