Upfront, the performers of Thriller Live display incredible dedication and it is clear that there are hundreds of hours of training behind moves that are effortlessly stunning. The physical stunts are simply acrobatic, and it should be taken into account that this is a long musical without too much rotation. This means each actor is pretty much constantly in motion.
Every single one of the vocalists (Wayne Anthony-Cole, Vivienne Ekwulugo, Haydon Eshun, David Julien, Sophia Mackay, Jonah Mayor, John Moabi and Florivaldo Mossi) gave a stunning interpretation of Michael Jacksons vocal style. Every note was on point and at times it was not easy to tell the difference between this and the original, which applies to the dance moves as well.
That being said, it is a shame that there is not more background storytelling about Michael Jackson’s life. The audience shouldn’t expect to learn something new about the idol’s biography. The acts are rather music video-ish with some interludes talking about his commercial achievements. However, this is not necessarily negative, as the show itself is amazingly well planned and everything from the costumes to the choreography is thought through. It should further be noted that the show was initiated by die-hard Michael Jackson fans as a tribute. Therefore, the focus lies in the emotional effects of the music rather than in the story telling.
One thing that could do with adjustment would be the light effects. The screens in the background showed rather simple designs without much variety during a song. Considering how much space and attention they took off the performers, it can only be concluded that they did not match the standard of the rest of the show.
Nevertheless, Thriller Live deserves the five stars as the dedication put in by everyone involved cannot be underestimated. This performance was definitely a showcase for enthusiasm during the whole production process. As it stands, it should run for another ten years!