Creator, Director and Choreographer: Michael Flatley
It’s not difficult to understand why Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance spectacular can boast that it is now celebrating thirty years of standing ovations. This is a massive show with huge production values and plenty of ‘wow’ factor.
Opening with footage of Flatley’s beginnings as a dancer and his own explanation of the inception of his unique style, there is palpable excitement for the moment when the dancers will burst on to the stage.
It starts quietly though, soft shoes, not taps, glide across the stage with those iconic flying moves which seem scarcely human. Drawing on Celtic and Irish folklore and symbolism, an ancient time is reflected – an impish pixie character draws the dancers on as fairy folk, fire spirits or more brutal troops battling forest fires. There is a narrative here and it is deeply seated in traditional tales but boils down very simply to good versus evil.
Macaulay Selwood is undoubtedly a worthy successor of Flatley’s crown and he does indeed soar across the stage with scarcely possible moves which defy gravity. There is a surge of emotion too when the stage fills with the most disciplined of dancers choreographed so minutely and with such precision that it is indeed a wonder to behold. The talent within this incredible ensemble is off the scale.
The dance numbers are interspersed with musical interludes, Celyn Cartwright sings beautifully as Erin the Goddess and the brilliant violin duo of Giada Costenaro Cunningham and Helena Gullan add another dazzling dimension to this epic production.
It is perhaps though, its epic nature which is its flaw. To fill huge theatres and arenas the sound is also huge and so massively produced that at times it detracts from the performance. To expect from this new iteration the simple charm of the tin whistle and pure voices of the original or even the heart stopping percussive sound of the many feet clattering rhythmically on the stage, will lead to some disappointment. The sound production here overwhelms what it real and made. Unusually too, for a production which has toured for so long, there are peculiar moments when the stage is empty and unlit – some rather clunky transitions with nothing to see. At other times the action is almost overwhelmed by reels perhaps produced by the Irish tourism board showing stunning scenery which risks detracting from, rather than enhancing the action.
Without doubt, the dancing is wonderful and a joy to behold – but it would hold up better, even in huge venues, without overwhelming these unique talents with pyrotechnics and PowerPoint presentations. The talent of the performers speaks for itself.
Runs until 14th June 2026, before continuing on tour
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