Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games | Crown Theatre | Until Sept 20

★ ★ ★

‘Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games’ is a new incarnation of the mega selling globe trotting show that is celebrating it’s twentieth anniversary.

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Following a sell-out season in London’s West End and a world tour of 15 nations, the show’s Australian tour opened in Perth last night. It’s a show filled with spectacular dancing talent, however the narrative of the show is unexpectedly bizarre. It’s a sci fi story.

First came the phenomenal ‘Riverdance’, and then star Michael Flatley branched out and created his own show ‘Lord of the Dance’. It’s been one of the most successful stage production of the last twenty years and it made Flatley a multi-millionaire.

I’ve never saw ‘Lord of the Dance’ when it was a global phenomenon, aside from seeing it on television. It’s one of those things that everybody has been exposed to, a cultural phenomenon.

Just the mention of it’s title ‘Lord of the Dance’ and I can’t help but be reminded of US comedian Dennis Leary’s cutting take down of Flatley on his album ‘Lock ‘n Load’ where the comedian asked if Flatley is Lord of the Dance, then is Patrick Swayze is the President of the Dance? Before asking what kind of person you have to be to proclaim yourself lord of something?

While Michael Flatley does not appear in this production, aside from a short appearance as a video projection. His name is above the title, just a single word: Flatley, like Madonna or Cher.

The show opens with a video listing the shows achievements, sold out in every major city of the world, and the claim that they’ve been dancing every night for the last two decades.

The show has several recurring performers, there’s a huge troupe of dancers boys and girls delivering those distinctive Irish step dance moves, a very attractive blonde guy who leads them all, a duo of girls playing fiddles, a female solo singer, all what you’d expect.

But there’s also a small pipe playing sprite like creature that honestly looks like she’s escaped from Cirque du Soleil – that’s playing nearby.

Add to the mix some black metal clad storm troopers, and some robots that look exactly like the Cylon’s from the original 1970’s version of ‘Battlestar Galactica’, and put them all in front of a video screening that’s projecting a day-glo acid rave depiction of Ireland, complete with unicorns… and waterfalls… and volcanoes…

I’m not really sure what it’s all about.

Halfway through I realised there was actually a plot. It seems the evil storm troopers are bullying the sprite, they broke her pipe in half and then they battled the Lord of the Dance and stole his belt which looked like a wrestling award. The dancers turned up shirtless (not complaining) which apparently gives them more power, but it wasn’t until the Lord of the Dance ripped off his shirt (still not complaining) that they were able to defeat the evil forces including the end of level boss on the big screen.

The dancing is phenomenally good, the cast are very talented, the plot and costumes are bonkers.

Maybe have a Guinness before the show.

Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games is playing at the Crown Theatre until September 20th.

Graeme Watson, images from British production.