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Nitro salsas into Spring 2008 with a new tour of
14 February – 9 April 2008
A review bySimon Clancy for EXTRA! EXTRA!
Riding the wave of TV’s Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing On Ice, and what feels like every other prime time reality show this side of 2005, comes a brand new tour of The Wedding Dance, a lengthy two-hour co-production between Nitro and the Octagon Theatre, which originally ran in Bolton earlier this year. Strictly speaking (bu-dum-tish!), The Wedding Dance is a tragic love-story decorated by an array of hip-twists, leg-wiggles, and buttock-clenches – all in the name of the Salsa. Yep, more than anything, Cuban immigrant José (Tristan Temple) loves to Salsa. In fact, he loves it so much that he decides to abandon his native Havana, leave behind his medical studies, and bring forth the forbidden pleasures of Latin American dance to the ‘land of no souls,’ or England as we Brits prefer to call it. The plan predictably goes awry, however, when the already-married José meets the engaged Miranda (Madeline Appiah), as he finds himself faced by that age-old choice: passion or pragmatism? Love or lust? To Salsa or not to Salsa? If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Numerous plays, films, and books have been over this kind of relationships-mangled-by-artistic-expression ground a million times before. And so, despite its non-linear narrative structure, The Wedding Dance scores a big, fat nil-point for an original plot, I’m afraid. Ironically enough, the production also struggles to find rhythm elsewhere too. Dialogue scenes are dragged out to yonder, its performances in general are sluggish and for long periods devoid of energy or zip and, on the whole, The Wedding Dance feels more like a vehicle for exploiting a popular trend than truly exploring its main themes and issues. Some scenes are particularly grating. Businessman Jonathan Hunter (Daon Broni), for instance, who takes an interest in the business potential of José’s Salsa class, at one point describes his connection to José’s business partner, Ife (Josie Benson), as a simple choice between the ‘business relationship’ and the ‘you and me relationship.’ You’re left wondering if writer/director Felix Cross could have simplified this equation any more, while the distinct lack of chemistry between Broni and Benson further stretches the scene’s authenticity. Don’t get me wrong, this production isn’t awful by any means. Indeed, Debra Michaels’ vibrant choreography, the show’s costumes, and Ian Scott’s effective lighting combine well to provide the show with much appeal during the well-worked movement segments. The soundtrack, too, composed by Alex Wilson, is executed to perfection. Those who turn up solely for the Salsa therefore won’t be disappointed. Other theatregoers, however, should consider their options before getting too close to The Wedding Dance.
THE WEDDING DANCE: UK TOUR 2008
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