Riverdance 30

Postcard review by Caroline Russell-King (written in the absence of a program)

Show – Riverdance 30

Playwright/Composer – various

Production Company/Theatre space – Broadway Across Canada, Jubilee Auditorium.

Length – 2 ACT (2 hours, 10 minutes, one intermission)

Genre/s – Dance concert with music and singing.

Premise –Irish dancers, Irish songs of folklore, musicians, two African American dancers (with more athletic moves), and one Flamenco dancer.

Why this play? Why now? –  These shows took the imagination of the world by storm in the 90s and they are still going strong.

Curiosities – Where was the celi number of the Irish diaspora on Canada’s East Coast? Why did one performer miss his curtain call? As I followed a van with a vanity plate that read something like, “1Dancer” I wondered what their assessment would have been. Positive, I’m sure.

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Notable Moment – The playful New York street version of the Sharks and Jets “tap off”.

Notable writing – The VO narrator, who waxed poetic with the projections, reminded me of the voiceovers from the Infinity Dome at Telus Spark.

Notable performances – It comes together as an ensemble piece despite the solo songs and musical numbers. The player of the uilleann pipes (I had to look it up too) was great along with the fiddle/violin player, flutist, and a magnificent drummer. The dancers of course are the soul of the show. Traversing the stage in a second, tapping the most intricate steps in a fury of numbers left me feeling a sort of sympathetic exhaustion. The soprano solos were impressive.

Notable design/Production – The lighting designer makes some strong choices as is evident from the shafts of mist at the opening which then engulf the audience. The show’s evocative nature is helped along with projections of rivers, trees, abstract fiery cosmos, and a rendering of downtown New York. The obligatory green velvet costumes are soon replaced with fierce red ruffles, sliver grey silk, period dress, embroidered skirts ending with Broadway-esque gold sequins.

Notable direction – Hats off to the choreographer and music director.

One reason to see this show –Wholesome spectacle especially appreciated by dancers and dance enthusiasts.