It’s been nearly seven years since the dance troupe from east London pulled off a shock victory in Britain’s Got Talent.
It was a defining feature of their lives, so it’s hardly a surprise that it featured heavily in the Up Close And Personal tour.
The concept was a simple one: supply a few autobiographical details, mix it with some dance routines and, hey presto, an hour has gone.
When it worked, it really worked.
A routine showcasing choreographer Ashley Banjo’s musical influences put a modern twist of some of Hollywood’s most treasured routines, and gave a new lease of life to Uptown Funk.
But there were also moments of pure self-indulgence, courtesy of the video slots between the dancing: a musical tribute to Banjo’s grandmother was mawkish in the extreme. It seems to be a requirement for all musical acts to have a back-story to tell – I’m not sure that a dance show was the place for such revelations.
There is little doubt that Banjo is an imaginative and thoughtful choreographer and that Diversity contains a bunch of extremely talented dancers.
Their routines sparkled with wit and energy; it would have been good to have more of the dancing and less of the chat.
Four stars
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