For the second time in a month Argentina is the location for a show at the Edinburgh Playhouse. This time the setting is a bar in Buenos Aires rather than the corridors of power in the musical Evita.
Dance obviously dominates this production with some singing and comedy thrown in for good measure. The show opens with a comic scene with the bar owner and his long-suffering partner opening up to be joined in the bar with the band and supporting cast making their entrances. The dancers introduce the audience to the movement and steps of the tango. The initial appearance of Flavia Cacace and Vincent Simone was warmly greeted by a large first night audience made up mainly of women some with dance partners in tow.
The Tango was developed as a dance that represented a conversation and some of these moves illustrated the intimacy between couples and jealousy that occurs between men trying to win the heart of a lady. In the early years of development of Argentina, men were very much in the majority and dancing was the main opportunity to meet some of the scarce numbers of young women. The need to be not only a good but the best dancer, led men to develop their skills and this show demonstrated how complex these steps could be in a variety of sequences.
At times it was hard to see how the dancers could perform these moves without tripping themselves up and the routines of the stars Flavia and Vincent captured the admiration of the audience.
With an international cast, this show positively sizzled with skill, sensuality and verve. While the first half was interesting the second half was even more eye catching. The relationship between the owner and his lady (Teddy Kempner and Tricia Deighton) added some comedy throughout and after the relationships issues were sorted out, the production built to the climax of the fiesta.
Dancing on the bar top was the order of the day with some of the audience itching to join in. The show has a very authentic looking set and the lighting helps make this a pleasing spectacle.
The show is relatively short with patrons finding themselves on the greenside pavement before 9.30pm. Plenty of time to go home and practise your moves before midnight.
Show times
Runs to Saturday July 2
Wed-Fri 7.30pm, Wed Matinee 2.30pm, Sat. Matinee 4pm, Sat. 8pm