REVIEW: The Last Tango at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking, starring Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace

The Last Tango is and co-choreographed by Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace of Strictly Come Dancing fame, along with Karen Bruce. This show is not just an evening of disjointed dance routines; there is a charming storyline woven through.

The Last Tango follows George, an aging man, as he looks through his attic and finds various objects which remind him of times gone by.  Each item inspires a flashback to his past, and all the special moments he shared with his true love. Beautifully characterised with Vincent Simone as the younger version of George, and Flavia as the love of his life, we can experience their first meeting in the 1920’s all the way through to their later family lives as they grow old together. 

Leading couple Vincent and Flavia share a raw, passionate and sensual chemistry which electrifies the stage. Unsurprisingly, they were foot perfect all the way through. Sadly, there were small things missing which could have taken this production to new heights. Flavia shone in a stunning flamenco solo, however, with no microphones at floor level, her intricate footwork could not be heard and appreciated as it should have been. 

The cast is small, with just twelve performers, but they effortlessly fill the stage with their remarkable talent. There were no outstanding members from the

ensemble, but this is no bad thing; they were all equally superb, however, the big group numbers felt a little long at times, and some of the sequences were quite repetitive. The Acts were only short (45 minutes) and I felt a lot more could have been crammed into that short time frame. 

The last 5 minutes of the show were absolutely electric and brought the majority of the packed audience to its feet. Vincent and Flavia danced a stunning Argentinian Tango for the finale, and it was breathtaking. The complicated footwork was so fast, my eyes could barely keep up. That dance was the best part of the entire evening, and was worth waiting for.  

This production is a niche show. The average theatregoer might be disappointed, but if you’re a fan of Strictly Come Dancing, and love technically perfect dancing, then this show will be right up your street. Despite its best efforts to promote itself as a fresh, sexy and vibrant show, the audience attracted to The Last Tango was definitely of a certain age, so while this wasn’t my cup of tea, for someone of the baby boomer generation, it proves to be a real treat.

Review by Harriet Langdown 

Rating: ★★★

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