Thriller Live
West End 2010
Islington Gazette - 4th March 2010
Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, W1
HE may be Gone Too Soon, but the legend of MJ's simply incomparable glut of hits lives on in this eyeball-bursting evening. The "Remixed" show features six new songs in the setlist, but you'd have trouble picking them out of this seamless production.
There's little doubt the famously perfectionist Jackson would be proud of this block-busting stream of his hits. Opening with a characteristic plethora of chart facts and overblown orchestra, a bevy of super-fit dancers show The X-Factor's Diversity how it's really done as Jacko's Dangerous hit Jam opens proceedings.
With several semi-Jackos taking vocal duties, including a tank topped young'un with a strikingly similar timbre ripping through a bouncy ABC, I Want You Back and I'll Be There, the revue ignores chronology in favour of some stonking visual and aural pizzazz.
That said, the second half is where the real rewards lie, with great takes on Beat It, Smooth Criminal, Dirty Diana, Billie Jean and Thriller. The live band would make Quincy Jones proud, while the troupe of dancers deserve awards for their energy and choreography, from the neon geeks and gals breakdancing on Blame It On The Boogie to the infamous "forward lean" in Smooth Criminal and sterling attempts at the Moonwalk. With this Thriller of a show, it has never been easier to grab yourself a slice of MJ's magic. - STEPHEN MOORE
West End 2009
Thriller Live hit London's historic West End with a bang in January 2009. Fantastic reviews poured in from the press and public alike...
"The Lyric Theatre, London may currently be one of the West End's smallest theatres, with a capacity of around 967 , but with the arrival of Michael Jackson to the UK for 50 sell out live shows in London's 02 arena and many disappointed fans, this could be the solution!
We start of in this show with the songs from the Jackson 5 which featured Michael Jackson and there is some crowd pleasing solo's from the ‘Junior Jacko' which include Music and me, ABC, I'll be there and Ben. All of these are very well done and have hand clapping beats and rhythms provided by a sensational band unfortunately hidden behind the clever large LED screen that backdrops most songs throughout. But, due to the fact children cannot do west end nights frequently as they need to have some form of education, the little Michael Jackson could vary per performance.
As act 1 progress' we have more of the Jackson 5 hits as Michael Jackson is older. Every night, however, there are 3 Michael Jackson's and a female who sings some of the hits too so at times it can be confusing who is who yet the way they stand out with some thumping vocals is very, very good. Blame it on the Boogie, Rock with you and don't stop till you get enough are just a few of the songs that stand out magnificently in that quarter of the show.
Like mentioned before there is LED screens in this musical that play a huge part in the way this is staged. Not only though are these projecting cartoon images out yet they can project real images 0ut and this gives it versatility on what it can do as during act one, at the start, there is a little overview of the life of Michael Jackson whilst in act 2 during the heart-stopping and crowd-delighting Thriller there is rustic old footage of a graveyard like in the original video of the hit song Thriller.
In act 2 the show we are gifted with the songs that everybody knows and loves. Earth song, smooth criminal, Billie Jean and Bad all appear in quick succession and leave the audience cheering plus dancing up and out of their seats. All of these songs though, adding to the stunning vocals from the respective Jacko, have dances that are sensational and stunningly choreogrpahed. Towards the end of the musical you can see the sweat pouring down their faces after a long night of hard, hard work yet it does make a difference as constantly the dances continue to wow and impress. And no Michael Jackson show would be the same without some moon-walking, thankfully we have plenty in this show and seeing it live makes your jaw drop in awe as they strut around the stage effortlessly.
At the end of the performance the little Michael Jackson, with help from the LED screens, gets the crowd going (like in a concert) texting whether the audience want more, and this was followed by some pretty loud cheers as the performers erupted into Black or white for a huge finale full of dance and great song.
Thriller Live will still remain at the Lyric Theatre until September 29th 2009 however, if you cannot make it to London there is also a huge UK touring production that has been going since February. The tour still has cities to visit that include: Bristol, Woking, Sheffield, Southport, Buxton, Oxford, Cambridge, Bournemouth, Torquay, Cardiff, Darlington, Carlisle, Brighton, Llandudno, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and if you are really desperate to see it but cannot get to any of those cities then it does travel to Munich in Germany for 12 dates.
It is a great night out, full of fantastic hits played to by a superb band and with some dancing that is truely unique and perfect and you want a west end show to see that is different to the rest, this is your show!"
Techno-finger.com
"The sheer majesty of the musical performance will ensure that this MJ-homage will surpass Queen and Abba as West End staples.
The mise-en-scène is disco-heaven meets afro-orgy; particularly early on as the Jackson 5 wiggle and wail through their hits. The young Jackson on this night...was almost a sonic simulacrum of the boy himself.
Things hit their flared stride soon enough. The intensity of the dancing was striking: a relentless tide of frenetic yet measured ninja-yoga. Men, wearing variations of very little, operated like spinning-tops; ladies, shifting from street to chic fashions, moved limbs like spasmodic chop-sticks. The only match for the energy was the synchrony. How an ensemble can dance with such breathless cohesion only Obama knows.
Thankfully though, the chief effect of this production is one of enthrallment. The music is ably performed by a live band; Jackson's back catalogue is performed by singers of unusual ability; the dancing is a feat of human ingenuity and endurance; the atmospheric pyrotechnics are carefully extravagant. The event, on the whole, is electric."
British Theatre Guide
"Thriller Live is a concert-style show that celebrates the work of legendary performer Michael Jackson. This musical anthology begins with Jackson's early years as a teen sensation belting out ABC with his brothers and sisters to his breakthrough solo album Off the Wall and beyond. Those looking for history of Jackson's personal life should look elsewhere as this theatrical extravaganza is a breathtaking celebration of a musician whose work spans over three decades.
Jackson's vocals are provided by six very different singers who all bring a certain magic to each instantly recognisable hit. Kieran Alleyne plays the bundle of energy that led the Jackson Five in a strikingly accurate vocalisation for hits such as I Want You Back and the delightful Ben. Ben Foster, John Moabi and Roger Wright help fill in the middle years and hits such as Blame it on the Boogie and Rock With You, while US performer Ricko Baird brings to the stage some of the classic choreography that epitomises Jackson's Thriller and Bad period.
Perhaps the greatest discovery of the evening is Denise Pearson, who marries a sassy, shapely stage persona to some of Jackson's best loved tracks, producing something as exquisite as her rendition of The Way You Make Me Feel.
This is very much an ensemble company and the dance team here deserve a special mention. The choreography paints as lively and informative a picture of the changing decades as do Jackson's songs, and some of the set pieces, particularly the Billie Jean/Thriller/Bad set are, quite literally, thrilling.
Jonathan Park's set design and Nigel Catmur's lighting are complimented by LED screens creating some wonderful theatrical set pieces that are simple and yet remarkably effective."
The Stage
"It's not a show, or a musical, it's a concert. But as a concert it's very good theatre, a total blast in fact, and a salutary reminder that Michael Jackson's music is an important segment in the sequence from blues, jazz and Motown to rap and disco. It's the history of modern pop music, and it's the music the modern musical theatre forgot about.
Thriller Live comes with an almost repulsive set of recommendations in the programme from its own producers - " a wonderful man who has inspired me," that sort of horse manure - and of course there is no mention of Jackson's facelifts, weird obsession with Elizabeth Taylor, nor his strange home-based kindergarten that led to a series of court cases.
But the man's talent is the point, and there's not a song that you don't want to bask in as they roll off the stage in this wonderful show, covering all the great Jackson albums and ending with "Thriller", which spent thirty-seven weeks at the top of the charts and defined an era of social body-popping for those times.
Call me cheap, or call me common (I've been called a lot worse, including a taxi), but I much prefer this sort of honest up-and-at-you musical celebration of great pop and blues/rock music to the narcissistic indulgence of something like the current revival of Oliver! Every song here is better than, or at least as good as, anything Lionel Bart ever wrote, and Gary Lloyd's production frames them all in a nimbus of notable nostalgia.
There is a narrative thread to the first half, in the emergence of the Jackson Five, hot-gospelling and hand-jiving their way to prominence, and the second half sags into some awful soft-centred political knee-jerk stuff about the legacy of JFK, Nelson Mandela and now Barack Obama. But the staging of the musical numbers, vivid light show and constant brilliance of the musical playing in John Maher's band keep us riveted.
The star of the show is little Kieran Alleyne as the young Jackson, and he is superbly supported by the absolutely wonderful Denise Pearson - lead vocalist of Five Star; who the hell were they? - who seems to morph into Michael in her soprano moments, the bulky and skilful tenor Roger Wright and the excellent trio of Ricko Baird as the ultimate titfer-tipping, slide-walking Jacko, and Ben Foster and John Moabi as his ideal interpreters.
****
What's On Stage
And some more reaction to Thriller Live's debut on the West End:
"AN EXUBERANT BLAST!" Daily Mail
"**** THE HITS JUST KEEP COMING AND WE CANNOT HELP BUT TAP OUR FEET AND JIG ALONG IN OUR SEATS. A GREAT TONIC IN THESE GLOOMY DAYS" Evening Standard
"**** KEIRON ALLEYNE IS SUPERB, reeling off hits with the support of four spectacularly retro brothers" The Londonpaper
"The public are going to love this show. A BRILLIANT NIGHT OUT" Magic 105.4
"Now Shaftesbury Avenue has it's very own Jacko jukebox. Who cares if you boogie or moonwalk to the Lyric - just get on down!...The dancers moonwalk their socks off - and manage to make it look as easy as ABC"
Roger Foss - LBC97.3 The Steve Allan Show
"A glitzy concert of song and dance. THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMING...Gary Lloyd (director) keeps the energy level at fever pitch and his dance routines are spectacular" Daily Telegraph
"The songs are great and the singing and dancing is outstanding, it also has the best live band I've heard in a theatre for a long time." Tony Blackburn
"Dazzlingly well-drilled and brilliantly done...Denise Pearson delivers The Way You Make Me feel exquisitely" Mail on Sunday
"A troupe of dancers whose energy could power the West End grid" Sunday Express
"Whatever you think of Jackson, no one could deny the catchiness of his funky beats and Lloyds's chorus line manage to dance around with fabulous elan: toes flicking then freezing, torsos rippling then spinning, and that trademark slipping, sliding moonwalk, as if they've buttered their soles" The Independent on Sunday
"A wonderful catalogue of late Motown, blues and early indie rock that covers a whole era of pop music at its best...IMMENSELY ENJOYBLE. This is great stuff" The Independent
"Tremendous funk and fusion of lights, sound and dance moves. The musicians under John Maher supply great backing for the company numbers and the fantastic solo contributions of Ricko Baird as the ‘Thriller' doppelganger, Ben Foster and John Moabi as the Jackson singers, Denise Pearson as the soul mamma of Motown, and cute Kieran Alleyne as the devilish little Jacko" The Independent
"high-calibre ingredients - fantastic vocalists and a superlative songbook" Metro
"Denise Pearson (formerly of Five Star) makes a radiantly classy comeback. SMOULDERING...Another singing, dancing showstopper is 13 year old Keiran Alleyne as the fledgling legend, while Ricko Baird boasts the slickest moves" Metro
Spring Tour 2009
And do not forget Thriller Live is still on tour and getting rave reviews too....
"STUNNING dancing, musical favourites and dazzling costumes - this show has all the elements to delight any Jacko fan.
A thrilling concert celebrating the career of one of the world's greatest entertainers opened at the Bristol Hippodrome last night (Mon).
The cast had audience members on their feet boogying to the music of the Jackson 5 and grooving to some favourites from the 1970s through to the 1990s.
Thriller Live will run until April 25 and is a brand new show which revels in the music of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5.
The concert features a West End cast of performers including signers, a live band, choir and fantastic dancers paying tribute to the true king of pop.
Audiences were truly wowed by the unique choreography and brilliant vocal performances in a two-hour show of hit songs including I Want You Back, I'll Be There, Show You The Way To Go, Can You Feel It, Rock With You, She's Out Of My Life, Thriller, Beat It, Billie Jean and many more.
Onlookers were asking for more at the end of the show and they weren't disappointed with the rendition of Earth Song, along with some classic Jacko dancing.
If all you want to do is sit in your seat to watch a show, do not bother, as this production is for those who want to get to their feet and join in with the fun.
Tickets, priced £13-27.50, are available from the Ticketmaster on 0844 847 2341 or via www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk"
Weston and Somerset Mercury
"THE world seems to have gone Michael Jackson crazy of late with the Prince of Pop enjoying a bit of a renaissance.
This show is timely then, reminding us of just what a mark he’s made on the music industry over the past three decades.
It’s also a great night out – whether you're a fan or not.
Thriller Live takes its audience on a journey through Jackson's back-catalogue from the chirpy early days of ABC and Ben through the disco foot tappers of Can You Feel It and on to Thriller, Smooth Criminal, Bad and Earth Song.
This is no impression-act, however, and the performers often put their own stamp on the familiar music to spectacularly good effect.
Special mention has to be made of 11-year-old Tyler McLean who brought the young Michael Jackson to life with nice vocals and sharp dancing but the other leads were impressive too.
Dwayne Wint, Peter Murphy and the uniquely named Jag Soulsinger worked well both together and individually while Hayley Evetts, of Pop Idol fame, provided a nice contrast to the boys particularly her version of The Way You Make Me Feel.
But this show isn't just about the music.
What ups it from being entertainment into a real event is the vibrant choreography and the energy and talent of the eight strong dance troupe.
They came into their own during Smooth Criminal and Thriller when they managed to replicate that famous zombie-fest of dance moves and make-up.
The icing on the cake is the set, on the face of it quite sparse but then revealed as being built around a huge screen onto which images can be projected.
Interesting to note the number of children in the audience. The next generation of Jackson fans perhaps?
Jacko has had a tough time of it these past years but no-one can deny that, at his peak, few could surpass him for showmanship.
This show brings all that to life and a lot more besides."
9/10 Thrilling
Liverpool Echo
"What is brilliant in this production is the choreography. The scenes are edgy with break dancing and typical Jackson dance moves, including the world famous moonwalk which brings cheers from the audience.The song Thriller was spectacular with ghoulies and ghosties dancing in unison with Michael, superbly sung and danced by Michael Anthony Duke. Other notable scenes included the thumping and soul invasive Billy Jean, Beat It with street dancers and graffiti background, and Smooth Criminal – in a speakeasy – all bringing the audience to their feet, singing and dancing along to the driving sounds.Lead singers, Peter Murphy, Hayley Evetts, Jag Soulsinger and all play their part. They all shine in both the urgent and the more mellow numbers, including Earth Song and Feed the World which slow the pace down, giving the vocalists a chance to demonstrate their versatility.The 6-piece band is ensconced behind a mesh shield onto which are projected the many images of the Jackson years. You can barely see them, but boy, you know they are there. Their music is one of the best bits of this show.This show is edgy, inventive, with many costume changes and a plethora of Jackson hits. Jackson fans will love it."
- Jeanette Smith
Whatsonstage.com Liverpool
Autumn 2008
Click here to see a recent review of Thriller Live in Belfast when the show began its August 2008 tour!
And more reviews of fantastic shows that took place in Brighton, Ipswich and Manchester.
Some past audience members have also been kind enough to share their experiences of Thriller - Live:
"Wow! Words cannot describe how much i enjoyed the show. I was at the Glasgow show and I was completely blown away! Everyone was on top form. Zoe Birkett was fantastic what a star! Dominic Smith has so much soul for someone his age, and E'Casanova well what can you say, simply mesmerising!
Everyone must see this show!!!!! It is absolutely fantastic!! You truly left me with life long memories and one of the best nights I've had for a while!
Thank you so much for giving us this incredible show and I continue to wish you all good luck for the rest of the tour! For fans and non fans alike this is a show in a million that will have you dancing in the isles to the small hours. Michael should feel very proud!"
LOVED IT! CANT WAIT TO SEE IT AGAIN !
Joseph Dougal, East Kilbride
"To Adrian Grant and all the cast, crew, musicians and dancers of Thriller live, I have to drop you a quick e-mail to thank you all for a tremendous evening on Saturday in Liverpool. The show was a breathtaking spectacular! Everyone gave 110% and were highly professional, skilled individuals.
As a massive MJ fan I would of found it an incredibly daunting task to fit a career spanning 5 decades into one show but you managed amazingly to give the people what they want, much as Michael himself does! But all this goes pretty much without saying.
You must receive hundreds of e-mails praising the show and all it's contributors, that's not really why I have e-mailed. I really want to say thank you for a different reason but one that is just as valid, if not more so. You guys, along with so many others that I could name including Jermaine Jackson, David Gest, Neyo, Beyonce, Chris Brown and Justin Timberlake are doing sterling work paving Michael's journey home to the top of the charts! Not a day goes by where somebody does not mention Michael and his influence on them and their music or give nods in his direction be it through copying his dancing or mentioning him in their songs, also Jermaine's appearence on the UK's Celeb Big Brother just demonstrated how dignified and respectful the Jackson family are. It's like Michael has hundreds of representatives reminding the world of how influential and phenomenal he was, is and always will be. So thank you to all of you for representing Michael in such a mind blowing way.
As for my favourite part of the show, that's a hard one but I have to admit both myself and my friend both REALLY thought that E'Casanova was the real MJ when he apperared to do Billie Jean! I actually nearly fell over!"
Hazel Moore
"I just wanted to say what a terrific show this is - my 18 year old son and I went to The Sage in Newcastle to see this show, without any high expectations - we wanted a night out. Neither Dan nor I were particularly Michael Jackson fans but I had some nostalgia for Jackson 5 Motown and we both enjoy most types of music. Knowing that the Sage is a wonderful setting, we expected to be entertained but this exceeded all of our expectations.
What we got was absolutely outstanding. Visually, the show was stunning, the quality of singing and dancing was amazing and in particular the choreography was very spectacular. Costumes, lighting and film clips contributed hugely to our enjoyment and altogether it was a breath-taking experience. I particularly liked the feel of authenticity about it and that the performers were truly enthusiastic about doing their best to entertain us.
I think the producers need extra thanks for bringing off a "one-night-stand" show to such a high degree of professionalism. technically, it seemed, to an amateur, faultless. Well done to all concerned."
Fiona Weatherill
"Went to see show at Gateshead`s Sage on 18th May, it was my wife who wanted to go as she is a huge fan. So I was dragged along not really into this type of music as I`m more into heavy metal... BUT WOW! What a show, I really, really, really enjoyed it, and didn`t want it to end.
An absolute must go see show for all ages, the singing the dancing the music just blew me away...
Well done to everyone... I do hope you tour again and this time it will be me dragging the wife to see the show!"
Divinchio, Newcastle
"I went to see Thriller Live at the Manchester Opera House 17th May. I went with my daughter and sister in law and we thought the show was absolutly fantastic!
The singers and dancers did a fabulous job of putting a show together about the music of Michael Jackson. It starts off with the early years of Michael and music when he was with the Jackson Five through to music from Off The Wall, Bad, Thriller, and avid fans will know the rest. Everyone who went to this show were dancing in the aisles from children to the more mature.
I really recommend this show for Jackson fans and those who are not. It was full of enery and excitment! My favourite bits were when they danced to Dangerous, Blood On The Dancefloor and Billie Jean.
I will definitley go to this show again, and if it comes near your home town dont miss it you'll love it. Be prepared to get off your feet and dance your way through to hours of fantastic dance and music."
Karen Shanahan, Manchester
"Went to see the show in Manchester and it was fabulous, all the cast, dancers, singers etc... were brilliant.The young cast members were exceptional. We had a great night and was worth every penny.
I've been very lucky to have seen the King of Pop myself on stage, but this is the closest i'll come to seeing the Jackson 5, and they did it very well. Well done guys on a great tribute!"
D. Clegg
"I went to see Thriller Live on Wednesday 16th May in Southend and it was one of the best shows I have seen in a long time. The dancing, singing was perfect, and Zoe Birkett really lit up the show it was amazing!
The dance routines for Beat it and Thriller were perfect if its ever going to Southend again i will definitely go and see it!"
Lindsey, Canvey Island
"I went to see Thriller last night in Southend and it was absolutely amazing!!! The cast, the dancing, the singing was just blew me away and it is the best thing I have ever seen.
Whoever reads this, make sure this show goes to the Westend because those guys and girls are so talented. Thanks also for signing authographs, you were all so genuniely nice! Well done!"
Clare Faulkner
"I have just been to see the Southend show and it was fantastic. The dancing and singing were amazing, it was much better than a lot of top shows that I have been to see in the West End and I would like to congratulate everyone involved.
I would stress to anyone reading this that if you are a Michael fan you should try to get a ticket anyplace anyhow."
Jayne Allen
"Hii :) I went to see Thriller Live last night at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham and - WOW! It was amazing and took my breath away! I am only 16 but I am a huge fan. I obviously never got to see Michael Jackson in his concerts so I was so pleased when I heard about this show.
The combination of the voices of the West End singers and gospel choir, the amazing dancers and the Michael Jackson tribute artist really made the show one of the best I've ever seen!
Thank you so much for making this show because I finally got to see a show with people who want to celebrate the phenomenal entertainer that is - Michael Jackson!
Come back soon please."
Sophie Marshall
"Hey, I went to see Thriller live in Bournemouth on Friday 11th May 07 and gotta tell yah i was transfixed. What a FAB show, I've not clapped, sang and cheered so much in years. A truly proffesional cast and set and i had the best night ever (well apart from seeing Michael live).
I hope you bring the show back to my town again soon as I would love to bring the rest of my family along. Thank you thank you to all involved! Please come again soon."
Callie
"I went to see Thriller Live at the Pavillion in Bournemouth. I have to say i was blown away!!! The dancers were absolutley FANtastic, infact everyone involved was. The band,the choir,singers.The set was really good, and the costumes were great. I can't praise the whole production enough. Loved it.
Please please travel back to the south real real SOON!!! Michael would be proud of you!"
Annie Humphrey
"Hi, I went to the Brighton show and it was fantastic!! I didn't want to leave!
I would love to go and see this again and I hope the cast and crew tour around the South again soon! I recommend anyone with and interest in The Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson's music to go and see this it is worth all the money and all the time!
Thank you very much"
Kimberley Hunter
"I would just like to thank the whole crew for the bottom of my heart for an excellent show!! I really, really loved it, and it's absolutely a fact that the two hours the show lasted, was the absolute two best hours of my life!! I LOOOVED IT, and in fact I came all the way from the north of Norway just to be able to see the show! The children especially amazed me and one dancer also in particular: Dominic Smith! He has really understood how to move like Michael Jackson! Brilliant! Thank you, thank you thank you!!"
Monica Dybwad
"I booked for the evening performance and I really enjoyed it! I had a brilliant seat (second row in the stalls - don't think I've ever been so close to a stage before) and loved that you could see the sweat on the dancer's brows!!!
I think the children definitely stole the show, with the dancers a close second. I was SO pleased to see they performed 'Speechless' - five young children sang it together and it brought tears to my eyes, it was beautiful. I know for a fact that Michael would have adored it (and I bet he would be reaching for the tissues too!). The little chap who sang 'Who's Loving You' - well, what can you say, except watch out for him, he's sure to go far! The dancers were amazing, and 'Will You Be Ther', that was brilliant too, what with the gospel choir. The band did an excellent job of staying true to the feeling of each song with their arrangement, so that fans would appreciate the similarity, yet there were individual interpretations so that it wasn't just imitation-Michael all the way through.
I was aware that there were not just fans in the audience, but members of the public who may not describe themselves as fans but who presumably must like Michael's music, or why would they buy tickets... I know some of them were a little bemused by the screams of "Michael!" etc. throughout the show - in fact when I was in the ladies after the show I overheard two girls saying as much; but they enjoyed the show, which is the main thing.
All in all, I feel that this show is a great sign of things to come - two years ago this would have been unthinkable, let's not forget. So to see something like this in a West End theatre, with the possibility of a tour, hopefully shows that Michael is able to move on and that the public is happy to see him applauded for the outstanding artist that he really is.
Well done to everyone concerned with the show, I'm sure Michael would have been touched!"
Liberian Girl58
THANKS to Flying Music and Key Concerts, the spirit of Michael Jackson comes to Manchester’s Palace Theatre for just four days until Saturday.
Although the great pop idol himself isn’t there, we see in ‘Thriller Live’ his life and videos recreated by different ‘Michaels’ going back to his Jackson Five days.
There is something about his music that grips you and is unlike anything else.
Even the young Michael from the Jackson Five, performed by 14-year-old Dominic Smith, has bags of charisma and oodles of stage presence. He relates to the audience right from the start.
You don’t know where the cast get their energy from for, thanks to LaVelle Smith Jnr’s choreography they are on their fast moving feet for just over two hours. Their co-ordination with Jackson’s rhythmic themes is incredible.
They dance to all time hits such as ‘I want you back’, ‘I’ll be there’ and ‘Billie Jean’ not to mention ‘Thriller’.
Zoe Birckett displays the reason why she almost won ‘Pop Idol’ when she stars as a principal singer. Seldom off stage, she plays a key role as her exceptional voice echoes through the auditorium.
The cast, backed by a multi-media video, save the best to the last. Ricko Baird, previously a front dancer with Michael Jackson himself on the award-winning dance number
‘Dangerous’, leads them. Chris becomes ‘Jacko’ as he mimics the King of Pop’s marionette movements.
The audience’s feet thumping and hand clapping make an ideal backing to the on stage live band.
It is a fitting conclusion to a show that brings back memories of a timeless performer.
Julia Taylor, Manchester Evening News
7/ 9/2007
Taking the Michael
Did it matter that it wasn't the actual Jacko on the Phil stage at the weekend? Not a bit, says Ben Patey who joined the Thriller seekers.
SURE, it may not have been the real Michael Jackson performing but, still, only in Liverpool would someone show their appreciation of a breathtaking rendition of Billie Jean by shouting "Go on lad," and sending the packed Philharmonic Hall into stitches.
Thriller Live was billed as a celebration of the work of Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5. It didn't disappoint.
Over 40 performers, including a full company of West End singers, a gospel choir and dancers, took the audience on a magical journey of hits, onto Jacko's seminal Off The Wall record before bounding through Bad, Thriller, Dangerous and Blood On The Dancefloor.
A young "Michael Jackson" started the show. It was a little eerie how much he sounded like the real deal as he sang Ben. As I looked around, I noticed at least five people were crying. Only Michael Jackson could have written a song about a rat, and have it nominated for Grammys.
The compere was none other than Jackson's ex choreographer, the former Shalamar singer, Jeffrey Daniel. Daniel's occasional appearances gave the singers and dancers time to change into new outfits and made for an insightful respite from someone who had worked with Jackson for over 20 years. Daniel is also credited with teaching Jackson how to moonwalk
As we entered the Bad and Thriller years, the audience were treated to several brilliant Jackson look and sound-alikes. The dancing was as you would expect: incredible.
One female singer in particular had caught my eye. It was ironic that my feelings for her gained momentum during the duet; I just can't stop loving you.
By now, the packed out Philharmonic were all on their feet dancing to such classics as Smooth Criminal and Don't Stop Till You Get Enough.
The band seemed effortlessly tight. It was easy to forget that a backing track wasn't being played. The lighting - wonderful. The choreography - dazzling. The multimedia - tremendous. The atmosphere - electrifying. It was going to be difficult not to go into adjective overdrive.
During Earth Song, there were three different Michael Jacksons on stage at one point, as well as a gospel choir and a backdrop of the video.
I started to ponder.... How many pop singers would be having a night dedicated to their hits at the Phil in 20 years time? Justin Timberlake perhaps? Not a chance. Nobody comes close.
Forget the bizarre persona and the allegations...tonight was all about the music of, quite simply, the most outrageously talented performer ever to live. I think Wacko himself would have given the one-gloved thumbs up to the performances of those at The Philharmonic. I'm convinced there'd still be those shouting for an encore now given the chance.
Young, old, scally and otherwise had come to celebrate the work of a musical genius, the likes of which we may never see again.
Liverpoolconfidential.com