The modern but cosy four hundred seat Brindley Theatre plays
host to the National Dance Company of Ireland's touring production of talented
dancers and musicians: Rhythm Of The Dance.
The billing states, ‘The show features a
live band, Irish Vocalists & Champion Irish dancers’. Expectations were
high. It was a full house. If you have never witnessed Irish national dance
live then you cannot fail to be impressed by the sheer stamina and mesmerising
footwork of the intermingling traditional and modern step dance numbers. The
style is formation dancing meets flamenco with balletic shaping and tap after
glorious tap. The swivel footed high kicking troop of fourteen dancers fill the
small stage as in the first half they play out their tale of leaving the Irish
homeland for a more promising America only to long for home so much that they
return to Ireland at the end of the second half.
You need a programme to
understand the story, a glossy, photograph filled souvenir bargain these days
at £5, otherwise each song and dance stands alone as a fun showcase. This show
is not for the Irish dance purist or the traditionalist, there is too much
detraction for that including a jive number in the second half that quite
takes the audience by surprise. The producer, Kieran Cavanagh frequently shows
his credentials as a successful international promoter and this show is aimed
at a worldwide audience.
The women, headed by lead female dancer, the award-winning
Amy Marie Prior, dazzle in their numerous costumes that shamelessly flout Irish
step associations rules of skirts measuring no more than four inches above the
knee but it is the men who literally stamp their authority on this production.
Each time they take to the stage the audience cheer at the confidence and skill
of these agile young men who enter like magnificent matadors. The troop is lead
by the outstanding leading man, Dane McKiernan, who is also the choreographer. McKiernan is the epitome of leading by example and you can see the love and the discipline
that he pours into his cast.
The mix of tap with balletic movement is visually stunning
and musically thrilling as the stage microphones amplify every synchronised
click. This produces a fully inclusive format that transcends cultural
differences and language so it isn’t hard to understand their global success.
The production is brought together under the musical direction of Chris Anglim,
from County Limerick, who also composed the music. Five multi-instrument-playing musicians had ample opportunity to display their talent with each at
some point giving solo performances and with the show incorporating several music
only scenes that had the audience's feet stomping and clapping along. The tin whistle
never sounded so melodious and the Uilleann pipes (Irish bagpipes, pronounced
ill-in, it helpfully states in the programme) were haunting, and with an entire
scene called ‘Bodhran’ thrown in consisting solely of the fastest drumming ever
seen, on not one but two bodhrans, and you feel you’ve heard it all.
That is
until the second half which after the audience had settled down, realised
there’s not going to be another thirty dancers and got into the rhythm of the
show, takes off with even more spectacular music, singing and dancing. The
reels get 'reeler' and the story gets cheesier with a long-faced sitting around
the campfire ‘Thinking of Home’ song. That done, it’s the build up to the homecoming
back to Ireland finale. The players gather for the ‘Musicians Farewell’ and draw
the audience in so you feel that we’ve all sneaked away to the pub for an Irish
night knees-up. The instruments come out and lead by a guitar the players try
to outdo each other with their performance while appealing to the willing
audience to join in clapping and stomping along. The scene is rounded off to
thunderous applause with an hilarious attempt at an Irish dance ending with the
would-be dancer jumping and kicking like a drunk at a wedding.
The finale is a fast-paced bedazzling line-dance extravaganza
that has a feel-good factor forgiving the earlier occasional flailing arm or mystifying
storyline. Rhythm Of The Dance lasts an acceptable two hours including a twenty-minute
interval. The UK tour continues night after night in different towns until 11th
August with barely a day off. Go to be entertained and be prepared to clap
along.
Reviewer - Barbara Sherlock
on - 5/7/18
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