This week the Thriller Live tour arrived in Norfolk for a run at Norwich Theatre Royal. Four decades, hundreds of unforgettable songs and iconic choreography all promise a spectacular evening of entertainment; theatre blogger Dawn goes along to see if it lives up to the hype
A concert-style production, Thriller Live is a moonwalk through some of the greatest Motown, soul and pop music ever. The West-End show premiered in 2009 and has since toured more than 30 countries and continues to wow audiences with the legendary music of Michael Jackson.
The five leading vocalists delivered a catalogue of MJ hits including ABC, I Want You Back, Blame It On The Boogie, Human Nature, Dangerous, Beat It, The Way You Make Me Feel, Billie Jean, Man In The Mirror, They Don’t Care About Us, Billie Jean and many more.
Highs & Lows
While the majority of the songs were performed with the iconic sounds of Michael Jackson, at times the vocalists put their own interpretation into a song.
Ina Seidou’s vocals captured the innocence of a young Michael Jackson, but later her tone moved away from the King of Pop. Britt Quentin undeniably has a physical resemblance to Jackson, while Kieran Alleyne stole the show with his moves and vocals. Rory Taylor gave a beautiful performance of She’s Out of My Life and Trace Kennedy was consistently soulful. For me, Alleyne’s performances brought true Michael-Jackson energy and passion to the stage.
Sadly, the strong cast was let down by some sound tech issues and an unimpressive set. Large LED screens were a distraction and rarely enhanced the performance, while the video of a young boy performing Rockin’ Robin was disappointing – hiring young talent would have been the obvious choice for delivering Jackson’s younger years.
However, by the end of the show the energy of MJ had the audience on their feet and dancing to the classics.
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Whether you’re a smooth criminal or a pretty young thing, Thriller Live is a fantastic tribute to the king of pop and undeniably showcases the impact Michael Jackson had on music history alongside his powerful messages of equality and humanity.
Thriller Live runs at Norwich Theatre Royal until Saturday 1 June 2019. Call the box office on 01603 630000 or click here to buy tickets.
*Tickets were kindly provided for the purpose of review
