Lord of the Dance 30th Anniversary at Regent Theatre Stoke-on-Trent Review

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

Reviewed by Sheridan Brown

In 1996, Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance burst into public consciousness. The show became a dazzling national, then international phenomenon. I remember the hype, I remember seeing snippets of the show on TV, I remember longing to see the show for myself. Even though there have been many tours of the production, over the years, I have not yet managed to see what all the fuss is about.

Now, 30 years later, I’m sitting in the auditorium of the beautiful Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent, waiting for the show to begin. I’m full of anticipation. There’s a palpable buzz of excitement in the audience. We are made up of die-hard Lord of the Dance fans, and newbies like me. Whatever our reason for being there, we just know we’re in for a good night!

The show opens in the Ireland of myth. We are transported to ancient times through haunting Irish music, subtle lighting and iconic Gaelic iconography projected onto three large screens. Hooded priests with glowing orbs create a sense of mystery. The Little Spirit, danced beautifully by Evia Hayter, is dreaming. In her dream she plays her tin whistle or faedóg, almost to summon The Lord of the Dance. Suddenly we’re transported to a full-on, full-cast Irish dance extravaganza. The hairs on my arms stood on end and I felt overwhelmed and a bit emotional. The Lord of the Dance leads his followers in a stunningly choreographed piece telling of their community of harmony and passion.

However, this peace is threatened by the arrival of a Dark Lord and his followers, determined to wreck the idyll The Lord of the Dance has created.

The narrative framework for the show is very simple. Good versus evil, purity versus seduction, rivalry versus romance. Yet storytelling has never been the production’s main focus. It is the extraordinary dance performances that drive the show forward, building momentum and drama with each set piece. We were a little unsure what was happening in the first half, but the storytelling of the second half was much clearer.

The variety of different moods that were created really surprised me. From mystical to militaristic, floatingly romantic to exhilaratingly joyful, we were treated to a cornucopia of emotions. The combination of choreography, music, lighting and costume all come together to create a magical experience.

The music, composed by Gerard Fahy and orchestrated by Jonas Persson, is simply fantastic – blending traditional Irish influences with contemporary theatrical flair; a real driving force of the production and central to each set piece’s mood. What I hadn’t expected was the inclusion of vocal and instrumental numbers. Erin the Goddess (Cleo Griffin) delivered three beautiful songs in English and Gaelic – whilst fiddlers Niamh Leahy and Siofra Devine simply blew me away! Their ‘fiddle battle’ Strings of Fire had me bouncing in my seat with their jigs, reels, harmonies and counter melodies. I loved the way, later in the show, they interacted with the dancers to create a real music and dance spectacle. Their contribution to the show was an unexpected highlight for me.

Lighting and costumes (Yvette Alida Kovács, Niamh Flatley) also have central parts to play in the production’s success. I loved the way the costumes reflected both traditional Irish attire, and contemporary dress. Along with beautifully floaty, richly sequined and sexy-as-hell outfits there were urban-inspired military uniforms, and mysterious monks’ robes. The way that the lighting played on the fabric of the costumes was superb, and really contributed to the atmosphere of a scene.

But of course, it is the dance that is the star of the show. Michael Flatley’s original choreography, refreshed and expanded under his artistic supervision, means that every leap, every spin and every rapid-fire sequence of taps and heel-clicks, is stunningly shaped and delivered. Dancers execute their steps with extraordinary precision and energy, their stamina is awe-inspiring. From the thunderous percussive rhythms created by hard-shoe dances, to the beautifully lyrical and graceful choreography in the soft-shoe numbers, the show had it all.

I wasn’t surprised to see that the main parts were played by multiple dancers. The Lord, on our night, was Lucas Lawton (also the production’s Dance Captain). His artistry, stamina and charisma were nothing short of amazing. The stylised dance battle between The Lord and the Dark Lord and their troops was breath-taking. In contrast, the more lyrical and sultry performances of Saoirse and Morrighan, helped to drive the romance/temptation sub-plot of the show. Their artistry, flair and skill in holding their audience in the palm of their hands was beautiful to see.

The only part of the production that I did not enjoy as much was the video footage that topped and tailed show. The montage of some of Michael Flatley’s past performance triumphs felt a little long. And whilst I can fully acknowledge the incredible artistry of the performer, I felt this was a little bit indulgent. There were many in the audience who were complete swept away by the grandeur of the footage. Maybe I needed to be there, back in 1996, to fully appreciate the spectacle.

All in all, we had a lovely night at the beautiful Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent. Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance 30 was a fantastic show – full of the confidence and spectacle of a production that knows exactly what it is. For those who remember the show’s original rise to fame – the production offers a welcome dose of nostalgia. For those (like me) it was a fabulous introduction to a glorious combination of world-class dance, infectious music and visual grandeur worthy of a West End stage.

Rating: 4/5
Dates: 13th July – 15th July, 2026
Tickets: from £31.00
Remaining shows are bookable from www.stokeontrenttheatre.co.uk