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Pros: Beautifully choreographed routines are only out done by fantastic live music and singing.
Cons: Heavy on sensuality and light on humour; would have been brilliant if there were a more strong comedy bits. Tantalizing and titillating, Sensual Dreams lives up to its name in everyway. Beautiful to watch, but not quite as hard-core as some other cabaret performances. Reminiscent of a Cirque du Soleil.
Summary
Rating
Good
Like other cabarets, the audience sits around tables, which can be shared with strangers, making the experience all the more entertaining, particularly if you sit next to someone interesting! The more adventurous type can take advantage joining in the pre-show entertainment, as long as the spotlight doesn’t bother you.
The theme of the night is undoubtedly sensuality. Writhing bodies come together in a celebration of the flesh. The dance routines are beautifully intimate and suggestive. But don’t worry! Few clothes are actually removed in this production. Instead they are sheer and short, but no more revealing than what would be seen on a beach.
A mixture of lyrical and Latin dancing is fused with circus acts. Aerial artist, Elizabeth Williams, is stunning. She performs an edgy choreography using chains instead of the typical silks. Her performance was moving and mesmerizing. The male dancers in this show are also particularly incredible. Perhaps I am just biased, but I was stunned by their strength, sensitivity, and vitality. It was hard to take my eyes off them!
What really makes this show, however was the live music. This is the first time I’ve seen live music used in a show like this. Even more impressive were the two West End singers, Rosalind James and Kelly-Anne Gower. The show is worth seeing just to hear them!
If there’s anything not to like here, it’s the lack of comedic pieces. Having seen many kinds of cabaret, I’ve found the most brilliant ones are those that can combine the sensual with comedy. There is a bit of humour to be enjoyed, however. The pre-show had a bit with a banana, and there was one comedic dance routine that came off quite well. Nevertheless, these bits felt a bit tacked on and overshadowed by the other performances. The host of the show, Miss Mince Meat, made an attempt at funny, but she seemed to lack the charisma that I have seen in other female impersonators. Unfortunately her jokes felt lack-lustre as well. Instead of owning her time on stage she felt timid in my opinion.
As a whole though, this is a show that entertains and delights, and it is definitely worth seeing. If you’ve never experienced cabaret before than this is the show to see!
Director: Ricardo Canadinhas
Producer: Faithless Productions
Booking Until: 24 August 2014
Box Office: 0207 769 8888
Booking Link: http://www.hippodromecasino.com/theatre-booking/?eventid=475
