Review: An Evening with Anton Du Beke at Northampton's Royal & Derngate

Entitled An Evening With Anton Du Beke, the production puts the famous Strictly Come Dancing star front and centre with a combination of dancing, singing and comedicstory telling.In its strong opening number, Anton, bedecked in glittery jacket, enters the stage accompanied by four slinkily dressed dancers to perform a dance routine to Chicago’s All That Jazz.From then on we are taken through the show with jazz very much as a theme, featuring some fabulous dance sequences led by Anton (of course) and his troupe of dancers, as well as songs delivered by Anton himself and Strictly singer Lance Ellington.Although there is a decent amount of entertaining dance content, this production felt like it was based more around Anton as entertainer.Strictly fans have long loved him not only for his ballroom skills, but also his quick wit. This show, with its relaxed pace, allows us to hear more of Anton’s anecdotes- including his funny tales of Strictly moments both as dance pro and judge.This was opening night and there were reminders of this, such as a chair not being where it should be at one point but I am still not sure whether this was a mistake or just a comedy opportunity as Anton was able to smoothly style it out, leaving the audience laughing.I enjoyed the fact that the show gave Lance and Anton enough space for the audience to find out more about them, from Anton’s repartee with audience membersand reflections on marriage, to Lance’s memories of his own famous musician father Ray Ellington – followed by a fun rendition of his dad’s song The Three Bears.All performers, including the on stage band, seemed to have good chemistry together, laughing and bantering as band members performed some of the vocal parts of The Three Bears - while being jokingly criticised by Anton.Another highlight was a performance of Me and My Shadow by Anton and Lance as a well-deserved tribute in memory of the late great entertainer and Strictly host Bruce Forsyth.To find out more about other dates in Anton’s tour, see: www.antontour.com