Yllana: Flamenc Oh!! – Peacock Theatre, London

Choreographer: Carlos Chamorro

Traditional flamenco performances are usually sensual, fierce, full of passion and often quite serious in nature, but Yllana Productions takes the art form and transforms it into a modern, comedic, almost clown-like production instead.

The storyline is based on a family that has had their roots in flamenco dance for many generations. The patriarch (David Bastidas) is strict and serious, infuriated with his children (Raúl Ortega and Anabel Moreno) for wanting to freshen up and modernise the dance. Passing down the family cane is a big deal, and he needs to make sure that his children are ready for the importance bestowed on them. His wife (Raquel Ortega) understands both sides, using magic to endorse love and bring her family together at times when they need it most. When a distant relative (Luis Gallo) arrives and encourages them to modernise, though it takes some time, the family slowly transform from traditional to trendy and become closer as a family because of it.

For a flamenco show, there’s surprisingly not as much flamenco as initially expected. A lot of the show is mainly focused on the mostly wordless story, which is very telenovela-esque; quite cheesy and too silly to properly express any depth or emotion surrounding tradition and family values. Each scene is steeped in slapstick, which is funny at times, though slightly overdone; the few children in the audience on press night shriek with laughter, so there is definitely an audience for it. The pantomime style production is further embedded with the (very frequent) calls to clap along throughout the show, sometimes for rhythm, sometimes seemingly just for the sake of it, which gets equally overdone, especially when not much more has happened since the last clap along.

Each time the audience is encouraged to clap, or is addressed directly by the performers, the bright house lights go up, abruptly and starkly, pulling the audience out of the show completely. Because of the high amount of audience address, it means the lights are constantly going up and down, sometimes only for a short moment, which disorients the atmosphere and loses traction for the action on stage.

The moments that do include flamenco are brilliantly performed with passion, energy and precision; Carlos Chamorro’s choreography and Tatiana de Sarabia’s beautiful and vibrant costumes ensure that each routine is mesmerising and enjoyable. There are some fun showcases of the dance, such as the boxing ring with Ortega and Moreno having a dance-off, or Moreno trying to gain Gallo’s attention, and the final scene is packed with energy and fun, leaving a great lasting impression.

Runs until 10 October 2026