Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone will go out in a blaze of glory with their third and final tour “The Last Tango”
For this show is streets ahead of what we have seen from them in the past.
Their previous shows lacked substance and depth. To be perfectly honest to people who were not hooked on “Strictly” they were just a slightly self indulgent platform for Cacace and Simone to demonstrate their ballroom dancing skills with a flimsy story wrapped around them that didn’t really connect.
But The Last Tango is something very different. It has a beautifully poignant story line that is both compelling and moving to its audience. And yes Cacace and Simone blend into their characters without even speaking a word and unearth never before seen acting skills, making their characters believable.
The story is a simple one. George is clearing out his attic before moving house and he finds things up there that bring back the milestones of his life.
We travel from a 1930’s English seaside resort seamlessly through to the 40’s and onwards the couple’s life woven into song and dance.
Karen Bruce’s production is slick, fast and slows into emotional and romantic interludes never too long but just enough to give the audience time to catch their breath and to catch the mood of the scene.
Morgan Large’s set is unobtrusive. The attic above the stage just melts into the plot and the ingenious use of props, furnishings and packing cases adds modernity and helps move the plot along.
Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace show the brilliance of their art and in this production they blend with the ensemble and display more emotion than ever before in the ensemble numbers.
Matthew Gent takes the brunt of the singing. What a performer this young man tackling just about every genre from boogie, standards and romantic ballads – his rendition of Autumn Leaves visibly moved the audience to tears it was so passionately emotive.
As George, Teddy Kempner was so convincing. His characterization of an older man reminiscing was pure gold and he never detracted from what was going on below on the stage.
But the night belongs to the ensemble of eight dancers and singers who not only sing their way through the whole show but tackle some fast and furious choreographic styles peppered with difficult lifts with supersonic energy. And I must say for the predominantly female audience there’s certainly some eye candy in the male chorus line-up.
Often neglected of praise in reviews are the orchestra and this one is excellent under their skilful musical director Steve Geere.
Even if you never watch ‘Strictly’ or have two left feet this is a must see show that will leave you wanting to enrol for ballroom lessons as you dance your way to the car!
Liz Coggins
The Last Tango runs until Sat 7 May at Leeds Grand Theatre