I am sitting reflecting on the show Time Gentlemen Please (Damien Barber) which I saw at the Cressett, Peterborough last night, in a word, breathtaking. This concept fusion show based on British street dancing and Hip Hop is a must to see. The whole thing was outstanding quality and not too loud (a criticism labelled at the Demon Barbers Road Show in the past). It will have some of you traditionalists squirming, Morris without bells on with a heavy on beat presentation , longsword with pool cues and a tumble, exhibition clog to contemporary music just to mention a few. I am not in a position to comment on the quality of the break dance but I was very impressed. The show also proved that the musician is an integral part of the performance and not just an appendage, as with a lot of Morris type teams. The only down side was that it was not a sell out as I had been previously informed and there was a distinct lack of young people in the auditorium. Oh, if only, the empty seats had been filled with teenagers and twenty some things. What a lost opportunity to enhance the street cred of what we all do. As a foot note the Cressett was advertising a forthcoming river dance look -a -like show, the tickets were twice the price of those charged for Time Gentlemen Please which makes last night's show twice the value in my opinion.
Gan Canny Brian