Over the last ten years, Strictly Come Dancing has become something of a TV phenomenon with many of it’s professional stars going on to produce live theatre shows of their own. So, how do you make sure that your show stands out?
Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace have hit on a quirky new angle in their latest show, Dance ‘Til Dawn, by setting it in the glamourous world of 1940’s Hollywood and featuring a “Dragnet” style detective storyline to link the dances and set pieces together. The result is a show that is packed with dance, showcases some superb vocal performances and, quite unexpectedly, is loaded with comedy.
While filming their latest Hollywood blockbuster, a romance develops between the beautiful star Sadie Strauss (Flavia Cacace) and the handsome dancer Tony DeLuca (Vincent Simone) but, just as their romance is beginning to blossom, the leading man, Bobby Burns, is murdered.
The guilty party decides to frame Tony DeLuca for the murder and, as the drama unfolds, twists and turns the duo use their dance skills, incredibly tight choreography and a few twists and turns of their own to Waltz, Tango and Quickstep their way out of trouble and straight into each other’s arms.
The narrator of the piece is a private detective, played with comic perfection, by Teddy Kempner. His one liners, and continual references to stage directions and the show’s script, have the audience in stiches from the outset.
Abbie Osmon plays Lana Clemenza, the villain of the piece, who, with her “Betty Boop” voice, comic asides and superb vocal performance, almost steals the show. She, like the entire cast, is also a marvelous dancer and, backed by an ensemble of six guys and five girls, the stage is a constant swirl of limbs displaying ballroom dancing at its super sexy best.
There is no doubt that the show has been built around the Latin American strengths of Vincent and Flavia and they give the audience everything that they want and expect. Perfect lines, superb extensions and intricate footwork leave the audience stunned and amazed and, as the standing ovation at the curtain confirmed, thoroughly entertained.
Some other members of the cast deserve special mention including Callum Clack and Danny Stowell who dance their way through a number of the minor parts with energy and enthusiasm and also Oliver Darley who, as The Voice, is quite simply fantastic as he performs songs like Stand By Me and Moon River. His duet of Mi Mancherai, with Giovanni Spano, accompanies the most beautiful dance duet by Simone and Cacace – giving the show a mesmerising highlight.
**** Four stars
