From the very first low, stirring note of Bill Whelan’s ‘Reel Around The Sun’, the Melbourne audience could feel they were in for a treat with the 25th anniversary performance of ‘Riverdance’.
What followed was a night of genuinely breathtaking, goosebump-inducing dance and music. A show with a storied history, choreography seen and loved the world over – you could sense the deep impact that ‘Riverdance’ has had since its inception, from beginning to end.
In terms of production value, ‘Riverdance’ had it all. Striking, flashing lights, beautiful backdrops, and a GRAMMY Award-winning soundtrack impossible to fault. The small stage (when compared to much larger spaces this show has graced like Radio City Music Hall in New York and its original home, Dublin’s Point Theatre) was not by any means a detraction – the cast using every corner to its full potential.
The music in this production deserves its own paragraph. It’s an incredible, sweeping score – one which this reviewer has adored for most of his life. Bill Whelan’s mastery is on full display through the complexities of the sounds. . . There are booming, Viking-like drums which fill the room with hyper anticipation, but there are also melodic uilleann pipes (which could be described as a slightly softer, more pleasant bagpipes), enchanting string orchestration, and of course the iconic, distinctly Irish fiddle. Highlights included the scene-setting, triumphant ‘Reel Around The Sun’, the beautiful ‘Countess Cathleen’, the flavourful ‘Firedance’, and the massive finale, ‘Heartland’. To close one’s eyes throughout this show would be to go on a colourful aural journey, and that’s just the beginning.
It’s not an over-exaggeration by any stretch to say that the dancing in ‘Riverdance’ was simply phenomenal. It was hard to keep my own breathing and heart rate at a resting level as I watched the blurred legs of these dancers going a mile a minute. There was also something mesmerising about the huge troupe all tapping at once – the sound was hypnotic and scratched an itch in my brain, not to mention it was just beyond impressive to see how in sync they remained at all times. The cast nailed each style of dance – whether it was traditional Irish with a twist, flamenco, or jazzy tap.
Seeing this show has been on this reviewer’s bucket list for most of my time on earth – on a personal level, it was a huge part of my life growing up. To finally see it in the flesh was surreal. . . And something of an out-of-body experience for a moment at the beginning!
This 25th anniversary celebration took everything that made the original show powerful, expressive and emotional, and amplified it. It was a beautiful celebration of culture, an astounding display of musical and physical talent, and a fantastic night out. WOW.
★★★★★
