In the nicest possible way, this feels a bit like being on a cruise ship. We’re in full-on entertainment mode. Co-created by actor, hoofer and reality TV judge Adam Garcia, this Irish dance and tap hybrid is a live embodiment of the small-screen age. At the outset, singer Tom Ball says phones and filming are welcome. That’s big-haired, sweet-natured Tom Ball – the Britain’s Got Talent finalist whose audition video has 8.7m views. He’s joined by Kiwi tap dancer Bayley Graham of America’s Got Talent, YouTube, Insta etc. One of the songs is the sea shanty that went viral on TikTok. You get the idea. Every number has the forceful energy of a 30-second clip.
The setup is vaguely as if we’re all in a bar, dancers chugging shots and having friendly dance-offs, adding a commercial edge to the straight-up Irish step led by Lord of the Dance alum Olivia Graydon going hyperspeed. In comes a stranger from out of town, Bayley Graham. A terrific tap dancer, he’s loose and rangy in the body, feet jumping from hot coals, powering out those beats with charisma and megawatt showmanship. (Slight niggle: from some stalls you can’t see the feet because of the footlights.)
Emerald Storm is cheesy as a Wicklow cheddar; but it’s not cynical, so it’s hard to be cynical about the performers. There’s a big cast having a great time up there and they really want us to have a great time too. Ball ramps up the hits in the second half with Beyoncé’s Halo in the style of Bublé. Does it get a bit overblown? Sure. But he delivers a tune.
The find of the night is Graham, a star on the rise. A telling moment comes during a solo turn, beats building up a head of steam, when he sees someone in the front row filming. While his feet are firing like a funky machine gun, Graham dances over, takes the phone, films himself, shouts “C’mon London!” into the camera and gives it back without dropping a beat. Then he spins, jumps and slams his feet on the stage. Mic drop. More people will probably see that video than ever see him dance live. That’s showbiz circa 2025.
• At Emerald theatre, London, until 14 December
