A pioneering new stage production blending traditional Irish dance with cinematic storytelling and original orchestration will make its UK debut this summer.<\/p>\n
Celtic Throne \u2013 Psalter of Ireland\u00a0is set to tour the country for the first time, following an acclaimed run across the United States.<\/p>\n
The production will open at\u00a0Birmingham Symphony Hall on 22 June, before visiting major cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and Derby, culminating in a finale performance at London\u2019s\u00a0Eventim Apollo.<\/p>\n
Celtic Throne\u00a0reimagines Irish dance for a modern audience, integrating elements of theatre, gymnastic movement, martial arts, and large-scale digital visuals. Performed by a cast of over 40 dancers and live musicians, the show is noted for its ambitious choreography, striking set design, bespoke costuming, and the use of LED video storytelling.<\/p>\n
Director\u00a0Brad Macdonald<\/strong>\u00a0describes the show as a genre-defying experience:<\/p>\n \u201cImagine taking a classic Irish dance show, like\u00a0Riverdance, and fusing it with a West End musical and a Hollywood movie. This is just one of many reasons\u00a0Celtic Throne\u00a0is truly an incomparable experience.\u201d<\/p>\n The production has previously toured over 70 venues across the United States, including a performance at Nashville\u2019s historic\u00a0Ryman Auditorium, former home of the Grand Ole Opry. The UK tour marks a significant milestone for the company, which is made up of US-based Irish dancers trained under the guidance of\u00a0John Carey, an eight-time World Champion and former lead of\u00a0Lord of the Dance.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re staggered by the opportunity to bring our show to the UK, the home of Celtic culture, and share it with an audience that really appreciates the legacy of Celtic culture and dance,\u201d said Macdonald.<\/p>\n The show\u2019s narrative draws inspiration from ancient Irish annals, particularly the legend of\u00a0Ollav Fola, a revered sage. The musical score has been composed by\u00a0Brian Byrne, a Golden Globe-nominated composer whose work spans theatre, film and collaborations with globally recognised artists such as Bono and Sinead O\u2019Connor.<\/p>\n \u201cAudiences love our youth. We have some world-class dancers, literally in the top 10 in their age-bracket, but our younger dancers always steal the show\u2014they melt hearts in every city we visit.\u201d<\/p>\n Lead choreographer and principal dancer\u00a0Jude Flurry<\/strong>\u00a0said:<\/p>\n \u201cCeltic Throne\u00a0embraces the legacy of Irish dance, but also explores exciting new frontiers. We have all the traditional fancy footwork and formidable stomps that fans know and love, but it\u2019s also fresh and innovative. We\u2019re doing things on stage\u2014with martial arts and acrobatics, with props, even using some AI to enhance our dancing\u2014that is totally new.\u201d<\/p>\n His sister,\u00a0Vienna Flurry<\/strong>, who is also a lead choreographer and vocalist in the production, reflected on her experience:<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m living my dream! I\u2019m not just in a world-class show dancing and singing to amazing music written by one of the greatest Irish composers of our time, I\u2019m on stage with my brother, my cousins and my closest friends. We all love what we do, we\u2019re so incredibly thankful for what we have, and we love to share it with the audience!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Macdonald concluded:<\/p>\n \u201cCeltic Throne\u00a0is the ultimate family show. Most of the cast and crew is literally formed of brothers and sisters, cousins, mums and dads. This is another element that makes us so unique.\u00a0Celtic Throne\u00a0was made by families for families and it celebrates family\u2014the family chemistry is palpable and audiences are genuinely moved by it.\u201d<\/p>\n Find more information about Celtic Throne on the M&S Bank Arena website<\/a>. Find out what\u2019s good up North on our new platform, The Northern Guide.\u00a0 \n
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