Lord of the Dance - Dangerous Games
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
23rd - 28th June 2015
By Guest Reviewer, Amanda Hammond, 16.
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on Sea
23rd - 28th June 2015
By Guest Reviewer, Amanda Hammond, 16.
Photographer Stephen Hawke captures this fabulous shot of the cast of Lord of the Dance - Dangerous Games outside the Cliffs Pavillion just before their performance.
What do you get if you cross the intimacy of a provincial theatre with the big production values of a West End show? The answer: Lord of the Dance, Dangerous Games at the Cliff’s Pavilion (on a pleasant June evening).
With the show half way through its five-day Southend tour, you can be certain that any loose ends and minor mishaps will have been ironed out completely. And although Flatley doesn't appear in the show himself, he is the brains (and legs) behind this timeless tale of good versus evil, in which the Little Spirit (flexible acrobat Jess Judge) enlists the aid of prancing good guys to see off the menacing and leather-bound disciples of The Dark Lord.
Despite the lack of dialogue, this production is a gold mine of dynamic footwork and technical lower body movement, stitched together using elements of traditional Irish dancing, jazz and ballet, to create an exceptional piece. And with a basic storyline that is full of subtle yet comical moments, we are still able to focus purely on the toe tappingly grand performance itself. However when the beauty queens, in their floaty white leotards, and the men in their tight tops, strip down to what some older members of the audience might call their ‘unmentionables’, the once docile crowd roar with approval- Danger never looked so good.
The highly contrasting lighting which was well placed and focused, acted as a good developer of both the storyline and the roles of the characters, which was easily followed by the audience. However, regardless of the casts dazzling attire that would give even The Crown Jewels a run for their money, the show was a bit too dependent on a slightly tacky video backdrop depicting images of fantasy creatures; cheesy does it.
To some, Lord of the Dance without Flatley might be like Wimbledon without strawberries, but the new “Lordling”, Morgan Comer, fills the Master’s dancing shoes with aplomb. And as my Godmother said when she first saw Flatley appear on stage in Dublin in the 1990’s, “Well there’s the ego!”, and oh boy is it still alive!
What the Audience Thought
Jean, Southend. “I have seen Flatley’s show ‘Riverdance’ before, but this is the first time I have seen Lord of the Dance, Dangerous Games, and I can only describe it using one word... amazing. Everyone should get the opportunity to see how great it was.”
Jacqui, Dagenham. “I went to see the ‘Lord of the Dance’ many years ago, but I feel like the new show is for a wider range of ages. I think it works just as well in a small theatre, as you become more involved in what’s going. I would definitely come again!”
John, Southend. “I wasn’t bothered that Flatley wasn’t performing as I think his younger replacement does the piece, and Flatley himself great justice. I’ve never seen any of Flatley’s work before, but it has been the best show I’ve seen in a while and the visual effects in the background brought it all together very nicely.”
Keith, Dagenham. “I thought the bit at the beginning when Flatley turned the clock back in time was very effective, and the two lead dancers were ‘mesmerising’. I don’t think the transition from a show on the West End to one on a smaller stage changed a thing. I do think that some of the scenes could be a bit frightening for a younger audience.”