Review: Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games at the London Palladium

Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games 
London Palladium
Reviewed on Tuesday 2nd September 2014
★★★

As a Riverdance newbie I was particularly excited to see Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games which has transferred to the London Palladium for a limited run, marking Flatley's final West End performances.

Featuring the latest technology, this production showcases new staging of the original show. Projections are consistently used throughout as well as the occasional 3D hologram. The evening also features skipping violinists, a handful of numbers sung by former Girls Aloud member Nadine Coyle and a world class company of vibrant dancers. 

Lord of the Dance is high energy from beginning to end and left me feeling absolutely exhausted. The show transported me to a whole new world I knew nothing about; I was absolutely taken aback and, at times, utterly speechless. The female ensemble bring warmth and fun to the stage whilst the male ensemble bring power and precision. Everyone seems to be having a great time onstage which certainly rubs off onto the audience.

Flatley makes his highly anticipated entrance during Lord of the Dance's grand finale. The atmosphere had been electrifying all evening, but the London Palladium quite literally went wild as Flatley took to the stage. The stand out performance came from a lady sat several rows in front of me who couldn't contain her excitement following Flatley's arrival. Many jumped to their feet and attempted to Irish jig from the restriction of their seat, others clapped along as hard as humanly possible.

Moments of Lord of the Dance feel disconnected. I would love to have seen some human interaction with the holograms; watching three computerised Michael Flatleys dancing in front of your eyes is quite something, but to see the real Michael Flatley dancing alongside two holograms of himself would be mind-blowingly brilliant.

With Once and The Commitments both running in London, Irish-fever has well and truly taken over the West End! Riverdance lovers must embrace the opportunity to see Flatley's final West End performances; this show may not be for everyone, but it certainly provides a bizarre and unforgettable experience! 

Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)

Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games runs at the London Palladium until Saturday 25th October 2014. Please visit www.london-palladium.co.uk for further information and tickets.

Photo Credit: Brian Doherty

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