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Strictly Ballroom The Musical at London's Piccadilly Theatre

It's a Cinderella story where dance shoes have replaced glass slippers.

The love story of an Australian dancer who wants to perform his own steps and sweeps his beginner belle-of-the ball up in the process, all showered in sequins and sparkle.

Throw in hit singer Will Young, some big dance numbers and a movie-style set and you have Baz Luhrmann's 1992 film from Down Under in West End musical form.

Strictly Ballroom The Musical
Strictly Ballroom The Musical

And while Strictly Ballroom the original was never really lacking in the sequin department, the stage version has some definite added sparkle.

Maverick dancer Scott Hastings wants to dance to his own tune. He is future ballroom dance champion and rebel all rolled into one.

And having upset his existing partners and his overly-pushy mother, he unexpectedly finds himself dancing with beginner Fran.

Their controversial pairing forces the couple to defy convention and their families in order to take to the floor together.

All the big dance numbers expected in a West End musical
All the big dance numbers expected in a West End musical

Strictly Ballroom The Musical is eccentric and perhaps as unique as Scott and Fran's blossoming relationship.

The costumes are bold, bright and somewhat garish and the soundtrack has few original songs, which feels somewhat unusual for a traditional musical.

Feathers, sequins and all the smiles
Feathers, sequins and all the smiles

It is instead an eclectic mix of hits from artists including Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper and REM.
That said, if you fancy a glittering night out and a good sing-a-long with a score of songs you already know, you're in the right place at The Picadilly Theatre.

It's rather like sitting in the heart of an Australian soap episode of Strictly Come Dancing where all the backstage drama and comedy mishaps have spilled to the front of the stage.

Will Young finds himself policing the warring couples in his role as MC
Will Young finds himself policing the warring couples in his role as MC

The ballroom dancing scenes are spectacular and everything you'd expect from dance numbers subjected to some West End treatment.

There's shimmering sequins and smiles, lyrca and feathers a-plenty and the dancers chasse and slide across the stage while Will Young, dressed in a somewhat eye-catching black pvc and sequinned all-in-one, plays commentator in his role as MC Wally Strand.

Will Young as Wally Strand
Will Young as Wally Strand

It really is all sequins and silliness and the audience loved it.

Strictly Ballroom This Musical is at London's Picadilly Theatre. Tickets are from just £15.

For further details and to make a bookinng visit strictlyballroomthemusical.com

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