I went to Thriller, Live, a Michael Jackson Tribute Show and pop concert, in a sceptical frame of mind. My wife, who is much more an afficionado of this idiom of music and also of Michael Jackson’s career in particular, also thought in advance that this might be a cheesy event. So let me admit it up front! We were both bowled over and had a delightful time.
I would recommend this show to anyone who knows any song made famous by Michael Jackson or the Jackson 5. There is no plot, just a lot of extremely good music of its type. The show does narrate the story of Michael Jackson’s career for you sporadically, but mostly it just performs lots and lots and lots of the music associated with him since he was a child.
For myself, I was very impressed by the way the show was put together: the choreography, the actual quality of the music and lyrics, the costumes, the integrated video effects; and, above all, by the sheer non-stop energy and evident commitment of everyone on the stage and of the band hidden behind the scenes.. This struck me as a very talented, sophisticated and highly professional company. There is a very fine set by Jonathan Park for all the dancing to take place in, and the Video Content Design by Colin Rozee works brilliantly with the choreography devised by Gary Lloyd, who also directs the entire shebang. Among the lead vocalists Sean Christopher impersonates Michael Jackson himself with considerable skill. Shaquille Maerice Hemmans, Angelica Allen, Rory Taylor and, Michael Kavuma were all outstanding. This is a truly professional collection of people and they work so hard and so cheekily that you have to submit and just flow with the show while enjoying it hugely.
The quality of this show is very high and staggeringly better than anything you are ever going to see on TV talent scouting events like The X-Factor. These are the kinds of performers that X-Factor contestants aspire to be and will take years to learn to emulate.
The sound is loud but doesn’t distort the really fine voices of the singers, so three cheers for the sound designer, Chris Whybrow; and every one of the company of dancers deserves special mention for outstanding ensemble work and for being able to pull off with apparent ease the quirky dances that recreate a lot of the movement of the famous Michael Jackson videos such as Bad or Thriller.
I think the show is so good that even if you think you do not like this kind of stuff, you might be captivated if you give it a try. Do not sneer at what it is not! Go and enjoy it for being one of the best pop concerts you will ever see.
The audience loved it and participated with great glee whenever they were encouraged to do so. I would go see it again. My only argument with my wife afterwards was whether to give it 5 stars, as she wished, or to give it a mere 4 because of some minor quibbles I had about a few moments here and there. But it was the opening night and the company was getting used to the rather unforgiving theatre, so 5 it is!!
This spectacular and highly entertaining show is touring until the end of July. If you have any interest at all in the Michael Jackson or his pop idiom then try to catch it when it comes somewhere near you. I thought it was, ultimately a knockout!