I went to see tango musical Tanguera at Sadler's Wells last week, and was blown away with how beautiful, passionate and fast the dancing was.
The show tells the story of a French girl, Giselle, who moves to Buenos Aires and falls in love. However, as she is drawn into the dark underworld, and begins working in a brothel, the pathway to love becomes complicated...
The classic tango music played by the house band immediately enticed me - I love it and it makes me want to get up and dance! In fact, the show opens with a spotlight on the band, who perform a song before the dancers even appear on stage, flirting with the audience and building up a sense of anticipation.
The interplay between characters takes on a fierceness, with intricate kicks and flicks, as well as the sensuality of unerring eye contact, and smooth-flowing, mischievous footwork between the dancers. I just couldn't take my eyes off the performers gliding across the stage - the movements were so beautiful....and the dancers all had such fantastic bodies!
There was not an empty seat in the house, and the sold out show did not disappoint with its portrayal of love, drama and zeal, and a simultaneous mix of playfulness and intensity.
The cast members include Maria Nieves, who plays the brothel madam. At 75 years old, she is highly regarded in Argentina....and wow, she has amazing legs! Interestingly (and inspirationally), despite having danced her way around the world, she has never actually taken a dance lesson.
Tanguera has a running time of 1.5 hours, with no interval, and was captivating enough that I didn't get fidgety. In fact, I liked that the performance was uninterrupted.
Sadler's Wells is a great venue, with a very modern industrial vibe in the theatre itself. In contrast, the rest of the building and bar areas are light and airy. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the performance due to a) photography being restricted in the theatre and b) my stupid semi-busted camera.
The show has now finished its run at Sadler's Wells, but as it continues its world tour, I would recommend going to see it if you get the chance.
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