DANCE 'TIL DAWN - THEATRE REVIEW

DANCE 'TIL DAWN AT THE NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM

Theatre Run: Monday 21 - Saturday 26 April 2014
Performance Reviewed: Monday 21 April 2014 (Press Night)

Reviewed by Kyle Pedley

I loved Midnight Tango - last years dance vehicle for Strictly veterans Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace. It was a fresh, confident and incredibly charismatic outing that allowed its prolific and dynamic leading duo to tell their story almost exclusively through some genuinely stunning dance. This year, Simone and Cacace return for another UK theatre tour with Dance ‘Til Dawn, and the question of how this new production could be distinctive and original enough from its predecessor to warrant a ticket purchase was the prevailing thought upon going in to what could very easily have been Midnight Tango Mk.2.

MIDNIGHT TANGO - THEATRE REVIEW

MIDNIGHT TANGO AT THE NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM

Theatre Run: Tuesday 7 - Saturday 11 May 2013
Performance Reviewed: Tuesday 7 May (Press Night)

Reviewed by Kyle Pedley

Whilst it may be loathed by dance aficionados and purists (though is there anything self-proclaimed ‘purists’ don’t loathe?), there’s no denying the impact Strictly Come Dancing has had in once again returning ballroom dancing and its ilk back onto the collective consciousness. The latest ripple of this cultural proliferation comes in the form of the rather brilliant Midnight Tango, a wonderfully confident and focused piece of dance theatre which shares more in common with the likes of silent cinema of the early 20th Century than it does the conventional musicals and dramas currently doing the rounds on the boards. It’s a deliciously vivid and distinctive piece, a wonderful night’s entertainment even for those such as myself who are not ardent dance enthusiasts or viewers of the show, and a real celebration of the technique, artistry and versatility of dance as a means to tell a story, convey character and evoke mood. And, of course, the Strictly ties are more than present, headlined as it is by the ever popular Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, runner-up and winner of last years series of the show respectively, who more than demonstrate the merit behind their popularity.