Review: Tango Moderno

Tango Moderno, the irresistible stage spectacular from tango superstars Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace, is at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 18^th November. This week starring dancers, Pasquale La Rocca and Leonel Di Cocco in place of Vincent as he has sustained a back injury. Don’t worry, he is Ok and will back on stage as soon as he has recovered!

Put the music on and dance before you die! A line from the show and echoes the age old saying ‘life’s too short’. If you’ve always wished you could dance, maybe now’s the time to take inspiration and start a new hobby? Singing, Dancing, acting, playing an instrument – you could be inspired to take on any of these after watching Tango Monderno. As Flavia and Co dance their magic across the stage, illuminating their peers into their own dances and living their dreams.

A modern fusion of traditional Argentinian Tango, ballroom and Latin with street dance. An excellent performance from all the dancers with each routine exquisitely performed and I loved how the routines and songs showcased each situation and how each scene merged perfectly from one to the next. Narrated by Tom Parsons, a fantastic guitarist and talented singer, told us the story both poetically and through song. Supporting Tom, Rebecca Lisewski jumps from energetic dance routines into a belting ballad - her rendition of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was particularly spine tingling.

The same stage set was used throughout and was effective with the use of a few key props although I was a little disappointed that the musicians were hidden at the back – the music is so important in dance so I think it would be nice to show off the musicians - though the fiddler did pop out for a couple of solos and he was excellent!

Bla bla bla, cha cha cha! Not one to miss. For tickets, visit www.atgtickets.com

REVIEW: Flavia and Vincent's Last Tango at MK Theatre

Flavia and Vincent’s Last Tango

The famous duo dance their last farewell

Having just finished their sell-out hit shows Midnight Tango and Dance ‘Til Dawn, Strictly Come Dancing stars, Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone, are quite literally dancing their last dance in the aptly-named show, The Last Tango arguably the best in the trio of performances.

As soon as the music started, there was romance, drama and delight as the pair whizzed around the stage. The audience were completely captivated by their high-energy performance from the first song to the last dance move!  Although Flavia and Vincent's speciality is the Argentine Tango there were plenty of other dance routines to keep the audience happy. There was an excellent of choice of music and singing from Perry Como to our favourite Van Morrison songs. The stage set was particularly enchanting depicting a man looking back over his life as memories are triggered from memorabilia found in the loft.  At points, the intimate performance was quite moving too – they really brought emotion and passion into their performance to the song Autumn Leaves. A real highlight of the show. The Argentine Tango champions finished with the most wonderful finale and got so much praise from the audience and a much deserved standing ovation.

Directed by Olivier award winning director and choreographer Karen Bruce, this feel –good performance really did showcase their best work and isn’t one to miss. 

The show continues till Saturday 28th November. Tickets still available from the box office.

REVIEW: Dance 'Til Dawn at MK Theatre

Strictly favourites light up the stage with refreshing routines

Strictly fantastic - Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace star in Dance 'Til Dawn at MK Theatre until Saturday, April 18th. 

Strictly Come Dancing has drawn in millions of viewers for more than a decade, thanks to its glittering costumes, complicated routines and dazzling professional dancers. And the Olivier Award-nominated Dance ‘Til Dawn is an evening of delight for any fan of the show, as Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone take audiences on a trip to 1940s Hollywood.

It’s a simple story, with a couple of memorable one-liners, set in the middle of a film shoot. The leading man is murdered and a romance blooms between the star Sadie (Flavia) and her lover Tony (Vincent). But really this West End production on its UK tour is all about the dancing. Stylish, humorous and spectacular, it’s difficult to tear your eyes away.

Making a beautiful couple, the star pair didn’t put a move wrong on Monday evening.  The chemistry between them is palpable, and that’s the beauty of seeing it live instead of on TV. There is great support from the other performers, including Teddy Kempner as the detective and Abbie Osman as Lana.

The live orchestra was a wonderful touch to an already fantastic performance. And their famous Argentine Tango routine is not to be missed.

Until Saturday.

DEBBIE HALL