claudiadoina
Proud Member
JUST two words - Michael Jackson - still get crowds dancing in droves. The proof is in the West End production Thriller Live.
It is what it says it is: A full-throttle, high-energy theatrical concert of Michael Jackson's greatest hits. And like a charm, those songs had the crowd off their seats showing off unabashed hip gyrations at the end of a solid two hour and 20 minutes show.
Fronted by an international cast of 15 who sing, dance and act just like Michael (save for one leading lady dancer), the show is backed by a 6-piece live band and boasts dance choreography from award-winning director and choreographer Gary Lloyd.
Performed in rough chronological order, the first half brings us tunes from the Jackson Five era. A sweet-faced "young Michael" with a golden voice and his "brothers" transport us back to the age of innocence with the feet-tapping ABC and Can You Feel It. Disco-ditties like Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) were all in the spirit of good fun, especially if you enjoy the spectacle of men decked out in sparkling v-necks getting jiggy in tight white pants.
But it's the second half that really gets the party started: Moon walks, eye-blindingly flashy costumes, and pulsating energy flowing through familiar hits like Billie Jean, Bad, Smooth Criminal and the show's rousing finale of Black Or White and Thriller.
Curiously, however, some of the best-appreciated moments in the show weren't from Jackson's repertoire of crotch-grabs and twirls, but from B-Boys busting breakdance moves a la TV dance shows like Live To Dance and So You Think You Can Dance.
Ultimately, Thriller Live is a love-fest for the signature moves, dazzling originality and enduring legacy of the late King Of Pop. It entertains, but for all its outward exuberance, it's an ironic tribute to Michael Jackson: The performers don't miss a beat in their fervent bid to recreate the magic of Jackson's legendary live performances, but as fans know, all the fireworks in the world can't replace a single star.
Still, seeing as attending an actual Michal Jackson concert today isn't an option anymore, just suspend your disbelief and enjoy the moonwalk down memory lane.
Thriller Live runs till May 15 at the Marina Bay Sands Grand Theatre.
It is what it says it is: A full-throttle, high-energy theatrical concert of Michael Jackson's greatest hits. And like a charm, those songs had the crowd off their seats showing off unabashed hip gyrations at the end of a solid two hour and 20 minutes show.
Fronted by an international cast of 15 who sing, dance and act just like Michael (save for one leading lady dancer), the show is backed by a 6-piece live band and boasts dance choreography from award-winning director and choreographer Gary Lloyd.
Performed in rough chronological order, the first half brings us tunes from the Jackson Five era. A sweet-faced "young Michael" with a golden voice and his "brothers" transport us back to the age of innocence with the feet-tapping ABC and Can You Feel It. Disco-ditties like Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) were all in the spirit of good fun, especially if you enjoy the spectacle of men decked out in sparkling v-necks getting jiggy in tight white pants.
But it's the second half that really gets the party started: Moon walks, eye-blindingly flashy costumes, and pulsating energy flowing through familiar hits like Billie Jean, Bad, Smooth Criminal and the show's rousing finale of Black Or White and Thriller.
Curiously, however, some of the best-appreciated moments in the show weren't from Jackson's repertoire of crotch-grabs and twirls, but from B-Boys busting breakdance moves a la TV dance shows like Live To Dance and So You Think You Can Dance.
Ultimately, Thriller Live is a love-fest for the signature moves, dazzling originality and enduring legacy of the late King Of Pop. It entertains, but for all its outward exuberance, it's an ironic tribute to Michael Jackson: The performers don't miss a beat in their fervent bid to recreate the magic of Jackson's legendary live performances, but as fans know, all the fireworks in the world can't replace a single star.
Still, seeing as attending an actual Michal Jackson concert today isn't an option anymore, just suspend your disbelief and enjoy the moonwalk down memory lane.
Thriller Live runs till May 15 at the Marina Bay Sands Grand Theatre.
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