Emerald Storm
Rating: ★★★★
Venue: Emerald Theatre, London

Produced by West End and Hollywood star Adam Garcia, Emerald Storm is the electrifying new dance show storming into London for one explosive week only. Fusing the fire of Irish dance with the grit of urban tap, this boundary-breaking production is a night of intense rhythm and sheer spectacle.

Defying convention and reimagining tradition, the show delivers thunderous footwork and electrifying choreography in a truly unique immersive theatrical experience.

Produced by outstanding talent, Adam Garcia, comes Emerald Storm; a two-hour piece of theatre that infuses Irish dance along with tap. The production almost feels like a dance-off between the two dance styles and often ends segments with the styles coming together and breathing a new lease of life into the two traditional dance styles.

In terms of a story, or any kind of plot really, there is honestly very little to connect to as an audience member. However, the spectacle of the choreography, the sharp talent and outstanding vocals from "The Boss", Tom Ball, and the group of singers leaves little to be desired in terms of enjoyment from the show.

The first half of the show is far more folk-like and traditional, which doesn't necessarily suit the modern theme of the newly refurbished Emerald Theatre. However, the second half was much more compelling, and introduced more contemporary numbers which the audience (and myself) seemed far more invested in.

One thing's for certain, the calibre of the talent onstage is astounding. Bayley Graham, our lead tapper, provided a speed and precision like I'd never seen in tap dancing. The control he exhumed in every step was nothing short of jaw-dropping, and his timing was simply impeccable. The same can be said for our lead Irish dancer, Olivia Graydon, who I struggled to keep my eyes off of whenever she was on stage. Her stage presence was almost hypnotic and like Graham, provided a masterclass in speed, precision and control.

Tom Ball, our lead vocalist, was incredible, particularly during his performance of Halo by Beyonce; his vocals truly getting their time to shine onstage that they deserve. However, my highlight of the evening came from the choir of singers cloaked in black robes who sang a mystical rendition of Sea Shanty which truly gave me goosebumps to witness.

While the choreography from Adam Garcia and Samantha Heather is world class, the plot is really where this show falls short. It would almost feel more apt to strip away any trace of the story and simply pitch the production as a showcase of Irish and tap dance instead, as that feels a far more accurate representation of what we're met with.

The lighting design from Joe Wailes is more than worthy of a mention, providing striking green and orange lighting for the Irish dancing, and more intense, neutral lighting for the tap segments; each light perfectly encapsulating the tone of the dance styles.

While the evening does become a little repetitive nearing the end of the two-hour runtime, the talent is undoubtedly there from the entire ensemble and the relaxed setting of the theatre (they even encourage photography and filming throughout!) aids the show in creating a fun and vibrant atmosphere. A more than enjoyable evening out at the theatre in a truly gorgeous new London venue.

You can book tickets to see Emerald Storm, here.

**photo credit: Michael Porter**