Thriller Live
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea
22nd February - 27 February 2016
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea
22nd February - 27 February 2016
You can usually gauge the success of a production by the way the audience reacts to it; and it was pretty obvious from Southend’s opening night audience of Thriller Live that this show was the best thing since......well, since Michael Jackson himself graced the stages of the world with his blockbusting, hit making and massively successful sell out concerts.
Michael Jackson began his career with his brothers way back in 1962 when they called themselves the Jackson 5. He had phenomenal success with his siblings before becoming a star in his own right when Motown began promoting a spin off career for him with his first single ‘Got To Be There’ reaching the top 5 in 1971. In 1978 Michael and his brother Randy wrote ‘Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)’ which went platinum after selling over two million copies. Jackson’s album, ‘Off The Wall’ was released in 1979 selling twenty million copies and winning him numerous awards. From then on it would seem that he could do no wrong as he continued to make hit after hit with records from the Thriller album, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory; each album providing its own iconic songs including what is probably now one of the most memorable, ‘Billie Jean’, where Jackson’s trademark dance, the 'moonwalk', was created.
Rather than being a jukebox musical, Thriller Live is more of a concert, paying homage to Michael Jackson and provides us with no less than 33 of the hits that made him such a musical phenomenon. With the likes of ‘Human Nature’, ‘Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough’, ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’, ‘Smooth Criminal’, ‘Man In The Mirror’, ‘Billie Jean’, and ‘Black or White’, it reminds you exactly why Jackson became one of the world’s greatest entertainers of all time.
Anyone who has watched the behind the scenes documentary, ‘This is It’ detailing rehearsals for the touring shows that Michael Jackson was due to give in 2009, will know what an absolute stickler for precision he was. The documentary shows Jackson alongside his dancers and band, with every attention given to the minutest detail. If something wasn't quite right, he would go over it again and again until it was perfect. This is something I feel that director and choreographer of Thriller Live, Gary Lloyd, has done with his staggeringly talented cast as they faultlessly dance their way through each song with the most incredible amount of energy and passion. These dancers have certainly had their work cut out for them in this show and each and every one of them steps right up to the mark, giving it everything they’ve got and almost bringing the house down in the ‘Smooth Criminal’ number.
Michael Jackson began his career with his brothers way back in 1962 when they called themselves the Jackson 5. He had phenomenal success with his siblings before becoming a star in his own right when Motown began promoting a spin off career for him with his first single ‘Got To Be There’ reaching the top 5 in 1971. In 1978 Michael and his brother Randy wrote ‘Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)’ which went platinum after selling over two million copies. Jackson’s album, ‘Off The Wall’ was released in 1979 selling twenty million copies and winning him numerous awards. From then on it would seem that he could do no wrong as he continued to make hit after hit with records from the Thriller album, Bad, Dangerous and HIStory; each album providing its own iconic songs including what is probably now one of the most memorable, ‘Billie Jean’, where Jackson’s trademark dance, the 'moonwalk', was created.
Rather than being a jukebox musical, Thriller Live is more of a concert, paying homage to Michael Jackson and provides us with no less than 33 of the hits that made him such a musical phenomenon. With the likes of ‘Human Nature’, ‘Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough’, ‘I Just Can’t Stop Loving You’, ‘Smooth Criminal’, ‘Man In The Mirror’, ‘Billie Jean’, and ‘Black or White’, it reminds you exactly why Jackson became one of the world’s greatest entertainers of all time.
Anyone who has watched the behind the scenes documentary, ‘This is It’ detailing rehearsals for the touring shows that Michael Jackson was due to give in 2009, will know what an absolute stickler for precision he was. The documentary shows Jackson alongside his dancers and band, with every attention given to the minutest detail. If something wasn't quite right, he would go over it again and again until it was perfect. This is something I feel that director and choreographer of Thriller Live, Gary Lloyd, has done with his staggeringly talented cast as they faultlessly dance their way through each song with the most incredible amount of energy and passion. These dancers have certainly had their work cut out for them in this show and each and every one of them steps right up to the mark, giving it everything they’ve got and almost bringing the house down in the ‘Smooth Criminal’ number.
Singing Jackson’s songs in this production are five lead vocalists - Sean Christopher, Shaquille Hemmans and Michael Kavuma are all tremendous, sounding like Jackson but without having to impersonate him. However, Shanice Steele, (who was covering for Cleopatra Higgins on this opening night) and Rory Taylor really succeeded in raising the bar with their outstanding performances. I loved Rory’s heartfelt rendition of ‘She’s Out of My Life’ and also ‘Beat It’ accompanied by Alan Sallmon displaying all the skills required to give us that iconic Van Halen guitar solo. It also took me a while to realise that the reason Rory’s face looked so familiar was because I had rooted for him back in 2012 when he was a finalist in the reality tv programme to find a Jesus in ITVs ‘Superstar’.
Of course the production and cast wouldn’t be complete without the music and the support of a band behind them and in this show the band is, quite literally, behind them! Sadly hidden behind a screen for most of the show they are superbly led by Musical Director, Mike Lindup (founder member of Level 42) who is also on keys. These guys produce the most amazing sound and simply have to be one of the best live bands that I’ve seen on a touring production in a long time.
Thriller Live does have a few moments of what I would coyly describe as ‘cheesiness’ which may not go down with any highbrow theatrical types. There is also a certain amount of over-sincerity throughout the rather weakly narrated story of Jackson’s musical journey. Quite early on in the show the cast encourage the audience to stand up and join in with a kind of panto style sing song during the ‘Shake Your Body’ number which seemed to go down quite well with the opening night’s excitable audience but may not be everyone’s cup of tea; in fact I did spy a few resentful looking folks who were clearly not going to budge one iota, let alone ‘shake their bodies.’ Each to their own I suppose!
Thriller Live ultimately takes you through the decades of Jackson’s monumental musical career, celebrating and focusing on his glory days, rather than those well documented sadder times before his untimely death. It also gives us all the opportunity to appreciate what a true musical legend he was with literally one song after another. With Thriller Live you really won’t want ‘to stop ’til you get enough!'
Tickets still available from www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
Of course the production and cast wouldn’t be complete without the music and the support of a band behind them and in this show the band is, quite literally, behind them! Sadly hidden behind a screen for most of the show they are superbly led by Musical Director, Mike Lindup (founder member of Level 42) who is also on keys. These guys produce the most amazing sound and simply have to be one of the best live bands that I’ve seen on a touring production in a long time.
Thriller Live does have a few moments of what I would coyly describe as ‘cheesiness’ which may not go down with any highbrow theatrical types. There is also a certain amount of over-sincerity throughout the rather weakly narrated story of Jackson’s musical journey. Quite early on in the show the cast encourage the audience to stand up and join in with a kind of panto style sing song during the ‘Shake Your Body’ number which seemed to go down quite well with the opening night’s excitable audience but may not be everyone’s cup of tea; in fact I did spy a few resentful looking folks who were clearly not going to budge one iota, let alone ‘shake their bodies.’ Each to their own I suppose!
Thriller Live ultimately takes you through the decades of Jackson’s monumental musical career, celebrating and focusing on his glory days, rather than those well documented sadder times before his untimely death. It also gives us all the opportunity to appreciate what a true musical legend he was with literally one song after another. With Thriller Live you really won’t want ‘to stop ’til you get enough!'
Tickets still available from www.southendtheatres.org.uk or call the box office on 01702 351135
What The Audience Thought
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Rhys, 11, Southend on Sea “I’ve been a Michael Jackson fan since I was 3 years old and I thought it was really good. It was excellent. My favourite part was the dancing and singing. I’ve been to see Diversity and Wicked and I thought this was brilliant.” |
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Rachel, 42, Southend on Sea
“Because I have 3 young children, I haven’t had the chance to come out and see something like this for a really long time. It was absolutely amazing. Not one person in the cast let anyone else down - they are all real pro’s. Amazing voices, amazing dancing, amazing costumes and so much energy. I would definitely recommend it.”
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Tom, 66, Southend on Sea “I’ve seen the show in London and it is just as good here. Why spend more money going to London when you can see it here for cheaper? I would definitely come again.” |
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