There is a story to this toe-tapping bonanza of Irish dance, though the many people who resisted paying an outrageous £7 for the programme won't have known much about it. Luckily, that doesn't really matter, as it's the dancing that counts, and from that point of view this is quite a show.
For what it's worth, Conor (The Lord of the Dance - David McCabe), his girlfriend Saoirse (Bernadette Flynn) and their bunch of friends are threatened by the evil Don Dorcha (Paul O'Brien) and his warriors. There is a Temptress who sides with the evil ones, a spirit who's on the Lord's side, and Erin the Goddess who sings a couple of songs during the evening, making a welcome break from the ceaseless clatter of steel-capped Irish pumps. There are also two or three entertaining musical interludes - a small blonde woman and her companion bring moments of live music amid the recorded soundtrack. Good, needless to say, triumphs over evil, in a stylised ballet of macho tap-dancing.
What makes this show worth watching, and very enjoyable, is the energy and skill of the cast, the girls in mini-dresses most of the time dancing though the complex formations with ease and charm; the men, both sides in black, beating hell out of the floor with high-speed tapping which manages to express the anger they are feeling, and increases in pace just when you think they've reached their limit. Don Dorcha, a flame-haired bully-boy is pretty impressive in his nastiness, but, several inches shorter than our hero, doesn't look quite as threatening as he should. McCabe himself is a terrific dancer, and during his solos even the members of the cast at times look astonished at his virtuosity. But stealing the show completely is the tiny figure of the Spirit, a darting, puckish creature, sparkling from head to foot, orchestrating the action, and dancing with a freedom not given to the others, except at times to the Temptress. These two are the only ones allowed to depart from the hands-at-sides style that dominates, and use their arms and legs in a more fluid way. The packed house cheered throughout the performance, and at the end gave the hard-working cast a standing ovation.
Only through research after the show have I been able to mention some of the performers by name. This is because not even in the over-priced programme is a single one of them identified. Surely people who have bought seats deserve to know whom they are looking at? And, equally, how unfair to ask such a talented cast to perform anonymously!
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