A dance phenomenon by Michael Flatley may bring out many in a cold sweat, but his Lord of the Dance has been brought to life in Bristol by a multi-talented troupe, led by the colourful, time-travelling Little Spirit, who is our guide to the struggle between the good Lord of the Dance and the evil Don Dotcha.

Confused? The storytelling in the first half was eclipsed by the impressively quick footwork and the outlandish special effects that make this show so popular. The two fiddlers, playing out to a backdrop of the Irish countryside, were a particular highlight. Their high energy, polished performance provided an interesting contrast to the sharp sounds of the Irish tap.

A first half performance that was engaging and energetic, if the action was a little bit hard to follow, was more than matched by the superb performances in the second half. The Little Spirit was again our guide, bringing the excellent Don Dotcha and the Lord of the Dance to blows.

David McCabe’s Lord was technically inspiring but did not initially encapsulate the brilliance of Flatley. But he relaxed into the role throughout the show and by the finale he was showing off like the Lord of the Dance himself.

By contrast, Brendon McCarron’s Don Docha brought charisma and atmosphere to the stage from the beginning.  He was a true baddie who cultivated animosity from the crowd and even drew a few boos towards the end.

The leading ladies, Laura Jones as Saoirse and Sarah Frances Smith as Morrighan, brought purity and seduction to their respective performances.  However, the audience is shown that things are not always as they seem as the seemingly innocent ladies fight back against the temptress by showing that they too are not afraid to bare all.

The soaring vocals of Erin the Goddess (Deidre Gilsenan) provided the icing on the cake to this exuberant show, exemplifying why it has become such a global success story.

Review by Lucy Holloway and Joe Pymar.

Lord of the Dance is at Bristol Hippodrome until January 29. Click here for more info.