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A real thriller of a show
Thriller Live
Wolverhampton Grand
***** WHATEVER you may think about Michael
Jackson there is no denying that the combination of his brilliant music
and choreography has left an everlasting mark on the world’s pop
culture. The reach of his talent is proven in the diverse
mix of people in the audience of Thriller Live, who by the end of the
night were moved to a standing ovation. Even so it’s a show that can only offer a glimpse
of his vast catalogue of work and try to recreate many of his now iconic
dance routines that have become instantly recognisable to millions of
people. Thriller live does not take the Stars in your
Eyes approach to completely mimic the man and his music but provides
a set of competent lead vocalists who in some cases deliver their own
rendition of Jackson’s classics. Whilst the male vocalists like Alex Buchanan and
J Rome have moments that truly sound like Jackson the female vocalist
Samantha Johnson can only provide a more cabaret like rendition of the
songs but is still highly competent and entertaining. Throughout the show the cast recreate many of
Jackson’s pop videos. It’s a tough ask to deliver the routines of one
the most formidably original dancers of our time live on stage and at
times the wor One disappointment, not for their performance but
their nonappearance, is the excellent live band which is hidden behind
projection screens for most of the time. This seems to happen often on
musical revues and directors should recognise that a real band is an
advantage to the visual dynamics of a live performance so to hide them
away is a mistake. There were a few times when one of them came out to
play a guitar solo and just that fact drew some of the biggest cheers
from the audience. Another bug bear always for me is the lack of
sound quality on many musical tours and considering it’s all about the
music the mix was pleasant rather than exiting. Jackson’s music is
pulsating and driving but considering during the numbers I could hear
people still talking behind me gives you an idea of how tame the music
production was on the night. The music only seemed to get close to a powerful
sound by the end of the night as we headed towards Billie Jean
and the dynamic Thriller. Some of the best songs were the ballads like
She’s out of my life but considering this was an ensemble, one of
the most powerful group performances was Earth Song where the
combination of the voices, staging and individual performances truly
made the song their own. Thriller is more than a tribute act, it’s a great
testimony to one of the most productive, creative, and original
performers of all time. Rather than recall the controversy that
surrounded him, it’s a unique chance to remember him for the joy of his
music and dancing and collectively what he has brought to pop culture
and the legacy he has left to us all. To 15-11-14 Jeff Grant
11-11-14 It’s all in the name **** THEY couldn’t have found a better title for this
all action celebration of the remarkable Michael Jackson and his family
who made such a dynamic impact on the pop scene. The show is a non-stop blitz covering 45 years of
hit after hit, and the lively cast complete the task in just over two
hours. And strangely enough, while much of the concert
is about super star Michael, a young lady steals the show. Lead vocalist
Samantha Johnson, 25, is a delight with a whole range of songs. Sporting a glorious mop of hair, she is a bundle
of energy and it’s easy to see why the pretty girl from Massachusetts is
also known as Samantha The Bomb. A large audience on opening night really got in
the mood as the excellent seven-piece band belted out the big numbers
like I’ll Be There, Can You Feel It, Bad, and, of course, Thriller when
Sean Christopher takes on the role of Michael Jackson impressively and
is joined by a bunch of zombies for that never-to-be-forgotten dance. Other outstanding contributions come from Wayne
Robinson, Alex Buchanan, Tyrone Lee and J. Rome. The dancers are excellent in an enjoyable show
with spectacular lighting effects and colourful costumes. Directed and choreographed by Gary Lloyd,
Thriller Live lives on to 15.11.14 Paul Marston
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k
falls far short of being slick with some of the chorography a little
wooden .