Watching a Jackson video today we see that, like Fred Astaire from an earlier generation, dance is not something he does, it is more a mode of being. That is to say he did not dance to the music, rather the music used his body to manifest itself by other means. Every twitch, every flick of the feet, every tilt of the hat is like a grace note being released from a hidden reservoir. The famous moonwalk which even now, along with the ‘lurch’, seems to defy at least one of Newton’s laws is something to marvel at.

This touring stage show is nothing less than the Michael Jackson songbook. For Jackson fans there are no disappointments with all the famous numbers being performed live – with a young ‘Michael’ performing on video to a couple of them. The concert has a chronological structure with the first half containing the earlier Motown numbers. There is a distinct change of gear in the second half, which has the urgency of Smooth Criminali and insistent rhythms of Beat It, Billie Jean, Thriller and Bad to add punch to the programme which delivers on the unspoken promise of a Jackson fest.

The dance numbers are all choreographed around Jackson’s signature style, perhaps the one exception being the Egyptian styled routine to Remember the Time. Jackson’s look of androgynous showman (despite the groin thrusts) has meant that the show has a distinctly family friendly appeal with nothing to frighten the horses or maiden aunts.

All the paraphernalia we have come to expect of touring music tributes are here: an uncomplicated set with rear walkway to add height, some clever lighting and visuals that moved seamlessly between New York, the Pyramids (Remember the Time) and the rain forest (Earth Song) colourful costumes and a great sound.

The audience, slightly torpid from the sweltering heat outside, needed a bit of cajoling to overcome the resulting inertia, but vocalist and director, Britt Quentin, who along with the other singers and dancers seemed to have boundless energy, soon managed to lever us out of our seats into high clapping mode. There are five singers (two girls) who share the honours, each doing justice to the songs and the Jackson style.

The on-stage seven piece band under the direction of Andy Jeffcoat provided tight, theatre filling sound and produced a couple of rock style guitar solos form guitarists, Allan Salmon and Rob Minns.

There is a breadth to Michael Jackson’s writing and recording which I wouldn’t be surprised to find in a Mamma Mia style musical at some time in the near future. A plot to string the numbers together shouldn’t be too hard to construct and the songs are true perennials, which on last night’s showing, have lost none of their appeal in the time since Michael Jackson’s untimely death.  Graham Wyles    10^th July 2018