Aylesbury Waterside Theatre= until 17 October 2024
Reviewed by Julia Spargo
3***
Lord of the Dance opens with a flamboyant video about the history of the show, and its creator, Michael Flatley, leaving us in no doubt that while he no longer dances in the show, his presence must still be felt. Soon afterwards, the show begins with the “Little Spirit” (Cassidy Ludwig), ushering in the eponymous melody with her penny whistle, surrounded by female dancers clad in white. Thereafter follows a short first act, where we are introduced to the characters of Lord (Matt Smith), the Dark Lord (the incredible Zoltan Papp), the Lord’s love interest Saoirse (Tiernagh Canning), her rival Morrighan (Andrea Papp Kren), via interludes from musical numbers. Erin the Goddess (Celyn Cartwright) sings the beautiful Mo Ghile Mear with an unexpected chorus from the dancers, and fiddlers Giada Costenaro Cunningham and Helena Gullan must be given special mention for their incredible prowess at playing while dancing in stilettos.
There is no doubt, Lord of the Dance is a spectacle. Technically brilliant, it is a visual extravaganza with video graphics and lighting used to create a sense of place and infuse the show with its own brand of Celtic folklore. The costumes are dazzling, with many changes, including one on stage where the women whip their dresses off with such speed I missed it, to continue dancing in black bikinis embroidered with Celtic symbols, to the gasps of the audience. The men, too, whip their tops off on a couple of occasions, but more in context; in a show of strength against the Dark Lord and his army. Kudos to Team Dark Lord, who perform throughout in leather trousers. I have been out clubbing in leather trousers, and it was not an experience I ever wish to repeat. Frequently, I found my attention wandering to the costume team and how they clean the huge number of high-maintenance leather or sequinned garments.
I felt the first half of the performance lacked cohesion and I found myself a bit confused about the storyline. The second half had more of a flow, enabling the audience to follow a plot, but I felt the Lord vs Dark Lord fight scenes lacked the tension and arrogance needed from Matt Smith in a dance-off when faced with the swaggering, masked Dark Lord in his leather trousers.
I wondered if some parts of the show were a relic from past times and the ego of its creator. The finale, which saw the Lord showcasing the undeniable talent of his dance troupe while picking various female members of the cast to either kiss or dance with felt dated, and indeed Matt Smith looked uncomfortable himself. On a couple of occasions he almost looked apologetic for being expected to dance with such hubris. I wished in a way that his confidence would match his talent.
The show concludes with another odd video about the show’s history (let not the performance speak for itself?) and for at least the third time reminds us that there have been “25 years of standing ovations” which felt more like a direction than a celebration. Then followed a very odd few minutes of video of not one but three Michael Flatleys showcasing their footwork against a white backdrop. The ego is alive and well.