A LATIN queen, plenty of chart-topping pop tracks and a dashing hunk to make the audience swoon – On Your Feet! had everything it needed for a perfect West End hit but instead stumbled towards the finish line at London’s Coliseum last night.
After a decent sting on Broadway in 2015, there were high hopes for the show which began its promo run in November when Gloria Estafan sang on Strictly Come Dancing to plug the production based on her life.
And I so willed for it to follow in the footsteps of Carole King’s smash hit Beautiful and Tina Turner’s West End biopic, both of which enjoyed sold out runs just meters away from where I was sat.
The opening number packed a punch when salsa dancers swarmed the stage partying round a lively Latin band.
But what ensued was nothing short of a messy scuffle that had me wishing my seat would swallow me up after a cringe inducing Conga line spilled into the audience at the end of act one forcing begrudging punters up off their seats.
The only gem in a treasure chest of fool’s gold was Karen Mann as Gloria’s pushy grandmother Consuelo nailing some rare gags with her knowing looks and cheeky demeanour.
It’s fair to say the second act picked up with leading lady Christie Prades showing her true vocal prowess with belting Coming Out of the Dark, but it was too little too late for a production that simply relied on a back catalogue of Eighties hits.
If On Your Feet! is going to last, it needs to find them first.
★★
