South Africans recently got the chance to the see the original Riverdance production in all its Celtic glory on our local stages. The quibble fans seemed to have was that it was not really the original since it didn’t include the huge cast or Michael Flatley (never mind that it was Flatley who stole the idea – pretty much step for step – for Lord of the Dance from Riverdance …).
Well, he is 51 now and hasn’t danced his trademark Lord of the Dance role since 1998. However, a limited run 3D film releases on our local circuit today – and it features the filmed version of the Lord of the Dance show.
Filmed in Dublin and London’s O2 Arena, it features Flatley reprising his original role as the Lord of the Dance, though it is unclear when exactly it was recorded.
Flatley set Guinness World Records for his phenomenal tapping speed and this particular production has become synony- mous with spectacular artistry and big-scale staging.
The show is structured around a story of good versus evil couched in Irish folktale references and is portrayed in song and dance.
Flatley is, of course, the good guy, and is pitted against the Morrigan (danced by Ciara Sexton Morrighan) and the Dark Lord (danced by Tom Cunningham).
Highlights of the show are not just the phenomenal dancing, but also the music – which includes Giada Costenaro and Valerie Gleeson on the fiddle and Flatley displaying his own skill as a flautist.
A lack of traditional marketing around the release of this film suggests the distributors aren’t too fussed about how it does at the box office, probably only wanting to keep their 3D cinemas busy and relying on word of mouth.
There is a very busy facebook page devoted to the film, albeit with little concrete information, but lots of people enthusing on the wall about their positive experiences after having watched the 3D film. The one thing every-one complains about online though, is the lack of footage of footwork. The professional reviews of this film are not as glowing.
The video of the original 1998 Lord of the Dance show sold millions of copies around the world, but in the absence of fancy footwork you have to wonder what this 3D version could possibly add to the experience.