Rating: ★★★
Venue: Golder's Green Hippodrome
Cast: CJ, Holly Harrison, Becky Holden, Harriet Johnstone, Laura Summers, Nic Southwood, Doug Jenkinson, Lewis Wheeler and Chris Davies
Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the legendary KING OF POP! Introducing "Man in the Mirror" – the must-see, electrifying tribute concert to Michael Jackson. Starring CJ, one of the world’s top Michael Jackson Tribute Artists, and supported by a talented cast, this show captures the essence of Michael Jackson’s unique style and charisma. Enjoy all his greatest hits, including 'Thriller', 'Billie Jean', 'Beat It,',' Smooth Criminal' and 'Man in the Mirror.'With MJ the Musical currently taking the West End and Broadway by storm, it was inevitable that a tribute act would be gracing a London stage in the near future, and last night's show proved just that as Michael Jackson fans, young and old, fled to Golder's Green Hippodrome to celebrate the late great's music with the aptly named tribute show, Man in the Mirror.
What differentiates tribute shows from the likes of a musical is the audience participation and it was clear as the evening wore on that audience participation was heavily welcomed! With fans desperate to showcase their own moves, this only added to the atmosphere of the evening and made the evening feel more like a concert than anything else.
CJ is one of the world's leading Michael Jackson tribute acts and it's not difficult to see why. While the vocals and dancing isn't anywhere close to the man himself, CJ's portrayal is commendable and his energy throughout the entire performance was unstoppable and he managed to capture the essence of MJ himself, while putting his own unique stamp onto the King of Pop.
While the costume design for much of the evening was incredibly nostalgic and fitting (complete with sequined glove, of course), it wasn't all smooth sailing in that department. It felt somewhat unnecessary and uncomfortable to have the (incredibly talented dancers) wear afro-style wigs for the Jackson 5 segment of the production.
If you're a Michael Jackson fan, you'll no doubt enjoy the hits on offer in the production. From 'They Don't Care Us', to 'Beat It', to 'Smooth Criminal', to 'Thriller', all of Michael's greatest songs are celebrated (as well as lesser known songs for the more seasoned MJ fans), with fantastic choreography from Holly Harrison, who also performs as a dancer herself. Befitting the title of the show, the evening ends with a gorgeous rendition of 'Man in the Mirror' and reminds the audience to always keep kindness in the forefront of their minds.
While the evening was enjoyable, it felt lacking. The talent on stage was evident, but unfortunately not worthy of the King of Pop himself.
You can book tickets to the UK tour of Man in the Mirror, here.
Review by Ed
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