By Review of Magic of the Dance at the Congress Theatre by Annemarie Field.
I'VE SAID it before and I'll say it again. Did anyone think the Irish dancing phenomenon had gone away?
Well, they're wrong.
Put a show like Spirit of the Dance or Magic of the Dance on the Congress stage and you are guaranteed to have the place virtually full. The crowds love watching the fast as lightning, high energy dance routines.
This year's of
fering of Magic of the Dance is no different. The show's hype bigs it up as an explosive and exciting dance show against the backdrop of a love story and a fight against evil spirits set in famine-striken Ireland and America.
The show is enjoyable and at times exciting. But on the whole the show is commercial, more entertainment for the masses as opposed to the breath-taking routines of, say, Riverdance. And I am sure many of the routines were seen only a couple of years back by Congress audiences when the show came to town under the Spirit of the Dance banner.
Ciaran Maguire and Collette Dunne are the lead dancers and although they work well together, Maguire is at his best in his solo numbers.
The other star of the show is Suzanne Cleary who gives a tremendous performance and oozes ability and style.
Mixed in with Irish dance routines are pieces from the New York Tap All-Stars members Joel Hannah and Bryan Berry and their quirky and comic style bring a bit of light relief to the show. There is plenty of audience participation including a pantomime like moment when three members of the audience are invited up on stage to strut their stuff.
Add the dance routines and fancy footwork to the flames bursting on stage, burning shoes and fiery torches to a changing video backdrop with narration by screen legend Christopher Lee and you have a good value for money production guaranteed to thrill the young and old.
Catch the magic tonight (Friday 7.30pm) and tomorrow (2.30pm matinee and 7.30pm evening performance).
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