Theatre - Riverdance

I have tagged this as musicals though in my mind it clearly isn't but it still excited me enough to write about it and seems the best home for it.

Yesterday I bought a ticket for the evening performance at the New Theatre - final show of the week of apparently the farewell tour - not entirely sure what that meant but it meant I paid £38 for the cheapest ticket, up in the balcony.

I think I first remember hearing about/seeing Riverdance when I was about 10, think it might have been on a Royal Variety performance or something like that.  It impressed me at the time, especially the bit when they are all in a line and do Mexican wave type thing along.  My family mainly loathed the idea of it - mum totally agreeing with Chandler's line: 'his legs flail about as if independent of his body'.  I had really vivid thoughts about Las Vegas last night, almost feeling as it I was there.  It was on at New York New York when we went and my mind seems to have a big association with it!

It was fantastic - so pleased I saw it.  Loved the large group numbers where they were dancing simultaneously and in and out of each other.  It was funny seeing it on the same day as i had danced at Slough as I was comparing my abilities with theirs - quite a contrast!

I was uber perplexed by the noise of the shoes - it seemed way too much and too drum like - I would like to know more about the microphones and the speakers.  Think they must have turned it on and off at somepoints.  It was great though - loved the noise.  Also intrigued by the musicians.  I'd noticed before it started that the pit was closed and thought it would be  shame there was no live music but there was four of them on stage.  An awesome percussionist - played so many different pieces in quick succession.  A female fiddler who did some great numbers wandering round the stage.  And two men who played, i'm guessing, a selection of celtic wind instruments.  But I'm pretty sure there must have been a backing track as well as I feel there were string instruments at parts.

It wasn't just Irish dancing.  There was an 'international' flavour as well.  Definitely decided I don't like flamenco.  She did 2 fairly solo numbers which didn't really do anything for me.  There were 2 men who did tap dancing I think to a more jazz style of music - they were low and loose as opposed to 'tall and straight'.  They provided quite a comedic element and I liked their 'competing with 3 Irish dancers.  Then there were some Russian dancers whom I thought were fab too.  Not particularly loving the singing numbers though could appreciate they were good.  Definitely legs flailing about was my cup of tea.

Lots of points I was leaning forward into my seat as really enjoying and captivated by it.  Great eve.

Let me know if you have seen anything like it and what you thought...