Hull New Theatre – until 25th July 2024
Reviewed by Cath Wright
4****
Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance made a triumphant return to Hull New Theatre, with its stunning celebration of Irish dance and culture. Lord of the Dance is Michel Flatley’s “brainchild” and incorporates his more fluid style of Irish dance, it is a classic tale of good versus evil in which the Lord of the Dance (Matt Smith) must fight against the Dark Lord (Zoltan Papp), and of course the Lord of the Dance triumphs. The music is composed by Geard Fahy, combining traditional Irish music with other sounds and styles, providing the perfect soundscape for the performance.
Matt Smith is a superb dancer and an absolute delight to watch, he is the perfect Lord of the Dance. At times his feet were moving so fast that they seemed to blur, the rhythms and syncopation created were mesmerising. His dance duels with Zoltan Papp (the Dark Lord) were outstanding.
This is a young and extremely talented cast and the ensemble pieces were amazing, with the dancers moving in perfect harmony, the sound of the shoes on the stage filling the theatre. The finale ensemble pieces were one of my favourite parts of the performance.
The story is also told in song by Erin the Goddess (Celyn Cartwright), adding beautifully to the atmosphere of the piece. Celyn has a beautiful voice with wonderful tones. Two fiddle players, Giada Costenaro Cunningham and Helena Gullan add to the mix with their fast and furious delivery of traditional Irish music and what a treat it was to watch the dancers dancing to live music.
The scenery is simple with just some wide stairs, however there is a video backdrop providing stunning scenery and settings for the dancers. In addition, there was also a video of Michel Flatley talking about his life and his career.
Lord of the Dance is a fabulous tribute to Irish music and dance, the packed Hull New Theatre loved every minute of it and roared their approval for the dancers throughout. If you love Irish music and dance then this is the show for you.