UK Show Reviews and Michael Moments - 2
Thanks to Cathy Evatt-Davey a.k.a. "Cathymom" for providing us with the content of this page.
Good morning fellow Flatheads. SANDY - Emma Holtham is with T1. I don't know her personally and have never met or spoken to her. I learned of her through our local newspaper when they ran an article on her when she joined LOTD last year. SHAMUS - Yep, spunk CAN mean something else over here but is also used in the way Americans would use it, you naughty man, you! PAIGE - Smutty huh? Girl, I seem to remember that YOU rather enjoyed that limerick at the time, LOL!! OK, enough with the responses, I'll get on with what you all want to hear. Some of you have demanded fine detail so if that's NOT what you want then please scroll through as this will be a long, long post. Mum and I were the first to arrive at the pub. She was so excited on the way down, like a child on her way to see Father Christmas, which, I suppose, isn't too far from the truth! The journey wasn't too bad although it did take almost as long to find the pub as it did to drive to Birmingham, I HATE city driving when I don't know my way round! The most terryfying moment, by far, though was when Mum offered to navigate. We wouldn't even have found Birmingham, much less the pub, if I'd accepted her offer, LOL!! I placed the green shamrocks on the table so that the others would spot us easily, although the pub was very empty so it wouldn't have been much of a problem anyway. A man wandered by, stopped and said "Well, I guess this must be the place!" I looked up and got my first 'in the flesh' encounter with another VB'er, it was Joe and what a sweet, sweet man he turned out to be. A gentle man and a gentleman of the highest order. Christina was the next to arrive, followed by Vanessa. After the hours we've spent nattering on the 'phone, it was wonderful to finally put a face to the voice and that cute little laugh she has! I asked Joe about the start time of the show because, in his report yesterday, he said it started at 7.45 where our tickets said 8PM. He said he thought it was 7.45 again and Christina said 7.30 so, as one, we all dived into our bags in a panic to retrieve tickets and check the start time! It was 8PM so panic over! During the course of the conversation, it emerged that Michael was staying at the same hotel as Christina, Michele and Ann (The latter two being U.K. lurkers who have now promised to stop lurking and join in the fun!) We took a few photos but Christina had already left in search of a ticket/upgrade? I told Joe he wasn't to use any that showed more than two chins or else! Well, by 7.20 there was still no sign of Michele or Ann so we wandered over to the arena with Joe as our guide. Vanessa, quite rightly, pointed out the humour in the fact that a man from Chicago was guiding US around Birmingham! As we climbed the steps to the arena I was surprised to see the LOTD posters. They were the ones of Michael in the flag jacket as on the menu page of the web-site. I hadn't realised that this had totally replaced the famous lithograph pose for advertising and, much as I adore the new picture, I was a little sad to see the demise of the original. I couldn't believe how much the merchandising has changed, so much more to choose from but VERY high prices. I'm going to treat myself later on when I've had a think about what I want to buy, but settled for just a programme yesterday. We found our seats and Michele and Ann were already seated. They had missed the gathering because they went on a major shopping trip and were late back. We were all very concerned about the seats as we found ourselves sitting right in front of the speakers and at the very edge of the stage, far left as you face it. Christina came to chat with us as she was hunting out a better seat and needed an excuse to come to the front and look around, LOL!! She said it was embarrassing as the audience was sitting patiently and quietly for the start (late one again) and she stood out like a sore thumb. She told us that in the U.S. people would be standing and chatting right up to the lights going down and she wouldn't be noticed! There were two or three empty seats in the front row right in the middle and as soon as the P.A. system kicked in Christina grabbed one! The announcer welcomed us to the "Greatest dance show in the world", the lights went down and IT - WAS - SHOWTIME!!!!! As soon as the music struck up I came out in goosebumps, I really love the opening piece of music. It's menacing, especially when coupled with the sight of the cloaked, masked, torch carrying people on the stage. I was horrified to realise that one of the cameras was completely obscuring my view of The Little Spirit and that, maybe, I'd miss a whole lot more too. During COTC it was a definate intrusion but I realised very soon after that I'd gotten used to it and wasn't even noticing it anymore, BIG relief. Anyway, back to COTC. Suddenly there were only three girls on the stage doing rocks, the music started to build up and my heart started hammering, I mean REALLY hammering. A vision flashed through my head of Vanessa having to post that I'd been rushed to hospital and missed the whole thing, LOL!! The drums heralded the arrival of the Lord and he danced out of the smoke to a rapturous welcome from, what turned out to be, a fantastic audience! He turned that first corner and was dancing across the stage towards us with a lovely smile on his face. We approved of Michael, he approved of us and all was right with the world! GIRLS, HE LOOKED FABULOUS! He's lost a lot of weight since Dallas, which he needed to do if we're being honest. About another 6 pounds and he'll be perfect. His deep tan emphasised the blueness of his eyes, especially under the lights and his hair is VERY short, the shortest I've seen it. Not on top so much but at the back and sides. His dancing seemed effortless and much looser than in the shows I'd seen before and in the video. From the TV clips I saw from Dallas, I know that he's been using that style for a while now but it was new for us in the U.K. His COTC solo has changed a lot, nothing major but lots of little tweaks, it's better, imho. I love the way he dips down to herald the troupe and when he rises it's as if he's being lifted from above, it's so effortless. I was very disappointed when the troupe came on. Not in them but in the sound system. Maybe it was because we were in front of the speakers (which, surprisingly, wasn't deafening, btw) but you couldn't hear the taps over the music. This proved to be the case with the big numbers all through, although to a lesser degree. Anyway COTC finished and the audience cheered and clapped loudly. I was so thrilled to see that big smile light up his face as he nodded approvingly, you know how he does when he likes the response? He nods as if to say "So, you like what you see, huh?" Yes indeed, Michael, we liked it VERY much! He held his finishing position for quite a while, testing the audience out, I think. There was no lull in the applause and it was clear that they were going to keep clapping and cheering until he'd heard enough. The piece ended and the Little Spirit showered him with dust. He then left the stage to the most enormous explosion, I jumped right out of my skin! It was then that I remembered reading from someone about "So many more bangs now, with even Daire being despatched in this way in The Duel". I can't remember who told me this but I thank them as from then on my fingers went into my ears at the appropriate moments! And even one inappropriate moment at the end of the LOTD number! Then came Anne Buckley, who sang beautifully, hitting every note spot on throughout the show. I hadn't realised just how lovely she was before, but up close in the flesh I realised that photos do her no justice at all. After Celtic Dream came the biggest surprise of the night for me, except for actually finding the pub, of course! LOL!! Daire Nolan. What a change, what a dancer, what a performance, what a ham, bless him, and what a sheer delight!! Now I haven't seen Cian dance the role so, those of you who have, must forgive what I say now and understand that I'll happily be proved wrong and watch him with an open mind when I get the chance. The first thing that struck me was Daire's size. Dear Aileen had told me before that he was the biggest dancer in the troupe but I was still surprised when I saw him. His stage presence was excellent, demanding that you watch him and not the others, just like Michael only to a far lesser degree. He hammed it up being big and bad and snarling at the audience, dancing with wonderful precision, passion and authority. When Michael's not on stage, he's the man and he knows it. He plays the audience subtely, sometimes, and with brute force at others. He'll suddenly make eye contact with someone in the front row and snarl at them personally, very alarming to anyone who hasn't met him or is not a VB'er, I would think! If he'd done that to me I know that I would have laughed in delight, which would, surely, have alarmed him as he'd think that he wasn't being menacing enough! Up until yesterday, I have to confess that, Daire, to me, was a good dancer but no more than that. He has the all round performance now that sets him apart from the rest and, this is what you might not like, but, imho, he's made the role his very own and I can't imagine anyone else dancing it. The audience loved Warriors, great response from them. I'm not sure about Catriona Hale as The Temptress. She danced well, but I'm so used to seeing Gillian in the role that I found it strange watching her. It was like she was an intruder and I, almost, resented her. I'm glad I have tickets for more shows as it will give me the chance to get used to her, I'm sure once I do that I'll warm to her. Makes me wonder how I'll respond to John Carey in Michael's role, yikes! Surprisingly, there weren't any whistles from the men during Gypsy and, although she was applauded loudly at the end, there was no cheering either. Maybe I wasn't the only one who felt that way, poor kid, Gillian's a tough act to follow. I'll be sure and give her an extra cheer next time. Strings Of Fire really set the audience alight, if you'll pardon the pun! They were clapping along like nobodies business and thoroughly enjoying themselves. I looked along the front row at one point and all the crossed legs were swinging along to the music in unison. It looked very funny, like seated line dancing! Cora and Mairead got a rapturous response and they were clearly pleased. Then came Warlords and I realised that if you had to be off to the side we were on the right side as Michael poinked his way towards us and not away from us (G) Also, as we were at the edge, the flirting with Bernie was directly in front of us which meant that when Michael turned to the audience and growled we got the full effect, and, I have to say, that the effect was rather nice........... Oh yes, he was wearing new trousers so, at last, he can do them up properly!! Lord of the Dance - wonderful, as always, I LOVE that number......... as did everybody else last night. We were on our feet clapping to the music long before it finished and the appluase, cheering and whistling rang out for a time after the lights went down for the intermission. By this time my hands were actually hurting me but I wasn't the only one (G) The five of us stayed in our seats getting to know each other a little better. You'd think after all this time I'd know my Mum quite well wouldn't you, LOL!! Anyway that dear sweet lady turned my heart over when she suddenly exclaimed "Here he is!" My head swung around expecting to see Michael walking across in front of the stage or something. It was Joe coming to talk to us before claiming one of the empty seats next to Christina! I told him he was a disappointment and he hooted when I told him why! I love him to bits, but he's wasn't Michael Flatley is all, bless him! The lights went down and the audience applauded to welcome them back. Nothing special to note until the lament. Cora and Mairead finished playing and then walked back a little and stopped. I wondered what they were doing? Of course!! The jam session!! I'd been longing to see this so much!! Oh, what can I say!!?? There are simply not enough adjectives in our language to describe it!!! If I had to settle on one it would have to be glorious!! They had us all eating out of their hands, what a performance! Michael hit every note spot on and made it seem so easy! The overriding memory for me is that they seemed to be having so much darn fun up there! The audience were ecstatic, simply blown away, I thought the roof must surely go! The response was like none I've heard from a British audience before, at any show, I didn't know we COULD even let our hair down that much, LOL!! We don't dance in the aisles, though, preferring to watch the show and cheer them on, but don't hold that against us, it simply isn't our way. The Duel. Without a doubt, we had THE best seats in the house and I thanked the Patron Saint of ticket sellers that we had been seated off to the side after all. Why? The trap door was on the very far side of the stage........ our side. Helen threw the dust, the music played, the smoke rose up and when the spotlight hit Michael he was standing not twelve feet in front of us bare chested, oiled and posing in that menacing way taking the applause with THE most intense stare which was emphasised by the blueness of his eyes against the tan. Oh my Lord of the Dance, what a sight to behold!! He posed for quite a while before leaping off the box (raised trap door) to challenge Daire. Oh yes, Daire again. He dances with such confidence now against Michael and the 'fight' seemed so much more even than before. I think his steps were more intricate as well, but I'm not positive. I was surprised to see that Bernie's kiss is a real one now and not a stage one. She has her back to the audience but I could see, quite clearly, from the side. It's a very long one too, lucky girl!! The audience were up on their feet long before Victory finished, clapping away to the beat and applauding each performer/s enthusiastically as Michael presented them. The band struck up "Happy Birthday" and Michael pulled forward one of the guitarists to take a special bow as it was, of course, his birthday! I'm not sure which one it was by name (head hung in shame) but it was the heavier of the two, going a bit thin on top. Well the applause carried on and on which pleased Michael, no end, as you can imagine! At Michael's signal, the stage plunged into darkness and the most wonderful thing happened. The audience simply didn't stop clapping. The applause carried on right through the silent, dark pause, on and on until the music struck up for Planet Ireland! It was so awesome, as soon as the music started they stopped clapping as one and sat down, like robots! They were a knowledgable crowd, they knew there was more to come, unlike opening night when Joe reported that they started to leave after Victory. I was disappointed because I wanted to stay on my feet but felt that to be unfair as I was in the front row and so sat down also. As soon as the dancers started to march forward the clapping started up again in time to the music. Michael appeared and the clapping stopped, we all wanted to hear that wonderful accapello (sp?) The precision was incredible, like one person dancing. Michael didn't wear his flag jacket which disappointed me but I can understand why after the misunderstanding in Canada. He didn't go back to the white one either, he has a new , silver one. It's not shiny like tin foil but sort of a matt finish, hard to describe. The lights played on it beautifully. I finally saw the bump and grind! WHOO HOO!!! he was way off on the other side of the stage but I was close enough, believe me (G) Everybody was on their feet again by this time as he danced over to our side of the stage. Then came the moment that made Michele's night. She was wearing a very sparkley, silver top which Michael spotted. He pointed to her and said "Hey snap! Just like mine!" I'm not stealing Michele's story here, btw. She isn't going home for a couple of days and told me to tell it. We were all delighted as you can imagine. I called to him to bump and grind on our side of the stage but he didn't hear over the noise of the music and the audience. They did only one encore and rumour has it that it will always be that way from now on. I'm not surprised. Michael made the point about how the encores are the most draining thing, by far, on Eire Apparent. After his health scare, it's an obvious way of saving himself a bit. It occurred to me that he was displeased with the audience on Sunday, especially if some walked out after Victory, but that couldn't have been the case last night, no way, so it looks like that's it with the encores. That was it. The fireworks went off (geez, they're scarey from close up) and they were gone. We were all high as kites and spent a few minutes nattering to let the crowd clear. After all, we were in no hurry, we were going to the stage door, right? We sauntered to the exit and must have looked lost because a very nice security man asked us which car park we were in so's he could direct us to the closest exit. We said we wanted the stage door and he smiled. Anyway we chatted a bit with him and he told us that Michael didn't go out that way. Well normally we'd have said "Yeah, right!" but he left by a different exit the night before, we knew for sure. He wouldn't tell us where he did exit from so we decided to go and meet Joe and Christina at the stage door. After getting seriously lost (again!) we asked another security guard where Michael exited from. He said that he'd already left so we gave him up as a waste of space and headed towards the stage door again! Christina said she knew where the exit was and so we followed her. Joe waited to see Kerrie, surprise, surprise, LOL!! We went round the back of the arena and around a barrier and, sure enough, we saw the limo. It was inside the building but the big double doors were transparent. Under Christina's very experienced guidance we moved away from the doors to wait a little further up the driveway. Unfortunately a security man came out and told us to go back behind the barrier which was all of fifty yards away. It was obvious that the limo would go the other way and Christina asked if we could walk that way. We all hung back, we're not used to this kind of thing, at all, LOL!! He was having none of it and became very aggressive so we started to walk towards the barrier. Christina caught us up and we ended up back at the stage door with Joe. Christina decided to go and try again and told us we weren't tough enough when we declined to go (G) We met Daire and he was so patient while we scurried for pens and cameras, we really were very unprepared! He's gorgeous up close and such a sweet, kind soul as you already know, of course. He didn't seem quite so large as I thought which made me realise again how big his stage presence must be. I thanked him for his patience and was rewarded with a lovely smile of acknowledgement. When Irish eyes are smiling they smile, big time! Next came Bernie, again very patient while we took pictures. My Mum adores them both and was, especially, thrilled at meeting them. Then came Helen, sweet, sweet Helen. You don't realise how pretty she is with the Spirit's scarf around her head. I told her that my son had a crush on her but that he was only eleven. Her eyes widened in mock horror and she laughed out loud when I said that I thought it was size related! Christina came back and asked us again to accompany her but, as it was late with a long drive ahead of us and there seemed little hope of meeting Michael anyway, we'd call it a day and head home. So no Michael moment which was disappointing but maybe next time, maybe next time. Vanessa 'phoned to say that it looked like Joe and Christina caught him. Well done, you two!! Michele and Ann are going again tonight so maybe they'll get lucky now they know where to wait, good luck girls! Next stop Wembley! Linda 194.168.68.43 <r.servante@virgin.net> Derby, U.K. - Tuesday, January 13, 1998 at 07:22:47 (PST)
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