The sci-fi action film The Matrix, released in 1999, is getting a fresh new stage adaptation. “Warner Bros.” Theater Venues is working on a dance version of the movie that will give viewers a unique perspective on the Matrix. Danny Boyle, director of Slumdog Millionaire, will be directing his first theatrical show when it opens at Manchester’s new arts venue Factory International in October. The production, titled Free Your Mind, is intended to take full advantage of the venue’s adaptable, enormous rooms to convey the epic grandeur of the Wachowskis’ adored film. The tagline boasts that this will be an entirely new way to enjoy The Matrix, with cutting-edge technology and hundreds of dancers versed in hip-hop choreography coming together to create an exhilarating performance that will transport viewers to the action in a way that is simply not possible on screen.
On paper, this seems like a strange step to take with the series, but the film’s iconic action moments could easily be adapted for the dance floor. Factory International’s first big show is called Free Your Mind. The fact that Boyle is directing, despite never having done it before, just adds to the peculiarity of the situation. At the 2012 London Olympics, when he served as creative director of the opening ceremony, he came the closest. Since he directed hundreds of volunteers and performers through musical performances and more during that event, his abilities should be fairly transferable.
Plays are another area of expertise, and he has directed several notable productions, including a charity one-nighter called The Children’s Monologues that starred Sir Ben Kingsley, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston, Gemma Arterton, and Eddie Redmayne. Slumdog Millionaire won Boyle an Academy Award, and 127 Hours was nominated for two more Oscars, but it is his cinema work that has made him a household name. Recently, he directed the U.K. television miniseries Pistol, which was adapted from the author’s memoir. Steve Jones is a punk legend and Sex Pistols musician, and he also directed the musical comedy film Yesterday.
The dance adaption will be produced by Boyle and Tracey Seaward, a longstanding colleague. Sabrina Mahfouz, author of Noughts & Crosses, will pen the play, and large-scale sculptures by Es Devlin will be used to create an immersive setting. British music and dance legends will be in charge of the production. Michael “Mikey J” Asante, a titan of urban music, and Kenrick “H2O” Sandy, a doyen of hip hop dancing. Factory International commissioned Free Your Mind, and it will be installed in the venue in October of 2023.