Riverdance 30: The New Generation Review. Genius production makes the show feel brand new! ★★★★★

Ask me how much I know about Riverdance, and I can tell you that I recall seeing the famous routine which saw Michael Flatley wow audiences at Eurovision, and that's about it. We saw it this weekend at Leicester's De Montfort Hall.So now having seen the show, I can fully appreciate exactly how much goes into it and what it comprises of.Aside from the irish dancing routines that you will recognise, the show is a series of standout setpieces, Cipher Goings and Dharmesh Patel doing a dance-off in a NYC street, incredible flamenco from Rocio Dusmet, a Dervish piece from Vlad Gasnas, Ana Turcan and Eugeniu Turcan.I had also completely forgotten that the show features some truly beatiful songs. A couple I recognised from Classic FM. They all have a majestic, pagan quality to them, and the melodies are so enchanting to listen to, you'll just get lost in them.https://youtu.be/py76gR06r4s?si=ZcUoGLYpmqqtyhmdQuite how they pull this show off in a relatively small theatre setting I do not know. Perhaps its the clever use of innovative technology with the animated backdrop, and maybe the dancers are so skilled that they can do it without having much room, but it all makes for one hell of a visual spectacle.The music, too, is incredible. Mark Alfred is a master on the drums, Cathal Croke performs some beautiful pieces on the Uileann pipes, Emma McPhilemy is sensational on the Sax and Haley Richardson's expertise on the fiddle is breathtaking. It's the combination of the music, the visuals, the lighting and the phenomenal choreography that makes Riverdance so special.The leads, Kieran Bryant and Anna Mai Fitzpatrick bbring big smiles, loads of sparkle and their dancing is world class. This really is one of those shows you have got to see in your lifetime.https://youtu.be/8W5VmTIKsfw?si=_LWnbcHU8AKwDrzMWhat makes this tour particularly unique, is everyone in it is under 30. It means it has a freshness to it, a sense of youth and really, it also adds to all the "how do they do that?!". I mean really, quite how this young cast can perform at this calibre is a wonder in itself, and that's all part of the Riverdance magic - they want you go home feeling thrilled. It's a genius move from producers as well, to make this long-running show feel very new.Rating: ★★★★★Tickets:Read our exclusive interview with the Riverdance cast here.