Broadway in Chicago presents RIVERDANCE.
I had the opportunity to see the farewell tour of Riverdance in 2012. And last night, I watched the resurrected Irish crew back in our city for their 20th Anniversary World Tour. If you haven’t see RIVERDANCE before, Chicago has been given another chance to experience first-rate Irish dancing.
The show starts with Narrator John Kavanagh setting the tone for the artistry-in-Mother-Earth performance. Throughout the show, Kavanagh acts as an unseen poet. As his grounded voiceover recites poetry (by Theo Dorgan) rooted in nature , projections of a sun rising, flashes of lightning or twinkling stars illuminate a massive backdrop. These moments of spoken word accompanied by visual imagery add another dimension to the multi-faceted performance. The show also features instrumental interludes. A fiddler, a flutist, a saxophone and even the percussionist get their soloist showcase. Along with these musical numbers, haunting melodies are sung by individual singers or a chorus. These components add variety but it is the dance that I came to see. And the dazzling footwork is the heart and sole of this show.
Irish dancing has always intrigued me. The dancer’s body is rigid as they spring, leap and kick. The feats of athleticism are marveling. They cross the stage with the nimbleness of a pixie gliding across water. There is something magical about the quick sleight of foot. Whether it’s 3 or 8 or 20 dancers, watching their synchronized movement is impressive and baffling. What I especially noticed last night was that, unlike American tap dancers, Riverdancers aren’t necessarily smiling. More than not, their faces are grim with determination and resilience. Besides the traditional Irish dancing, this show also featured a sultry flamenco soloist and aerobic Russian folk dancing. My favorite sequence was a dance off between Irish dancing and American tap. From my vantage point, I’d say Michael Everett and Christopher Broughton won. The duo’s energetic tap dancing included some flashy moves and incredible height. At one point, one jumped over the other one –who was standing. It was more playful and cool than their Irish counterparts.
After saying farewell in 2012, RIVERDANCE is back in Chicago for only a limited time. Don’t miss it again ….and maybe forever. You’ll want to get your Irish dance on before Sunday.
Running Time: Two hours and fifteen minutes includes a fifteen minute intermission.
Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph
Composed by Bill Whelan
Directed by John McColgan
Produced by Moya Doherty
Wednesday, April 6 at 2 PM and 7:30 PM
Thursday, April 7 at 7:30 PM
Friday, April 8 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, April 9 at 2 PM and 8 PM
Sunday, April 10 at 2 PM
Buy Tickets at www.broadwayinchicago.com
Production photos by Jack Hartin
For more information and reviews on Chicago theatre, visit Theater in Chicago.