ANYONE expecting a staid, predictable ballet and opera show from the team of prima ballerina Darcey Buseell and young opera star Katherine Jenkins were in for a big surprise with Viva La Diva.

This is a bright, frothy and fun celebration of their influences from the world of film, dance and music, an often delightful grab-bag of popular culture that looks and plays more like a big Broadway musical or pop arena tour than it does any sort of traditional classical concert.

The divas they invoked ranged from the usual suspects, like Garland, Streisand, Callas and Marilyn Monroe, to the less obvious, such as Audrey Hepburn, Natalie Wood, Cyd Charisse and Moira Shearer.

Nor were they necessarily all female – both Fred Astaire and Bob Fosse were in the roll-call of heroes. Even Sister Sledge got an honorary mention! What all the slickly-delivered segments had in common was a gutsy, no-holds barred delivery from the pair, almost as if they were daring you to say this was all a big, silly folly.

Terrified
Maybe it was – there were some bemused looks from the audience at the interval and both of the female stars occasionally looked genuinely terrified as they realized how far they were outside their comfort zone – but it was tremendously enjoyable too.

Purists will doubtless balk at Jenkins singing the likes of Deadwood Stage and Secret Love, let alone a joky rendition of a childrens’ song about eating worms, but she also proved to be a game, decent hoofer. It’s probably better to draw a discreet veil over Bussell’s singing voice, but she’s a dazzling dancer even when she eschews ballet for jazz dance or flamenco.

Most other dancers, it has to be said, could look like they were nailed to the floor when on the same stage as her, but last night’s supporting dancers were disappointingly mediocre, for the most part.

Not so the orchestra, under the direction of Steve Sidwell, who were the secret heroes of the show. Big, multi-frocked fun.

Viva La Diva will return to play the M.E.N. Arena on Wednesday, May 14.

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