REVIEW
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
LORD OF THE DANCE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF STANDING OVATIONS
SOUTHEND
CLIFFS PAVILION
24 JUNE 2022
✭✭✭✭☆ 4/5
LORD OF THE DANCE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF STANDING OVATIONS
SOUTHEND
CLIFFS PAVILION
24 JUNE 2022
Photo: Clarissa Debenham, Film Free Photography
It is almost impossible to believe that Michael Flatley’s very own show, Lord Of The Dance, has now been touring the world for 25 years, since its original performances at the London Coliseum in 1997. Michael himself, as we all know, first came to fame in the other global phenomenon that is Riverdance, which literally exploded onto our TV screens during the intermission of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest.
Only a year later, during its first theatre run in London, due to 'artistic differences,' Michael left that show for good. Of course it was only a matter of time before he would reclaim his place as the World Number One Irish Dancer, with his own spectacular show, and Lord Of The Dance was born.
Lord Of The Dance has been seen in a number of different editions over the years, and this latest production is subtitled Dangerous Games and it is clear from the outset that we are watching what could be described as a live , hi-tech video game. There is, of course, a story of Good Versus Evil, Dark versus Light, during which our hero, the Lord must defeat the Dark Lord to save the world and ensure the future of a world in which dance can flourish.
Drawing deep of Irish, and Norse mythology, we enter the dream world of a Little Spirit who mischievously leads us all on this journey with her penny whistle flute.
Strong visual images are projected onto huge video screens of the highest quality. The screens, and the constant cinematic movement make the stage seem much bigger than it is, and added to that, the stunning lighting make for a visually stunning staging.
This is definitely a big-budget staging for the 25th Anniversary, and so far, I have not even mentioned the dancers. In this rather scary kingdom of Goodness versus Evil, on they come, the girls blonder and pencil thinner than ever, (yes, there are also some brunettes ) whilst the men have physiques that need to be seen to be believed! The dancing is utterly breathtaking from the outset, and the special dance floor resounds to every tap tap tap, to an almost deafening degree.
The problem is, the presentation. The world being portrayed on stage is somewhat futuristic and oppressive. Its inhabitants do not look happy. Smiles are fixed and rigid. The make up is heavy. Everyone on the stage is just too perfect. Even the two very talented violinists, who can clearly play up a storm, prance about constantly in high heels as they play, blonde hair tossed from side to side.
There is one major scene in which the girls dance a long number in the skimpiest short leather skirts and bikini- style tops that seemed to me, as being dangerously close to objectification. I did not find this comfortable to watch, and makes me wonder whether Mr Flatley has simply gone a little too far in trying to tell his story.
Of course, the men in the company eventually get to display their very pumped torsos as well, to great cheers and wolf-whistles from the delighted female members of the audience, but it still left a slightly uneasy feeling.
Maybe it’s in trying to tell the story in the style of a Video game that in some way, is the show’s biggest problem.
However, it is the dancing we have all come to see, and in this respect, we are not left disappointed. In an opening video film, narrated by Michael Flatley, we are told that as a child, his dance teacher used a belt to tie his arms to his sides, and stop him moving them about. This made him ever more determined to create the free - style version of Irish Dance that he is so famous for.
To this effect, at Friday night’s performance, Cathal Keaney, as the Lord of the Dance was utterly magnificent from his first entrance, employing all the well known Flatley gesticulations. If his dance career should ever come to an end, he could always get a job at any airport helping planes take off!
Zoltan Papp gives Keaney a very strong run for his money as the Dark Lord. When he grabbed hold of Little Spirit’s flute and snapped it in half, I almost cheered! Her character becomes tedious in the extreme, or am I being mean?
Niamh Shevlin leads the female dance company as Saoirse, the Lord’s true love, whilst Andrea Papp Keen, all red hair and dancing Flamenco, is her rival. The entire show is danced to a beautiful score by Gerard Fahy.
Whilst the show’s creator, director, and choreographer now no longer himself appears, we are given a great reminder of his talent with a very witty film of his dancing, Well of course, this being Michael Flatley, there are 3 of him dancing, and very exciting they are to watch, which makes the audience feel we have seen him in the end.
Make no mistake, this 25th Anniversary production is well worth seeing for some truly spectacular dance routines that leave you breathless. With the amplified taps, superb music and strong visuals , there is as much visceral thrill as we have come to expect from Flatley’s huge stage shows, but, oh, Michael….that story!
A rethink is most definitely needed. Let the dancing speak for itself!
Review by Andrew Walters
Only a year later, during its first theatre run in London, due to 'artistic differences,' Michael left that show for good. Of course it was only a matter of time before he would reclaim his place as the World Number One Irish Dancer, with his own spectacular show, and Lord Of The Dance was born.
Lord Of The Dance has been seen in a number of different editions over the years, and this latest production is subtitled Dangerous Games and it is clear from the outset that we are watching what could be described as a live , hi-tech video game. There is, of course, a story of Good Versus Evil, Dark versus Light, during which our hero, the Lord must defeat the Dark Lord to save the world and ensure the future of a world in which dance can flourish.
Drawing deep of Irish, and Norse mythology, we enter the dream world of a Little Spirit who mischievously leads us all on this journey with her penny whistle flute.
Strong visual images are projected onto huge video screens of the highest quality. The screens, and the constant cinematic movement make the stage seem much bigger than it is, and added to that, the stunning lighting make for a visually stunning staging.
This is definitely a big-budget staging for the 25th Anniversary, and so far, I have not even mentioned the dancers. In this rather scary kingdom of Goodness versus Evil, on they come, the girls blonder and pencil thinner than ever, (yes, there are also some brunettes ) whilst the men have physiques that need to be seen to be believed! The dancing is utterly breathtaking from the outset, and the special dance floor resounds to every tap tap tap, to an almost deafening degree.
The problem is, the presentation. The world being portrayed on stage is somewhat futuristic and oppressive. Its inhabitants do not look happy. Smiles are fixed and rigid. The make up is heavy. Everyone on the stage is just too perfect. Even the two very talented violinists, who can clearly play up a storm, prance about constantly in high heels as they play, blonde hair tossed from side to side.
There is one major scene in which the girls dance a long number in the skimpiest short leather skirts and bikini- style tops that seemed to me, as being dangerously close to objectification. I did not find this comfortable to watch, and makes me wonder whether Mr Flatley has simply gone a little too far in trying to tell his story.
Of course, the men in the company eventually get to display their very pumped torsos as well, to great cheers and wolf-whistles from the delighted female members of the audience, but it still left a slightly uneasy feeling.
Maybe it’s in trying to tell the story in the style of a Video game that in some way, is the show’s biggest problem.
However, it is the dancing we have all come to see, and in this respect, we are not left disappointed. In an opening video film, narrated by Michael Flatley, we are told that as a child, his dance teacher used a belt to tie his arms to his sides, and stop him moving them about. This made him ever more determined to create the free - style version of Irish Dance that he is so famous for.
To this effect, at Friday night’s performance, Cathal Keaney, as the Lord of the Dance was utterly magnificent from his first entrance, employing all the well known Flatley gesticulations. If his dance career should ever come to an end, he could always get a job at any airport helping planes take off!
Zoltan Papp gives Keaney a very strong run for his money as the Dark Lord. When he grabbed hold of Little Spirit’s flute and snapped it in half, I almost cheered! Her character becomes tedious in the extreme, or am I being mean?
Niamh Shevlin leads the female dance company as Saoirse, the Lord’s true love, whilst Andrea Papp Keen, all red hair and dancing Flamenco, is her rival. The entire show is danced to a beautiful score by Gerard Fahy.
Whilst the show’s creator, director, and choreographer now no longer himself appears, we are given a great reminder of his talent with a very witty film of his dancing, Well of course, this being Michael Flatley, there are 3 of him dancing, and very exciting they are to watch, which makes the audience feel we have seen him in the end.
Make no mistake, this 25th Anniversary production is well worth seeing for some truly spectacular dance routines that leave you breathless. With the amplified taps, superb music and strong visuals , there is as much visceral thrill as we have come to expect from Flatley’s huge stage shows, but, oh, Michael….that story!
A rethink is most definitely needed. Let the dancing speak for itself!
Review by Andrew Walters
All images below are the exclusive property of Southend Theatre Scene and Clarissa Debaenham (Film Free Photography) and may not be reproduced, copied, stored, downloaded or altered in any way without permission. If you are interested in Clarissa's photography please get in touch by clicking the email link below.
All photos copyright Film Free Photography - contact clarissa@filmfreephotography.co.uk
All photos copyright Film Free Photography - contact clarissa@filmfreephotography.co.uk
Michael Flatley is reviving 25 years of Lord of the Dance.
The most successful touring show in entertainment history is set to return to UK venues for performances across 2022. Tickets for the tour go on sale on Friday 16 July 2021 at 10am via BookingsDirect.com
Since its premiere, Michael Flatley's Lord Of The Dance has visited over 1000 venues worldwide and been seen by over 60 million people in 60 different countries on every continent, making it one of the most successful dance productions in the world.
Michael will revive and update the original Lord of the Dance for new generations of fans. The show, described by the Los Angeles Times as a "showpiece extravaganza", features more than 150,000 taps per performance as it transports the audience to a mythical time and place, capturing hearts in a swirl of movement, precision dancing, artistic lighting and pyrotechnics.
The journey to Lord of the Dance began with Michael Flatley’s dream to create the greatest Irish dance show in the world. Forged from his ambition and a performance that caught the world’s attention at Eurovision 1994, Lord of the Dance is the culmination of Flatley’s belief that “Nothing is impossible. Follow your dreams.”
Lord of the Dance has gone on to receive unparalleled accolades, and to break theatrical records across the globe. Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance not only brought Irish dancing to the world stage; it catapulted the art of Irish dance to a higher plane, unprecedented worldwide recognition and dove straight into the hearts and minds of millions worldwide.
Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance has dazzled audiences around the world with its unique combination of high-energy Irish dancing, original music, storytelling and sensuality. The beloved Irish dance show transcends culture and language, soaring into the soul on astounding aerial moves, unparalleled precision dancing and state-of-the art theatrical effects.
Much of the secret to its phenomenal success is that it speaks to all, crossing boundaries of age, gender and cultural diversity. Its timeless, universal appeal has made Lord of the Dance one of the modern day wonders of the world, a myth to a living legend.
The show will go to the next level in 2022 for its 25th anniversary show. Fans can expect new staging, new costumes and choreography plus cutting edge technology special effects lighting.
Lord of the Dance premiered at the iconic Hammersmith Apollo in 2014, to mark the milestone 25th anniversary since Michael Flatley became an international sensation Lord of the Dance will open at the Apollo in 2022.
The spectacle will feature 40 of the world’s most outstanding young performers directed by Michael Flatley, with new music by composer Gerard Fahy. This latest iteration combines the best of tradition with all the excitement of new music and dance.
The most successful touring show in entertainment history is set to return to UK venues for performances across 2022. Tickets for the tour go on sale on Friday 16 July 2021 at 10am via BookingsDirect.com
Since its premiere, Michael Flatley's Lord Of The Dance has visited over 1000 venues worldwide and been seen by over 60 million people in 60 different countries on every continent, making it one of the most successful dance productions in the world.
Michael will revive and update the original Lord of the Dance for new generations of fans. The show, described by the Los Angeles Times as a "showpiece extravaganza", features more than 150,000 taps per performance as it transports the audience to a mythical time and place, capturing hearts in a swirl of movement, precision dancing, artistic lighting and pyrotechnics.
The journey to Lord of the Dance began with Michael Flatley’s dream to create the greatest Irish dance show in the world. Forged from his ambition and a performance that caught the world’s attention at Eurovision 1994, Lord of the Dance is the culmination of Flatley’s belief that “Nothing is impossible. Follow your dreams.”
Lord of the Dance has gone on to receive unparalleled accolades, and to break theatrical records across the globe. Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance not only brought Irish dancing to the world stage; it catapulted the art of Irish dance to a higher plane, unprecedented worldwide recognition and dove straight into the hearts and minds of millions worldwide.
Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance has dazzled audiences around the world with its unique combination of high-energy Irish dancing, original music, storytelling and sensuality. The beloved Irish dance show transcends culture and language, soaring into the soul on astounding aerial moves, unparalleled precision dancing and state-of-the art theatrical effects.
Much of the secret to its phenomenal success is that it speaks to all, crossing boundaries of age, gender and cultural diversity. Its timeless, universal appeal has made Lord of the Dance one of the modern day wonders of the world, a myth to a living legend.
The show will go to the next level in 2022 for its 25th anniversary show. Fans can expect new staging, new costumes and choreography plus cutting edge technology special effects lighting.
Lord of the Dance premiered at the iconic Hammersmith Apollo in 2014, to mark the milestone 25th anniversary since Michael Flatley became an international sensation Lord of the Dance will open at the Apollo in 2022.
The spectacle will feature 40 of the world’s most outstanding young performers directed by Michael Flatley, with new music by composer Gerard Fahy. This latest iteration combines the best of tradition with all the excitement of new music and dance.
Photo credits: Brian Doherty
Michael Flatley comments: “I’m so excited to bring the original Lord of the Dance back to UK Theatres in 2022. I feel like this is the most vital tour in our 25 year history! The return of the arts is so incredibly important. I hope the tour will help renew spirits and put a smile back on everyone's faces...”
The tour will be coordinated by Harvey Goldsmith CBE and promoted by Triple A.
Harvey Goldsmith CBE said: “I am delighted to be working with Michael again. I helped to create the original show and have watched its success worldwide. Using the best modern technology and revising the original stage production gives us the opportunity to represent this classic show at its very best.”
Websites: www.lordofthedance.com www.michaelflatley.com
Facebook: /MichaelFlatleysLordoftheDance
Twitter: @LordOfTheDance @lotdofficial
YouTube: /michaelflatley
The tour will be coordinated by Harvey Goldsmith CBE and promoted by Triple A.
Harvey Goldsmith CBE said: “I am delighted to be working with Michael again. I helped to create the original show and have watched its success worldwide. Using the best modern technology and revising the original stage production gives us the opportunity to represent this classic show at its very best.”
Websites: www.lordofthedance.com www.michaelflatley.com
Facebook: /MichaelFlatleysLordoftheDance
Twitter: @LordOfTheDance @lotdofficial
YouTube: /michaelflatley
25 YEARS OF STANDING OVATIONS
LORD OF THE DANCE
ON TOUR ACROSS THE UK 2022
Portsmouth Kings Theatre Tue 22 – Sun 27 March
Eastbourne Congress Theatre Tue 29 March – Sun 3 April
Northampton Derngate Tue 5 – Sat 9 April
York Barbican Mon 11 – Thu 14 April
Leicester de Montfort Hall Fri 15 – Sun 17 April
Llandudno Venue Cymru Tue 19 – Thu 21 April
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Fri 22 – Sun 24 April
Cardiff New Theatre Mon 25 – Wed 27 April
Hull New Theatre Tue 10 – Thu 12 May
Liverpool M&S Bank Arena Fri 13 – Sun 15 May
Dunfermline Alhambra Theatre Wed 18 – Sat 21 May
Sunderland Empire Mon 23 – Wed 25 May
Glasgow SEC Armadillo Sat 4 – Sun 5 June
Oxford New Theatre Tue 7 – Sat 11 June
Sheffield City Hall Mon 13 – Wed 15 June
Birmingham The Alexandra Fri 17 – Sun 19 June
Guildford G Live Tue 21 – Thu 23 June
Southend Cliffs Pavilion Fri 24 – Sun 26 June
Truro Hall for Cornwall▲ Tue 28 Jun – Fri 1 July
Aberdeen His Majesty’s Theatre▼ Mon 4 – Thu 7 July
Glasgow SEC Armadillo Fri 8 – Sat 9 July
Blackpool Opera House Mon 11 – Wed 13 July
Manchester Palace Theatre Thu 14 – Sun 17 July
Tickets on sale from Friday 16 July 10am
Available from the venue box offices, select authorised agents and
24hr Ticket Hotline: 0844 249 2222* BookingsDirect.com
▲ On sale autumn 2021
▼ On sale Fri 23 July 10am
LORD OF THE DANCE
ON TOUR ACROSS THE UK 2022
Portsmouth Kings Theatre Tue 22 – Sun 27 March
Eastbourne Congress Theatre Tue 29 March – Sun 3 April
Northampton Derngate Tue 5 – Sat 9 April
York Barbican Mon 11 – Thu 14 April
Leicester de Montfort Hall Fri 15 – Sun 17 April
Llandudno Venue Cymru Tue 19 – Thu 21 April
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Fri 22 – Sun 24 April
Cardiff New Theatre Mon 25 – Wed 27 April
Hull New Theatre Tue 10 – Thu 12 May
Liverpool M&S Bank Arena Fri 13 – Sun 15 May
Dunfermline Alhambra Theatre Wed 18 – Sat 21 May
Sunderland Empire Mon 23 – Wed 25 May
Glasgow SEC Armadillo Sat 4 – Sun 5 June
Oxford New Theatre Tue 7 – Sat 11 June
Sheffield City Hall Mon 13 – Wed 15 June
Birmingham The Alexandra Fri 17 – Sun 19 June
Guildford G Live Tue 21 – Thu 23 June
Southend Cliffs Pavilion Fri 24 – Sun 26 June
Truro Hall for Cornwall▲ Tue 28 Jun – Fri 1 July
Aberdeen His Majesty’s Theatre▼ Mon 4 – Thu 7 July
Glasgow SEC Armadillo Fri 8 – Sat 9 July
Blackpool Opera House Mon 11 – Wed 13 July
Manchester Palace Theatre Thu 14 – Sun 17 July
Tickets on sale from Friday 16 July 10am
Available from the venue box offices, select authorised agents and
24hr Ticket Hotline: 0844 249 2222* BookingsDirect.com
▲ On sale autumn 2021
▼ On sale Fri 23 July 10am