Divas - A Dance Spectacular

Published Friday 27 June 2008 at 11:20 by Katie Colombus

Divas is billed as a ‘dance spectacular’, but the show is actually much more about music than movement.

Specifically, a triptych of female musical legends from the forties - Edith Piaf, Marlene Dietrich and Judy Garland.

Featuring the classic hits of all three singers, the songs are enjoyable. They are familiar, nostalgic, emotive, political and soul stirring. If only the same could be said of the dancing, which comes second to the sound. It gives no particular insight into the women’s lives and the choreography is made up of simple ballet steps with a showtime vibe.

Most of the corps dancers seem to be either fresh out of stage school or off the cruise ships and the audience likewise. Their group scenes are merely fillers around the three women representing Piaf, Dietrich and Garland.

The Sylvie Guillem-esque Caroline Petter as Piaf in particular is enticing, as is the cool, statuesque Zara Deakin as Dietrich. Irina Kolesnikova as Garland gets the most claps, but also the cheesiest choreography.

Between high kicking and hard stamping, the dancers’ energy seems more focused on how to manoeuvre around the front of a tiny stage rather than their manic head nodding or ballet class choreography.

Any political/historical references to the time - the Nazi skit, images of war, cancan girls - are overshadowed by the theatre next door where the critically acclaimed Cabaret plays to a packed house.

While the atmosphere borrows such elements of fun, rouge and occasional glamour, an actual cabaret setup would help this ballet immensely - some tables, candles and a few bottles of cheap plonk would certainly help to wash it all down.