Peter Andre takes over in Thriller Live - Review

Lyric Theatre

*****

Conceived by Adrian Grant

Directed and choreographed by Gary Lloyd

Peter Andre (centre) and the cast of Thriller Live

For the run up to Christmas, Peter Andre takes over the leading performance in Gary Lloyd's Thriller Live.

Now in its 11th year, this remarkable piece of West End theatre that celebrates the dance and songwriting genius of Michael Jackson continues to pack out Shaftesbury Avenue's Lyric Theatre, cementing Jackson's reputation as the King Of Pop.

This website has reviewed the show in the past - however what makes Thriller Live such a standout evening of entertainment is its continued re-imagination of Jackson's catalogue, and Lloyd's passionate, timeless commitment to the production.

Andre brings a fresh interpretation to his numbers in the show and with the audience comprising not only Jackson fans, but Andre's devotees too, the atmosphere in the Lyric is deliciously charged. There is a unique energy to Andre's delivery of the classic songs that makes for a flawless night out.

Of course and as usual there is a "team" of performers who cover the role of Jackson, and alongside Andre on his debut night, the moonwalking Florivaldo Mossi was sensational too.

Peter Andre continues in Thriller Live until December 22nd

The show is booking until 26th April 2020

Photo credit: Betty Zapata

Thriller Live West End 10th Anniversary - Review

Lyric Theatre, London


*****


Directed and choreographed by Gary Lloyd

Casts, both old and new, on stage for the 10th Anniversary of Thriller Live

Celebrating 10 years at the Lyric Theatre, a memorable production of Thriller Live played to a full house last night. The show has been reviewed here in the past, consistently achieving outstanding  standards.

Adrian Grant’s vision, breathed into life by Gary Lloyd’s direction and choreography, together with John Maher’s intuitive understanding of Michael Jackson’s rock, pop and soul classics has created a fusion of excellence.

Lloyd’s genius sees him craft Jackson’s music into the human form, the cast’s non-stop movement proving an immaculately drilled display of modern dance, with the timeless songs’ lyrics and harmonies only being enhanced by Lloyd’s slick, perceptive routines.

The video displays remain breathtaking in both their ingenuity and, at times, stunning simplicity, as Maher’s 5 piece on-stage band faithfully recreate the Jackson sound.

The magic of the show’s anniversary night was made all the more special by a horde of ex-company members filling the stage half way through the second act, and causing  an impromptu standing ovation , together with post show speeches from the producers as well as Grant and Lloyd, with Grant in particular referencing his own personal connection  to Michael Jackson.

Thriller Live remains the most consistently outstanding show in town. There are no moments of tedium nor, unlike nearly every other big musical in the West End, any weak songs whatsoever. Each moment is carefully crafted perfection in a production that is world-class entertainment.

Booking until 29th September

Photo credit: Betty Zapata

Thriller Live Becomes the West End's 15th Longest Runner - Review

Lyric Theatre, London


*****


Directed and choregraphed by Gary Lloyd

This week Thriller Live celebrated becoming the 15th longest running show on the West End and its audiences thankfully still can’t get enough. From the first hip thrust, to the still incredibly relevant political numbers and the satisfyingly zombie filled Thriller Finale, the incredibly talented cast embrace each song, each moment and each moonwalk as if each note and step were the highest honour.

Director and choreographer Gary Lloyd presents a show that is unashamedly fantastical. Shooting Flowers have styled flashy versions of almost every costume you can recall the inimitable MJ wearing, that stun alongside Jonathan Park's steel and LED set. With Nigel Catmur’s lighting and one heck of a live band, the show is as seamless as any Michael show, even if on a smaller stage.

Michael Jackson wasn’t one to write songs that are easily forgotten, but the sheer volume of his catalogue means that there are more than a few surprises in this fabulous show. Dirty Diana seduces with some fantastic head pieces, while Remember The Time, complete with Egyptian poses and sass, bring the 90s flooding back. There’s also a rollercoaster ride of emotions, with the somber reflection of She’s Out Of My Life, sung with soul by the sweet Reece Bahia and a gender swapped The Way You Make Feel making everyone in the audience feel young and sexy while reminding them that Cleo Higgins (she of Cleopatra, Comin’ Atcha fame), is still a voice to be reckoned with.

Clichéd though it sounds, Thriller Live makes you feel alive - though perhaps not as lively and spritely as the unbelievably talented dancers, who fill the stage with as many backflips, high kicks, cartwheels and grinding as they can muster... which to be fair is the only appropriate reaction when Wanna Be Starting Something comes on. There’s even some comedy as cheeky Leslie Bowman interrupts the narration of the leads and the gorgeous Jamal Crawford is rejected again and again by Cleo. Throw in some baby faced young talent, this time Marcellus Virgo Smith, to portray Jackson's early years and you’ve got yourself one blinder of a show.

Out of the four leads, the closest we get to an MJ tribute is Dajiow, who encompasses Michael Jackson in every step and note, leaving many questioning whether it was really him singing Thriller… and it definitely was. The show isn’t a tribute though, but a celebration of the heart breaking, body shaking, crotch grabbing Man in the Mirror, who is still indisputably the King of Pop.

The West End's 15th longest running musical and yes, we can still feel it.

Now booking through 2017.

Reviewed by Heather Deacon

Thriller Live - Review

Lyric Theatre, London

*****

Conceived by Adrian Grant

Directed and choreographed by Gary Lloyd

Dajiow

Marking seven years in the West End (along with an eye-watering global box office take of £150million) Thriller Live continues at the Lyric after a magnificent makeover.

At its heart the show is still the same juke-box musical, chock full of hits. But there’s no fictional fairy-tale woven around the songs of Michael Jackson here and nor does the show pretend to be a (potentially tedious) biopic. Thriller Live remains a simple yet lavish, tribute to the music, the styles and the dance that Jackson created, excellently performed.

A re-worked opening sequence hints at some of Jackson’s greatest hits before the ever-sensational Eshan Gopal, almost dwarfed by his super-sized afro wig, bounds on to the stage to take the show through the early Jackson 5 days. Young yes, but Gopal’s an old-hand in the show and his confidence is matched only by his ability, smashing ABC with flawless vocals and movement.

The essence of Thriller Live is not in having one actor play Jackson. In place of an overly structured, scripted piece, 5 leading performers dip in and out of the “Jackson” role, suggesting the style and the voice of the man and at all times performing as an inspired tribute rather than a tacky replica. The staging is enhanced by ingenious electronic imagery, with LED panels so subtly configured that real life-silhouettes can barely be discerned from Colin Rozee and Potion Pictures' animations.

Of this Jackson five, Alex Buchanan’s vocals are divine – never bettered than in a finely worked She’s Out Of My Life. Reflecting Jackson’s complicated and sometimes androgynous persona, Trenyce Cobbins, the sole female lead, offers a take on the performer’s presence that is as distinctive as it is assured. It is the immaculately manicured Dajiow however who captures the essence of Jackson at the height of his fame, sporting a look and poise that even at the show’s after-party made one do a double take. When Dajiow moonwalks it could be Michael.

The secret of the show’s success, aside from Jackson’s platinum-plated back catalogue, has to lie with director / choreographer Gary Lloyd who has stayed with the production from the outset. Jackson wrote the songs, but it is Lloyd’s vision that has translated concepts first revealed either in Jackson’s sensational videos or stadia performances and scaled them down to fit a West End stage, whilst retaining the creative essence of Jackson’s magic.

Aside from the precision Lloyd has drilled into his company whether the routine be body-popping, breakdancing, moonwalking, or zombies boogying, the dance maestro focuses at all times on an unpretentious flair that captures Jackson’s style and yet avoids mimicry. 

From a strikingly 70s Rockin’ Robin routine – all flared red and white costumes with the dancers moving seamlessly on heels that would give most people vertigo, through to a psychedelic angle to Can You Feel It, Lloyd’s vision is inspired throughout. The show’s title number is reserved to (almost) the very end – with Dajiow wearing the red leather jacket from John Landis' legendary video and Lloyd conceiving a routine that with a dozen or so dancers pays homage to Landis’ spectacular work, filmed with a far larger cast some 30+ years back.

Thriller Live offers no plot other than a glimpse of the dazzling arc that Michael Jackson’s work created. Sensational songs, stunningly performed! 

Booking until mid-2016

Thriller Live - Review - 6 Years In The West End

Lyric Theatre, London

****

Conceived by Adrian Grant

Directed and choreographed by Gary Lloyd

The 2015 Company of Thriller Live

Any reason to re-visit Thriller Live is always a good one and there was a buzz in the air at the Lyric Theatre last week as the show celebrated six years since its arrival on Shaftesbury Avenue. It may carry 2,000 performances under its belt, but Thriller Live's cast and crew continue to define both freshness and excellence.

Lead vocalists John Moabi, Jesse Smith, Britt Quinton and Cleopatra Higgins, (reviewed here when she took over in the show) continue to deliver top-notch riffs and trills, making Michael Jackson's hits their own, as they narrate and hold the show together. The four leads take the audience on a journey through the singer's life and music, delivering facts and songs so convincingly that they almost suggest a personal connection with the King of Pop.

The Lyric's size and friendliness helps too, creating a bond between cast and audience that continues to reach out across the fourth wall. A stand out moment of the current show is Dangerous, in which Michael Jackson and the male dancers captivate and almost intimidate the audience through Gary Lloyd's skilled choreography. Higgins' take on P.Y.T offers another show stopping moment as the singer owns the stage amongst the male dancers, giving her flawless vocals to one of Jackson's biggest hits.

The show continues to be stolen by its sensational dance, with a nod to Chloe Ferns whose strength and technique make her a delight to watch. John Maher's band remain exceptional although not as fully appreciated as they perhaps deserve, hidden behind a wall. They still deliver enough punch to ensure that come the finale, the audience are up, as one, to dance and sing throughout the theatre.

Simply put, six years on, Thriller Live still wows the West End.


Now booking until September 2015 

Thriller Live - Cleo Higgins Joins The Cast

Lyric Theatre, London

*****

Conceived by Adrian Grant
Directed and choreographed by Gary Lloyd

Cleo Higgins

A change at the top in Thriller Live's cast offers a welcome invitation to revisit the show and in a week that sees Gary Lloyd’s T.Rex inspired jukebox musical 20th Century Boy pack out the New Wimbledon Theatre, its impressive to see the talented choreographer’s tribute to Michael Jackson continue to light up London.

The newest face amongst the cast and making her West End debut is Cleo Higgins. Originally a member of the 90’s pop group Cleopatra and most recently a contestant on BBC's The Voice, Higgins has an outstanding vocal presence pulling no punches as she fills the role of Janet Jackson,. Her performance is equally matched in the talented work of Ricardo Afonso, tasked with portraying the iconic singer. Afonso continues to deliver nothing less than excellence with his flawless vocals wrapping themselves around some of the star’s most loved numbers.

The ensemble work continues to be perfect with Lloyd’s interpretation of the King Of Pop’s movement and John Maher’s musical arrangements, continuing to astound and where the juke-box musical occasionally draws (deserved) criticisim from musical theatre devotees demanding more artistic originality, Thriller Live remains a leader of the pack. The production’s unstinting commitment to perfection ensures that it stays a finely crafted tribute to the vision and the sound of Jackson, continuing not not only to celebrate his work but also to provide one of the most thrilling evenings on a London stage.

Plays at the Lyric Theatre, London

Thriller Live - 2000th London performance

Lyric Theatre, London

*****

Conceived by Adrian Grant

Directed and choreographed by Gary Lloyd

Invited back to Thriller Live as the show celebrated its 2,000th performance at London’s Lyric Theatre gave another opportunity to take a look at this most slick of musicals. The show was reviewed in some detail back in January of this year, but this particular visit gave an opportunity to see a new cast step up to performing the songs of the King of Pop. The show was fabulous a few months ago and it proves to be even better with the return of Zoe Birkett.

A Pop Idol finalist of some ten years ago, Birkett has since had a phenomenally busy showbiz career and was last seen by this blog stealing every scene she appeared in, in Rent at Greenwich. Birkett is also no stranger to Thriller Live having not only “previous” from the London Lyric production, but has also spent the last six months playing her role in South America. She knows the part of Janet Jackson intimately and brings a zest to the performance that is simply breathtaking.

Taking the principal role of lead singer through the show, Britt Quentin captures the style and presence of Jackson with flawless voice and dance work. Latin heartthrob Ricardo Afonso assumes the Jacko persona for two songs in particular, Dirty Diana and She’s Out Of My Life giving an almost electric tenderness and sensitivity to the latter number. It was pleasing to see young Eshan Gopal remaining juvenile enough to play young Michael. The kid sings, dances and moonwalks with ease. Cute for sure, but incredibly talented with it.

Gary Lloyd’s choreography and John Maher’s arrangements, praised here in January, remain as fresh and perfectly performed as ever. On paper, Thriller Live is simply another juke-box musical showcasing Jackson’s work. Live and on stage, it remains a sublimely designed tribute to the vision and the sound of the man. It continues not only to celebrate Michael Jackson’s songs but also to showcase some of the most talented performers and musicians to be found on a London stage.

Now booking to 2014

Thriller Live - Celebrating 1,000,000 tickets sold

Lyric Theatre, London


****

Conceived by Adrian Grant
Directed and choreographed by Gary Lloyd





The Thriller Live company re-create a famous Jackson moment



Celebrating the sale of its millionth ticket to a delighted 6 year old Chantelle, Thriller Live this week staged a gala performance that also marked the 5th anniversary of its residency at London's Lyric Theatre. Drawing its title from Michael Jackson's album of the same name, the show premiered during the singer's lifetime receiving his endorsement and continues to be a celebration of the works of arguably the world's greatest entertainer.

Commencing with The Jackson 5 era, the production then showcases a selection of songs from Jackson’s subsequent albums with a cast and creative team who are West End professionals at the top of their game. Identified only in the programme as Lead Singers or Dancers, the songs are shared between the 5 leads throughout the evening, men and women as the producers think appropriate and performers who are either, in the words of the song, Black Or White. Of these lead performers, David Jordan dons the suit and hat for the most recognisable recent-day evocation of Jackson the consummate performer, and his incarnation of the man is uncanny. Mannerism and the famous moonwalk are spectacularly nailed by this talented performer but whilst Jordan has responsibility for singing some of the show’s biggest hits including Thriller and Billie Jean, amongst his co-lead singers, Trenyce Cobbins, Haydon Eshun and Alex Buchanan (who does not even get a mention in the programme, but sings a fine She’s Out Of My Life) are also excellent. Eshan Gopal is the little kid in the afro wig who gives a fun and energetic interpretation of the young Jackson performing with his elder brothers.

The choreography from Gary Lloyd, who also directs, is a combination of classic Jackson moves and situations, scaled down from the stadium arena, where most of Jackson’s magic was conceived for, to the tighter confines of  a London stage. Thankfully Lloyd’s dance work builds in impact through the show as the first act’s routines, particularly when the Jackson 5 are performing, could be tighter. After the interval however, the performers move through the gears towards a dynamism that is well drilled and at times breathtaking. Man In The Mirror in particular was an exciting routine and the zombie backing work in Thriller is another piece of meticulously planned company dance, that also serves as effective tribute to the inspired vision of John Landis director of the song’s video from nearly 30 years ago.

The music on the night is excellent. John Maher who has arranged the melodies, has been with the show since its inception and his understanding of the rhythm and pulse of the Jackson sound is clearly second nature. His 6 piece band is another fine example of the production’s overall commitment to excellent production values.

In an era of juke-box musicals, Thriller Live takes the genre one step closer to pure juke-box. Eschewing any aspect of plot or story whatsoever, and subject to occasional words of introduction it unpretentiously segues from one hit to the next. The show may well be little more than a slick tribute act, but it packs a punch of perfect professionalism that Jackson himself would surely approve of.

Now booking to September 2013