The Magic of Motown at The Bristol Hippodrome review
Posted on: 2014-10-13
Our rating:
An excellent show from an excellent cast that is guaranteed to get you out of your seat and throwing down your best Motown moves!
In the 1960’s the sound of Motown was huge spawning some of the biggest hits of the time from artists such as Diana Ross & the Supremes, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye the list goes on. This era has been recreated for stage by the Magic of Motown which visited The Bristol Hippodrome on Friday night - 10 October 2014.
The place was packed and there was a real buzz of excitement in anticipation of the musical extravaganza. The crowd were not disappointed and within minutes the majority of the audience were on their feet dancing swaying and clapping. The show was performed by a group of seven, three women and four men who all took their turns to sing and each was vocally strong and a pleasure to listen to. Lead performer Andre Lejaune is a real showman working the whole place into a frenzy especially the hen party in the front row and giving a very good impersonation of his hero Stevie Wonder later in the show. This guy had the audience mesmerised from start to finish albeit with the support of his extremely talent co-performers. I started to count the number of songs performed but got caught up in the buzz filling the Hippodrome and lost count at about 6 but there must have been at least 30 with the audience singing along to all of them and although encouraged by Lejaune this was not needed. Everyone was in the party mood. There are a couple of tracks thrown in to the mix that are maybe not pure Motown such as Lionel Richie’s Dancing on the Ceiling but the crowd enjoyed them all and kept the appreciation and applause going throughout.
The final part of the show was outstanding as far as the mimicking of these great acts went. Out came the four male parts of the act dressed as The Jackson 5 and then followed by one of the female performers as a young Michael Jackson. She was superb. The moves and the vocals were excellent and the audience’s dance moved up a gear (if this was possible) as the hits ABC, I Want You Back and Blame it on The Boogie were played out to near perfection. I don’t think anyone at this point was still sat in their seat. The performers had come to Bristol for a party and they most certainly got one. Never in all my years of visiting the Hippodrome have I seen the place in such a party mood with the entire place on its feet dance in isles.
An excellent show from an excellent cast that is guaranteed to get you out of your seat and throwing down your best Motown moves!
5/5! (and those who know me know I NEVER give a 5!!)
Reviewed by Lee Gitsham for 365Bristol
Article by:
Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.
