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Sultry,
sexy and spectacular
Midnight magic: Vincent Simone as Pablo and Flavia Cacace as Sofia. Pictures: Manuel Harlan Midnight
Tango New
Alexandra Theatre *****
MIDNIGHT Tango, like the dance itself, is performed with few words but
with total focus on music, movement and physical expression. The show
is a heady and intense combination choreographed by former world
champions Vincent Simone (Pablo) and Flavia Cacace (Sofia) who showcase
the social origins of the tango through the story of a struggle between
two men for one woman. Morgan Large created the
spectacular set - a bar in Buenos Aires in the early years of the
twentieth century - where the musicians (Tango Siempre) and dancers
gather. Such bars were important meeting places at a time when the male
population of the city completely outnumbered available women. Since the dance of the women
of Buenos Aires was the tango, men had to learn how to dance well while
the women could afford to be choosy and selective about their partners.
Well-known for their
appearances on Saturday evening TV's Strictly Come Dancing,
Vincent and Flavia are joined on stage by some of the finest tango
dancers in the world.
Moody lighting, sultry and
sexy costumes all add to the atmosphere. The audience was mesmerized and
enchanted by the spectacle, passion and intensity displayed during the
show, which, incidentally, is produced by Arlene Phillips and Adam
Spiegel. At less than two hours long,
the show may be relatively short but is characterized by the very wide
range of emotion that is being expressed – the love triangle of Sofia,
Pablo and Ricardo (Leonel Di Cocco) and the men's feud takes the
audience through passion, love, jealousy and fun. The vibrant colour of women's
costumes and their tiny brisk steps contrast strongly with the suits,
hats and sweeping moves that underpin the masculinity of the men. This
ensemble of talent can really dance! Flavia's sensuality and
quicksilver twists and kicks are shown off to best effect through
Vincent's relaxed and apparently effortless style. A comical sub-plot plays out
during the show; Rosa (Tricia Deighton) and Carlos (Anthony Renshaw) are
the couple who own the restaurant and spend the first half of the show
battling and upsetting each other. Their tango may be more reminiscent
of learners, but clearly they enjoy the dance as much as their more
skilled customers. Without the music of the
violin and the Bandoneon, tango would not have become tango so the band
(Tango Siempre) and singer (Miguel Angel) are on stage throughout the
show; drummer Andrew Tween even takes to the bar and ‘plays' the bottles
thus adding to the sense of fun. The audience was clearly
delighted by superb dancing throughout this celebration of the attack,
tension, extraordinary angles, impressive footwork and sheer joy of
tango. Prepare to be Wowed! Enjoy! To 11-05-13. Laura Ginesi And on the other foot . . . * * * * MANY Strictly Come Dancing fans are
helping boost large audiences for this show which features the
Argentinian tango at its exciting best. It's a chance to see TV stars Vincent
Simone and Flavia Cacace in the flesh, and they don't disappoint in a
programme simply oozing with their inventive choreography. Set in a late night bar in downtown Buenos
Aires, five couples join Vincent and Flavia to demonstrate just why the
tango must be rated the sexiest dance on the planet. The footwork, elegance and passion,
delivered to intoxicating music more than made up for the fact that
there is no great story . . . other than the hint of rivalry and
jealousy. At the beginning of the 20th century, when
Argentina needed immigrants, only two or three of every 100 recruited to
work in the country were women. So the best chance men had of attracting
a girl was learning to tango - better than a rival. That's why Vincent gets involved in a brief
punch-up with a competitor for Flavia, but there's only going to be one
winner. Humour in the show comes from the rather
frumpy couple running the bar, but you just know they will be putting on
their glad rags and proving they can tango, too. And Miguel Angel joins
in with a few impressive songs. To 11.05.13 Paul Marston
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