REVIEW
Gorka Marquez and Karen Hauer are touring the UK with their Speakeasy shows. (Image: Speakeasy)
stalwarts and are currently stepping away from the beloved BBC ballroom to tour the UK with their Speakeasy dance show. The 39-date spectacle promises to transport the audience through the decades, beginning in the roaring 1920s and concluding in the 1970s disco era.
Karen and Gorka are on top form, performing a selection of iconic dance styles Strictly fans will recognise, such as the Charleston, Foxtrot and Samba, all set against the backdrop of a 1920s speakeasy. In a change from Karen and Gorka’s Firedance shows – which they toured the UK with for three years – the pair transition between a variety of dances in a much more stripped-back and brooding manner.
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Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez transport fans to the 1920s. (Image: Speakeasy)
The duo is accompanied by six stunning dancers and a four-piece live band, who help transport fans to a Great Gatsby-esque scene.
Singer Paige Brooklyn Cook provides the show’s soundtrack, belting out a variety of hits, including pop tracks from Michael Jackson and Mika and musical theatre classics like Cabaret’s Willkommen and Mein Herr—which will be remembered as the music to Gorka’s stunning Couple’s Choice routine with Strictly partner Helen Skelton.
It is clear that those who are part of the ensemble have a great time on the show and each member of the cast is given their time to shine. However, it is the moments when it’s just Karen and Gorka on stage which leave you breathless.
Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez are on tour with Speakeasy until April. (Image: Speakeasy)
A highlight was their stunning slow dance, which saw them glide across the empty stage. Their chemistry was palpable as they executed the difficult choreography and put the audience in a trance.
Unlike many Strictly-style shows, there is no talking and the story is told entirely through dance. While, on one hand, this enhances the storytelling and keeps fans in the ‘speakeasy’ zone, I was left feeling like some audience interaction was needed. After all, the Strictly pros are loved just as much for their personalities as they are for their talent.
Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez – Speakeasy is on tour until April 15. You can find out more and purchase tickets .