The Stage

MJ Timeless

Published Wednesday 28 July 2010 at 11:44 by Robin Duke

It was only a matter of time before a tribute to Michael Jackson entered the pantheon of musicals dedicated to pop icons.

This tribute to the music and memory of Jackson eschews a transparently flimsy story line, preferring to remember him as a performer rather than as a person. This show is his music, delivered concert style - complete with a rock concert sound system.

Despite fewer words than his press conferences and no chronology to the music, the approach works. Certain members of the audience even overlooked the fact that this was actually a tribute act, Danny Oliver, imitating the famous Jackson moves. And the standing ovations imply the producers have come up with what people want.

Plenty of the million-selling hits are performed, but tour and album favourites are also on show.

Yet while Oliver provides the carbon copied moves and adds the familiar whoops to Jacko’s pre-recorded vocals, it’s the trio of break dancers and hip hop world champions Plague who carry the night with energetic routines, which work so well in the circus surrounds of the venue.

Vocally, Celena Cherry sounds good, paying her personal tribute, while Tim Harding, together with Laura Houston and Gemma Kotak, move the music along through Jackson’s chameleon changes.

A stage-filling Thriller and its ghouls ends the first half with a choir of local children. Then the full cast echo Earth Song towards the end before Jacko is crowned the king of pop and his fans leap to their feet.