Michael’s Legacy at Teatre Poliorama, Barcelona Review
Written by Laura for Theatre and Tonic
Most West End fans will probably be used to having a Michael Jackson show, as MJ the Musical has been around for a while. However, that is not always the case in Spain. Michael’s Legacy has come to change that. It is an homage created by the Jackson Dance Company and endorsed by the Michael Jackson Spain Fan Club as the best musical spectacle about the King of Pop.
The show isn’t a musical per se; it’s more of an amalgamation of MJ’s most famous songs, from the Jackson 5 to Smooth Criminal or Man in the Mirror. Some live performances and music videos were recreated, including the outfits.
There’s live music and live voices, as well as eight dancers and four musicians playing live. Michael Jackson is played by Ximo Jackson, who not only has a great capacity for imitating his voice and movements, but at times he looked so similar to MJ that it was a bit of a shock! After the show, I had to go back and make sure that the voices were live, I almost couldn’t believe it because Ximo Jackson not only sounded like Jackson, but he didn’t miss a single note and didn’t even sound breathless even after some dance-heavy sections. All the dancers were absolutely fantastic as well; it’s obvious the whole crew has a lot of respect and love for their craft, and they’ve put together a wonderful show.
In between songs, there were some snippets of music videos to tie everything together, as well as some video interviews of Michael. I think maybe sticking to the music videos would have made it a bit more cohesive. Similarly, there was a bit of a lag between the video ending and a new song beginning in which the stage remained darkened for a minute; the show’s run has only just begun, though, and I’m sure the transitions will get more seamless as time passes.
Aside from that, I wanted to note the incredible mood of the public. I think the only similar experience I’ve had was Mamma Mia! Everyone was super excited, cheering and clapping, and even singing along when encouraged (and sometimes, when not). It was obvious that the performers could feel the energy and responded very well to it.
I only wish there could have been a little sing-along right after the bows, to tie everything together!
Overall, Michael’s Legacy is a wonderful show for those who love Michael Jackson’s music. It’s completely family friendly (except for the Thriller spooky characters, of course!) and suitable for non-Spanish speakers as well.
Michael’s Legacy will be playing at Teatre Poliorama, in Barcelona, until June 21st. After that, it will embark on a Spanish tour; all the information is available on their Instagram, @mlegacyshow.
★ ★ ★ ★
