|
|
![]() |
|
Theatre
Reviews
|
|
|
|
2005
|
2005
|
|
|
|
| |
Belly
Dancers Can't Bhangra!
|
| |
|
Review
By Jaswinder Public - Monday 12th September 2005
|
Rating
11/10
|
|
| Monday
night saw the UK tour finale of the Bellydance Superstars
Show at the Royal Festival Hall - and what an amazing
performance. It was one of the most spectacular events
I have ever had the privilege to review. A combination
of a cabaret, ballet and theatre show all rolled into
one!
The dancers not
only displayed the art of bellydancing at its highest
level in the most well presented in every form of bellydancing
including hawaiian, tribal right thru to bollywood &
bhangra routines!
The dancers -
surely the gold medallists amongst belly dancers - performed
incredibly complex routines with the most amazing grace.
Not only were these gazelles stunning, but their beauty
was only enhanced with their superb costumes - giving
most bollywood costumes a secondary position!
|

Belly Dancers Superstars
UK Tour - Royal Festival Hall - Monday 12th September
2005
|
|
|
The simple backdrop
and lighting combined the the amazing live drummer was
all these ladies needed, just goes to show - its talent
not necessarily big budget or complex sets that make
a perfromance.
The music included
everything from the traditional belly dancing music
to Nari Nareen fusion & even "The Knight Rider
Mix" by Punjabi MC got thrown in!
All in all an
amazing show - but I' sorry to say girls - belly dancers
CAN'T bhangra!
|
| |
Precious
Bazaar - Summer 2004 Rating: 5/10 (and thats being generous!)
|
| |
2004 |
|
Where:
Hammersmith, London
|
Precious
Bazaar |
|
Disappointed -
I completely lost the plot, literally (!) My mistake
to compare this musical to Bombay Dreams, or any other
live theatre performance by "Asians". It was
certainly different - but unfortunately not very good.
Storyline - confusing, acting - so so, apart from three
of the actors who were excellent, but couldn't carry
the entire performance of the show on their shoulders.
Dances - fairly good, the best thing about the show
were the costumes - they outshone everything, and were
to the standard I was expecting from the entire performance.
To summarise the
story - coconut Brit Asian girl (Suhani) is sent to
an assignment to India reluctantly, her hunky boyfriend
(Amar) is constantly being seduced by babe(s) in a -
well, I think it was meant to be a dance school - couldn't
quite make out what her boyfriend did - but who cares,
he took his top off!!!!
She goes to India, to
a supposed dance school, which is actually a brothel
(courtesans' kohta).
Here's where the
confusion starts - you'd think that the play is about
this Brit Asian girl going to India - hmm, well no -
the play is really taken over by two other roles, not
sure if that is intentional, but their acting definitely
overtook the other two supposed main roles. The courtesan
Roshni (Juhi Chawla look & act alike) & Prem,
Indian born but Brit educated, son of an Indian MP,
who for some reason is a photographer? Both the actors
completely took over the show and were exceptionally
good - maybe too good for this play. The third character
who was also excellent was Vijanti Devi or Taiy - the
courtesan's madam, who played the role down to the crude
and corniness together with the class and intelligence
courtesans themselves normally have.
From here on its
anyones guess what the story was meant to be, too many
plots and too many twists but it just didn't gel together.
I'm sure the audience laughed at parts where they weren't
supposed to, (the look of horror on some of the actors
faces revealed that
). There were too many conflicting
aspects to the play, much like this review!!!
I don't think
the true potential of the play or the actors was brought
out. For example having seen Zafreen in action on the
dance floor at the AMAs' I was disappointed in her dance
performances - I think this had more to do with the
role she was playing, an exploited younger adult - hence
her belly dancing routine was marred by the role, almost
embarrassing to appreciate it.
Sorry to say - I
was really hoping for something better, chatting to members
of the audience almost wondering if it was just me who
thought this comments such as "its like a play you
put together at college for a laugh with your mates",
"I think it's a bit tacky", "I thought
It was going to be better than this", confirmed my
opinion. On the other side of the coin comments only extended
to "It was ok". |
    |
| Rating:
5/10 |
|
|
|
|
Where:
Watermans, Brentford, London
|
Theatre
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
 |
|
JOIN
OUR MAILING LIST:
|
|
|
|
|
|
DIRECTORY:
|
|
|
Business
& Economy
B2B, Finance, Shopping, Jobs...
Computers & Internet
Internet, Software, Games...
News & Media
Newspapers, TV, Radio...
Entertainment
Movies, Humor, Music...
Recreation & Sports
Sports, Travel, Autos, Outdoors..
Health
Diseases, Drugs, Fitness...
Government
Elections, Military, Law, Taxes...
Regional
Countries, Regions, US States...
Society & Culture
People, Environment, Religion...
Education
College and University, K-12...
Arts & Humanities
Photography, History, Literature..
Science
Animals, Astronomy,Engineering..
Social Science
Languages, Archaeology ...
|
|
|
|