Strictly's Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez in Firedance at Portsmouth Guildhall: 'Loved it, but it was too loud' | Review

The Strictly Come Dancing professionals are the latest duo to bring their own show to the area, following the likes of Giovanni Pernice, Kai Widdrington and Nadiya Bychkova, Robin Windsor and Vincent Simone.

Kicking off with three short sharp bursts of fire, the audience gasped – you could feel the heat from your seat, as the smell of lighter fluid flooded our nostrils.

Then ensued a full-throttle, 90 minutes of non-stop entertainment. The show is all about the choreography. Given Gorka and Karen’s Spanish and Venuezuelan backgrounds, respectively, it’s unsurprising that the vast majority of the show is comprised of Latin dancing. The headliners are impressive; captivating the crowd with their performance from start to finish. With tangos, paso dobles and salsas galore, it’s certainly hot and not just because of the occasional fire-breathing and tricks.

SEE ALSO: Review | Nadiya and Kai’s Once Upon a Time at Portsmouth Guildhall

The musical mash-ups were well thought out – the songs intertwined worked incredibly well. Highlights included Smooth with Havana and Believer with River.

Unfortunately, the sound levels were all wrong – it was far too loud. Never mind the visuals, my ears felt on fire! The two vocalists were incredible, however I found myself cringing in anticipation of any belting notes. The noise was almost unbearable. An interval move to the back of the auditorium certainly helped, but even then I was still shocked at the volume. Whilst it’s no doubt a creative decision in hammering home the drama, it needs to be looked at.

I’m sure some people relished a pure dance spectacle. For me, this was another odd decision. Karen has been on our screens for over a decade and Gorka has been a Strictly pro since 2016. Like the other dancers, they’ve become household names to fans of the hit series. It felt weird that they didn’t interact with the audience – not a word spoken or so much as a ‘thank you’. In comparison to other shows of this kind, that element was certainly missing – which felt like a shame given their wonderful personalities.

Let’s be clear, I did enjoy this. There’s no doubt in my mind of the talent of this cast. It’s just a shame that the overriding memory will be the ringing in my ears.