Tuesday, 24 August 2010

Burn The Floor **** TNT

Fresh from Broadway, the latest incarnation of this high-octane, non-stop spectacular, put together by Aussie dance champion Jason Gilkinson, definitely lives up to its name. Even with a readymade audience among the millions of television’s “Strictly” ballroom fans, Burn The Floor takes no chances. Energy levels never flag from a saucy opening entrance through the aisles to the vibrant “Proud Mary” finale.

There’s the occasional waltz interlude for contrast, but compared to the overtly sexual, primarily Latin American influenced choreography, the sedate, romantic glide pales to elegant insignificance. The talented, limber-limbed, international young cast rumba, cha cha, samba, tango and jive their way through two hours of plotless dance. Sexy, skin-tight costumes are changed with lightning speed and the slinky girls faultlessly execute their quickfire moves on spindly, gravity-defying stilettos.

Leave your brain in the bar and just immerse yourself in the sheer visceral pleasure of this polished production which, wisely, has no pretensions other than to entertain.

Shaftesbury Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8DP (020 7379 5399)Tube: Holborn/Covent Garden/Tottenham Court RoadUntil 4th September £20 - £62.50

No comments: