Thriller Live at the Princess Theatre Torquay Review
Thriller Live
Princess Theatre, Torquay
17-22 February 2014
Reviewed by Carrie Wills
On Monday 17 February, I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to review Thriller Live at Torquay’s Princess Theatre. As the mum of two die hard Michael Jackson fans, I was desperate for it to live up to expectations.
When I arrived, I was surprised at how busy it was, Torquay is a very small seaside town that has recently been heavily hit by severe storms and the destruction was clearly visible. Fortunately the theatre was unharmed and it was certainly business as usual inside.
Despite being very busy, I had no issues getting served at the bar and the food and drink appeared reasonably priced and of good quality. My only disappointment with the venue itself was the toilet facilities. The ladies’ had just two cubicles servicing the entire audience and I assume from the length of the queue for the men’s, that they were in the same situation. People were having to leave without using the bathroom so that they didn’t miss the start of the show.
When I eventually made it inside the auditorium, it was impossible not to be blown away by the antiquated architecture. The high ceilings were beautiful and the compact size gave a real feeling of intimacy and romanticism, which for me is everything you want in a theatre.
The show got underway promptly at 7.30pm and the atmosphere from the audience was full of anticipation and excitement. Thriller Live is a showcase of the very best of Michael Jackson’s hits, both with The Jackson Five and as a solo artist. There were also short narratives which really helped the concert to flow.
The spectacle kicked off with some of the more popular hits from The Jackson 5. My immediate thought was that the female vocalist Cleo Higgins was lip syncing, however as the show progressed it became clear that in actual fact she was just pitch perfect. Her vocal ability was awe-inspiring and she completely stole the show in my eyes. The other vocalists; Sean Christopher, Tyrone Lee, Lascel Woods and Jesse Smith were also all incredibly talented. Their performances were executed with passion and enthusiasm that mirrored that of Jackson himself.
The music was accompanied by and extraordinary group of dancers, whose talent and energy was clear from the outset. Unfortunately the restricted size of the stage sometimes made the dancing look rather chaotic and it was clear that they were more accustomed to performing on a much larger surface. The break dancers in particular seemed unable to perform their moves in a way that really did them justice, however they were still able to put on a show that left the audience speechless.
Following the interval, the focus shifted to Michael Jackson’s solo career. Tyrone Lee and Lascel Woods whipped the audience up into a frenzy and gave us the chance to participate in ‘sing-alongs’, the theatre was buzzing with excitement!
The composition of the show was a flawless balance of up-beat pop and rock mixed with perfectly placed ballads. Jesse Smith’s heartfelt rendition of ‘She’s out of my life’ almost brought me to tears, it was simply beautiful and one of my top moments from the night.
The finale was a trio of what were arguably Jackson’s most popular songs; Thriller, Bad and Black or White. During these tracks there wasn’t a single bum on a seat, everyone was up on their feet, I doubt anybody could resist the urge to get up and dance! The disappointment when the show ended was clear on the faces of the spectators, I think we would all have repeated the experience over again if we could.
All in all the production was a fitting tribute to the king of pop and if you have the opportunity to see it then I would definitely recommend you do. It’s not hard to see why the concert has managed to remain popular for over 6 years, not only in the West End but also around Europe. Whether you are a fan of Michael Jackson or not, this show will undoubtedly have you reliving the decades when he reigned as king of the charts and if you’re anything like me, it will have you digging through the attic for your old CDs.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £16.90 to £32.40 (plus £4 transaction fee).
For more information or to book tickets click here.
