Review: Strictly - The Professionals (London Palladium / UK Tour)

Review by Daz Gale

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To call Strictly Come Dancing one of the biggest shows on TV would be a serious understatement. As well as being a staple on weekend television in the final months of the year every year, the show has continually escaped the confines of a television screen, causing headlines one way or another (we’ve all heard about the Strictly curse). Now a recognisable brand in itself, Strictly continues to thrill audiences in the months it is not on TV through multiple tours. While celebrities from the last series have just concluded an arena tour, I was more interested in the quality offered by Strictly: The Professionals, waltzing into London for five performances at the Palladium last weekend as part of a UK tour. Would this production score tens across the board, or would it simply leave me feeling bored?

Strictly: The Professionals does just what it says in the title. There are no celebrities (apart from the dancers themselves, who have built up a devoted fanbase) and no judges. There is no competition - this is simply a celebration of these magnificent dancers and the world of Strictly itself. Ten of the professional dancers from Strictly Come Dancing unite to perform group numbers and duets while recreating some iconic moments from the show and offering a glimpse behind the scenes of its making.

Under Matt Flint’s direction and choreography, Julian Caillon, Vito Coppola, Neil Jones, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Lauren Oakley, Jowita Przystat, Alexis Warr, Kai Widdrington and Nancy Xu took it in turns to host proceedings, offering occasionally tenuous but always fun links to the series. Though some dancers clearly had more of a following in the audience (Vito and Gorka received unsurprisingly loud screams), it was refreshing how each dancer had their turn in the spotlight. Perhaps the presenting came most naturally to Neil Jones, who seemed to get more time front and centre, but his winning personality ensured the audience were in safe hands whenever he was at the helm. A surprisingly emotional moment came when Luba Mushtuk spoke about not returning for the next series of Strictly, ending up reduced to tears over the support of the audience and declaring, “This is not goodbye, just the end of a dance”. Getting to see glimpses of the people behind the professionals on the show only added to the admiration everyone present felt for them.

Montages of classic moments from the series involving the dancers were played, and there was even an insight behind the scenes as we went into the first rehearsal with them. However, we were all there for the live performances, and these ten professionals certainly didn’t let us down. A variety of both music and dance styles played throughout, with a transformed ‘Die With A Smile’ and a surprising outing for the former Eurovision-winning song ‘Fuego’ among the highlights. Like the series, themes were employed throughout with ‘Movies’ turning into ‘Musicals’, offering numbers from Minecraft, Mulan, Wicked, Cabaret and Hairspray - something that definitely pleased the theatre lovers in the audience.

The last series of Strictly Come Dancing introduced the “Instant Dance” which was recreated in the live show. The audience chose which two performers they wanted to see dance together and what style - the result was Neil and Kai dancing the rumba, adding a refreshing bit of spontaneity and unpredictability in an otherwise slick and polished evening. A highlight of the evening was the example of storytelling through dance as four stories of romance, trust, rivalry and deceit were told in a beautiful fashion, with a particularly stunning rendition of Sara Bareilles ‘Gravity’ my personal standout of the evening. Unfortunately, these numbers were cut short due to a medical emergency in the audience (shoutout to the always incredible team at the London Palladium for how well they handled this), meaning that a show stop meant this section was never concluded.

Two incredibly talented performers were responsible for all of the live vocals throughout the performance, with Tara McDonald and Patrick Smyth wowing with their versatility and general abilities in a vocally demanding but always faultless performance. Accompanied by a five-piece band, led by musical director Jeff Leach, it added another level to the performance. Though most of the audience were there for the dance, the use of live music only elevated this, making for some awe-inspiring performances throughout.

Strictly: The Professionals is a meticulously executed show, somehow blurring the worlds of the TV series and live theatre to create something that stands on its own two feet, or rather dances on them. Fans of Strictly Come Dancing will be in their element to see the best of the TV series brought to life before their very eyes, but similarly, there is something for everyone here, from the most casual viewer of the show, or even those who may spend their Saturday evenings watching ITV instead. Through his expert direction and choreography, Matt Flint has created something incredibly slick and polished in a production that would easily lift the glitterball trophy when it comes to the best dance shows you can see in the theatre this year.

Strictly: The Professionals tours the UK until 30th May, Dates and tickets at https://strictlytheprofessionals.com/ 

Photos by Johan Persson.