The Darley Dance Christmas Show 2021 Online

This Christmas, due to personal reasons, I've forsaken all pantomimes and Christmas Productions, and then I was contacted to review the Darley Dance Online Christmas Show, and I was so pleased that I agreed to review it because it was just what I needed, and renewed my Christmas spirit.

I had reviewed last year's show and loved it. This year they have topped the previous entertainment value with their hard work, energy, dedication, skill, all of which also attracted a special guest making cameo appearances throughout, and I don't mean Santa Claus! Matt Willis, from Busted, heard of their work and agreed to appear in several segments of the show, never outshining the Darley Dance cast, merely adding to their talents.

The online production was filmed at several locations including The Ritz Cinema, The Museum of Motoring, Kilburn Hall, The Cathedral Quarter Hotel and Shottle Hall. All creating perfect back drops to the performances.

From the big band version of Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody" all the way through to "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree", this is yet another quality production on every scale. Whether it be the gorgeous costumes, the scripting of the segments, the smooth choreography and song arrangements, all the way through to the filming, editing and online production, thanks to the very talented Goldbox Productions of Derby, this show is just what you need to chase away those Christmas blues and oozes class and quality.

There are nods to Post Modern Jukebox with their 1920's style medley of songs, a storming version of "River Deep Mountain High", a Strictly style mambo version of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Boogie Wonderland", a beautiful ballet sequence filmed outside, on what looked like a windy evening with some wonderful lifts, giving an overall feel that you were watching something from a Disney film. Their version of "Hallelujah" gave me goosebumps. There is also a nod to a certain Christmas classic film before each sponsored section of the show, actually!

Darley Dance had twelve sponsors for this show and gave rise to "The Twelve Sponsors Of Christmas", incorporating a Nathan Evans style sea shanty parody of "Wellerman", part way through their listing of their sponsors. They also had a section re-telling the alternative, and Covid-safe version of "Sleeping Beauty", which also highlights the comedy element within this group. Talking of which, Ross Harris and Matt Willis provided many smiles in their "double-act" segments.

All this as well as many Christmas songs. From the emotive "Little Drummer Boy", complete with bagpipes, and "Silent Night", all the way through to Christmas pop standards like "Sleigh Ride", "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree" and "Holly Jolly Christmas" to the classics such as "Ding Dong Merrily On High" and a singalong version of "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer", you just can't help feeling festive while watching this show.

The very talented cast for this show are Director/Choreographer Abbi Burns, Musical Director Georgia Harris, Assistant Musical Director Sarah Towle, Tia Roberts, Ross Harris, Jade Lee, Charley Mitchell, Ellie Tatham and Daniel Longhurst. Not forgetting Santa Claus and of course, Matt Willis.

The sound quality, by Alex Stroud, is crystal clear and the online production, by Bob Rushton, is excellent. As I previously mentioned, every facet of this production is of the highest quality and a tribute to the hard work that has clearly gone into making this online production. It is as good as any Christmas televised variety show that you will remember from the days when Christmas TV was better than it is today.

You can get tickets for this online production by visiting Darley Dance's website, which is www.darleydance.co.uk and cost a mere £14.00 You don't even have to move out of your armchair to see this wonderfully festive family variety show. Get your Claus on a ticket for the whole family and I ho ho hope you enjoy it as much as I did. The show will be available up to 2 January 2022.