Legends – The Divas at Lighthouse Poole Review

DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW

Reviewed by Helen O

How often do you get the opportunity to watch three musical icons in one concert? Well, last night was the perfect opportunity to do just that; we were treated to a spectacular showcase of Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, and Beyoncé Knowles, in Legends – The Divas at Lighthouse, Poole.

We were seated in row G of the Concert Hall, which was to the right of the auditorium, but gave us a brilliant view of the stage. The seats are very comfortable and have loads of leg room (and plenty of dancing room too!), so all we had to do was relax and enjoy the show.

Spanning seven decades of hits, this sensational tribute to these three musical icons, is not to be missed. Stephanie Benson as Diana Ross really brought the party from the get-go, with her arrival on stage in a fabulous dress, she really looked the part. Wow, what a voice and what a presence. Belting out Diana’s biggest hits and getting the audience on their feet right from the start. She was brilliant at audience interaction and for one lucky man, a bit of audience participation too, when he was serenaded on stage! We particularly enjoyed her renditions of ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ and ‘Stop! In the Name of Love’.

Whitney Houston was up next. Of course everyone went crazy for her performance of the timeless classic ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’, with the whole of the audience up on their feet and singing along, creating a fantastic atmosphere in the concert hall. Her rendition of ‘I Have Nothing’, was nothing short of brilliant and clever use of the lighting at pivotal moments of her performance gave us goosebumps. Taking on one of Whitney’s most famous songs ‘I Will Always Love You’ made famous from The Bodyguard movie, is always a brave thing to do, but it was performed note perfect and was sensational. Wow!

After the interval, Beyoncé kept the momentum going, opening with ‘Crazy in Love’, and then diving straight into fan-favourite ‘Single Ladies’. She had a phenomenal voice, which was showcased perfectly through Beyoncé’s music.

All three ladies did a brilliant job of bringing the party, by using a clever mix of the more upbeat songs and also performing the slower songs too, but keeping the momentum of the show going throughout.

Supported by a brilliant 4 piece live band, who were centre stage for the entire performance; consisting of keyboard, lead guitar, bass guitar and drums were wonderful musicians, who were clearly enjoying the party atmosphere, just as much as the audience.

Not to mention the fabulous duo of backing singers, who supported all three artists. It was great to see them acknowledged on stage and given the opportunity to take centre stage to lead their own song too.

One criticism was that occasionally the music from the band was so loud, that you couldn’t quite hear the lyrics being sung, despite the power in the voices of our Divas.

I was really pleased that once Diana, Whitney, and Beyoncé had performed their solo pieces, they were all brought together on stage for the grand finale, rather than just keeping to separate, distinct segments. Singing a medley of Diva classics as well as some current songs too; they had the audience on their feet, having a great time. What a great way to end the show.

The performance lasted approximately 2 hours, with a 20 minute break after Whitney’s set allowing a quick refreshment break for the audience, before Beyoncé took to the stage.

With music spanning 7 decades and music right up to current times, there was something for everyone of all ages, which was represented by the demographic in the audience. It was wonderful to see all ages coming together and just enjoying the music.

I’d absolutely recommend Legends – The Divas to anyone who wants to relive the magic of these three phenomenal icons and have a good, fun evening out.

Rating: 4.5/5
RRP – £27.50
Buy tickets here: https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/legends-the-divas/
Address: Lighthouse, 21 Kingland Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1UG