Seasons of Love – Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Dancers Kieran Brown and Danielle Everdell dancing Spring – with Claire Richards singing – in Seasons of Love at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Seasons of Love was performed at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London.

Star rating: 4 stars ★ ★ ★ ★

Would Seasons of Love live up to its own hype as “a spectacular music and dance production poignantly portraying three love stories over the four seasons of the year and different stages of life… using Ireland as a scenic background with songs, thrilling choreography, video projections, body mapping and hi tech visuals…”? Indeed it did, offering an intense combination of exceptional dance, music, dramatic lighting and projections in a dynamic, immersive performance with a large company of impressive performers.

Opening with a vibrant onstage orchestra of first-rate musicians, the driving music composed by Brendan Larrissey – a combination of Riverdance, African rhythms, rock and folk – set the scene for a fast-paced journey as lithe-limbed excellent dancers enacted the words and emotions of songs with their moves ‘body mapped’ and superimposed on a huge back screen filled with ‘affirming’ images.

Dominated by a massive ‘Tree of Life’, the projections followed with lush scenic landscapes of Ireland including the moon, sunrise, sunshine, waves, mountains, forests, glens, falling leaves, rain and much else, always returning to the tree. Random patterns were also beamed around the theatre. The music was all extremely loud, certainly as loud as any rock concert, making for an enveloping experience.

There was no programme (which would have been helpful) so it was not clear exactly whether we were following one couple’s journey or three different couples, and indeed it may not have mattered, but the passing seasons were clear.

Each season had two singers and two principal dancers to tell the story (accompanied by a multi-talented ensemble). Gareth Walker’s choreography (he also directed the show) was athletic as well as sensual, fun and graceful, and his dancers were all phenomenal.

Autumn was danced by the exuberant Marianne Phillips and anarchic Kane D Ricca. They met, flirted, had fun at a music festival, were parted, but their passion led them to find the way back to each other again. Mark Read and Ambra Caserotti provided the vocals.

During Winter Hayley Sanderson and Patrick Smyth sang of separation and Martin Fenton and Mandy Montanez took on the mantle of lead dancers. I particularly loved Smyth’s gorgeous solo towards the end of Act I – a wonderful, rich voice full of emotion with wonderful lyrics by Mark Leddy.

Act II brought us to Spring and looking forward to what life would bring, with Kieran Brown and Danielle Everdell demonstrating some very powerful and evocative duo work, mirrored also by the dancers around them. Chesney Hawkes and Claire Richards sang in this section with soaring voices, although at times the instrumental music was so overpowering that it drowned out the lyrics.

Mark Cunniffe was the designer of this spectacular production and deserved much praise for his bold concept. Seasons of Love had obviously been rehearsed and polished to an extremely high standard and succeeded on many levels.

It would benefit still from a clearer story, as many members of the audience appeared flummoxed by the narrative despite enjoying and appreciating the wonderful music, dancing and singing. That aside, Brendan Larrissey and Mark Leddy’s score is glorious and lifts the soul and spirit.

There are apparently plans to take the show to venues around the UK and it is certainly something different that will appeal to audiences both young and old. Seasons of Love is spectacular, brash, loud and exhilarating and thoroughly deserving of nationwide audiences.

 Catherine Françoise