Michael Flatley, creator of the legendary Lord of the Dance, says his “job in life is to make people happy”. Well, all I can say, Sir, is job very well done.
On Wednesday evening, the crowds flocked into the Hull New Theatre to watch Flatley’s 30th anniversary tribute show to his creation with Lord of the Dance 30 amazing years of standing ovations.
This was my third time of seeing the super-talented Irish man’s show and, each time I think it can’t get any better, it bloomin’ well does.
The 30th Anniversary Tour promises brand-new choreography, stunning costumes, state-of-the-art special effects and cutting-edge lighting, ensuring an “unforgettable experience”.
At curtain up, I was about to see if it would live up to its promise.
A first look at the stage setting and it was immediately obvious we were in for a slick, polished, professional, expensive production.
The stage, lit from all angles with the occasional mist blowing, had a backdrop of a huge triptych video screen showing the most marvellous visions throughout the night. Burning forests, rippling brooks, butterfly filled forests, the universe, Celtic symbols and waterfalls to name just a few.
Just once or twice the screens became one – a highlight being a video of the great man himself, dancing in triplicate. What a treat.
A wide, centre staircase proved a static centre point.
Many productions would have concentrated funds on the in-front-of-screen characters, but perfectionist Mr Flatley would never be satisfied with such chicanery. That’s why we love him so much – he’s not cheap! Perfection costs.
Events kick off with The Little Spirit (Evia Hayter), a glorious little figure dressed in gold and silver, mid-stage, and surrounded by sleeping dancers. From her magic penny whistle emanates the well-known Lord of the Dance tune, which she plays to set up the magical tone needed to allow her to sprinkle fairy dust on to the sleeping dancers, who slowly rise on to their feet.
And from that magical moment it was a non-stop blast of energy, colour, passion, fury and a right ding-dong between good and evil, resulting in the aforementioned magic piccolo being broken in half. We all felt so bad for The Little Spirit. But later on, she definitely got her own back on the evil perpetrator.
The Good – The Lord (Lucas Lawton) – and the Evil – The Dark Lord (Tom Doherty), and their dancers, clash all night long until the final battle. But does good overcome evil? At one point I began to wonder.
Temptations abound, mainly from that little minx Morrighan (Bella Rogers), who cleverly relieves The Lord of his magical dance belt and hands it to The Dark Lord, who, once wearing it, strutted around like, well, the Lord of the Dance. I could have smacked him.
The Lord’s romantic interest is the pure-hearted Irish colleen, Saoirse (Katie Coates), whose light-as-air dancing had us spellbound. With golden locks flowing and dressed in the most amazing costumes, she had an ethereal quality about her.
Talking of costumes, I don’t know where to begin. The males were mainly in black tops and trousers (until they weren’t – my lips are sealed), but even these outfits had splashes of glittering crystals (which didn’t take away their masculinity).
The female dancers were spoilt for choice with long, short and anywhere in between styles. All embellished with the most glittering crystals that caught the light at every turn. And the long dresses worn by two fiddlers and an Irish songstress (more of these later), took my breath away.
Costume design and costume design collaboration by Yvette Alida Kovács and Niamh Flatley.
In this 30th Anniversary production I saw elements of softness, brutality (that poor piccolo), testosterone, comedy, compassion, bragging, terror, but always beauty.
And all the while, dancers, in soft and tap shoes, always played their part in this good vs evil tale. As the tension rose to a crescendo, with the help of composer Gerard Fahy’s rousing score, so did the beats of their taps. How they do it is beyond me; seeing is believing.
The show starts off with a soft tap, but it’s when the clacking (for want of a better word) begins and the tappers enter the stage is when I could hear the delight of audience members all around me. They, like most of us, associate the Lord of the Dance with the dramatic sound of multiple tap shoes.
Interspersed throughout the production were non-dancing performances by Irish songstress Cleo Griffin as Erin the Goddess, whose beautiful voice did justice, especially to Carrickfergus.
Her physical beauty matched her voice.
Two fiddle players, Niamh Leahy and Siofra Devine, also added a touch of glamour and energy while playing the most infectious of tunes on their instruments.
At the beginning of my review I asked if this production would live up to its promise and the answer is a resounding Yes!
I’ll leave the last words to Michael Flatley, who says: “This tour is not just a tribute to our past, but a bold leap into the future – a love letter to our fans and a reminder of the magic that dance can bring to the world.”
Lord of the Dance runs until Saturday, July 25th, 2026 at the Hull New Theatre with tickets available at (01482) 300306 and www.hulltheatres.co.uk
Reviewer: Jackie Foottit
Reviewed: 22nd July 2026
North West End UK Rating: