Dance professionals Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez have temporarily broken away from their tutoring roles on Strictly Come Dancing to entertain dance fans across the UK with a new stage show ‘Speakeasy’. And last night at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre the couple didn’t put a foot wrong.

The concept is simple – the action takes place in a ‘Speakeasy’ bar – popular in the roaring 20s I believe, complete with a most excellent live band and three superb vocalists. Inspiration has been taken from Bonnie and Clyde and The Great Gatsby but soundwise there’s a very modern rock pop edge to the score which features songs from the days of Swing though Rock’n’Roll to recent times, often in new and interesting arrangements.

It’s a theatrical show and with no dialogue to get in the way, that means non stop music and dance from the moment the curtains lift, with stompin’ versions of cracking tunes from across the ages providing a rock solid accompaniment for the high energy dance routines. I wasn’t sure if there was a story unfolding, but there seemed to be some heartache and boy finds girl and then loses girl and then finds her again anguish and joy in the more intimate dance sequences.

There’s costume changes and a supporting chorus line of athletic performers who get a chance to show off their respective talents, from ballet to acrobatics and street dance, while also playing their parts in an impressive ensemble for the main routines. Strictly fans will recognise elements of classic steps from the Charleston to Mamba, Salsa, Foxtrot, Samba and more, choreographed beautifully into a varied and compelling evening of glitz, glamour, movement and emotion.

Musically there’s something for everyone, from ‘Putting On The Ritz’ to Michael Jackson’s ‘Smooth Criminal’, Grace Kelly (Mika) and musical theatre classics like Cabaret’s ‘Willkommen’ and ‘Mein Herr’ (the music to Gorka’s Couple’s Choice routine on Strictly with partner Helen Skelton last year).

Strangely, I thought, Karen and Gorka, don’t actually speak a word to the audience during the show but let their dancing do their talking for them. It spoke volumes though, they were exciting to watch live and the whole show was thoroughly enjoyable, even to me – an occasional Strictly viewer rather than a devotee!

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