Hot Shoe Shuffle, The Palace Theatre Manchester. Runs until Saturday. IMAGINE those memorable black and white musicals of the 30s. This gives an inkling of the basis of this show.
Seven brothers and a sister stand to inherit a fortune, but only if they perform their late father's show. So the scene is set for sibling rivalry, comedy and fancy footwork.
Along the way we are treated to a stunning display of high energy tap dance routines, combined with jazz classics of that era (Ain't Misbehavin, Let yourself GoZandZPuttin On The Ritz).
The moderately paced first half sets the scene and introduces us to the characters, but it is during the highly charged second half when the stage is beautifully transformed to resemble a Busby Berkley set, that the tempo really hots up. The boys put their feet into overdrive and deliver quite breathtaking tap routines. A stunning solo performance by 18-year-old Dean Magri was rapturously received.
However, Teddy Green, as their manager proved that you don't have to be a young dancer to enthral the crowds.
Melanie Stage was superb as April, their dippy sister who had to learn to sing and dance with her brothers (which of course she did).
This is a most definitely high energy show which will transport you back in time when jazz was king of the clubs. Review by LINDA HURST
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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