Review: Michael Legend: A Tribute to Michael Jackson at Apolo Theatre, Barcelona
If you’re a fan of Michael Jackson’s music and looking for an evening of nostalgia, Michael Legend at the Apolo Theatre in Barcelona offers moments of brilliance alongside some frustrating missteps. Running through July 20, this tribute show has plenty to love but also leaves some room for improvement.
Touring for over 15 years, over 1.5 million audience members
This show has been performing and touring throughout Spain since 2009. Ben Jackson, the “Michael” of Michael Legend, has been performing the show since 2016, and was once judged as the best Michael Jackson impersonator in Spain. The show has done very well and entertained hundreds of thousands of spectators and lovers of pop music. There is a lot to love about the show and of course the music. I have some issues with the production itself, but overall I think it is definitely worth seeing
The musicians and performers are outstanding. To a person, they are all talented and highly capable and they delivered Michael Jackson’s music, choreography, and essence with energy and precision. Each of them had a moment to shine in the show. The lead of the show, Ben Jackson, embodied the King of Pop with impressive accuracy- his singing, dancing, and even his walk were all spot on. His interaction when he went into the audience during the finale was electric, and they would have been well served to have utilized that earlier, even in the opening of the show.
Some technical issues and some befuddling artistic choices.
Unfortunately, there were some technical issues and directing choices that in my opinion marred an otherwise very good show.
The show begins with a strange choice—the musicians make their way to the stage, the lights darken, and then the musicians do not play! Instead a video of Michael Jackson (or perhaps Ben Jackson) interacting with fans, accompanied by the operatic famous song of impending doom, The Carmina Burana. The video screen felt too small for the expansive Apolo stage, and the ominous tone didn’t set the right mood for the celebration of Jackson’s legacy. In addition, during this first 5 minutes of the show, the musicians weren’t playing, we were just watching tv. It didn’t feel like a great way to start the show.
There were also some technical issues on the opening night (at least I hope they were). The lighting did not feel like it was all in place, with several of the dances being done in dark and poorly lit areas. (Dancing in the Dark was a Springsteen hit, not a Michael Jackson one!). There were also some awkward moments of transition, leaving the stage in silence and darkness. Strangely, Ben Jackson was choreographed to leave the stage for large stretches, presumably to change costumes. But when he left the stage, the energy of the show dragged noticeably.
In addition to the opening, there were a couple of other missteps. One such was the inclusion of a cheesy detective/action themed video featuring Ben Jackson that felt out of place, reminiscent of the 3D project Captain EO that Michael Jackson did for Epcot (and not in a good way). Another strange choice was the inclusion of a Jackson 5 montage towards the end of the show. It felt thrown in at the last minute.
For me, the most egregious misstep was simply overusing the video projections. In a 90 minute show, the musicians played approximately 45-50 minutes. The rest was watching video of Michael Jackson and Michael Jackson videos. For a celebration and tribute to Michael Jackson, I felt like the tech and video should support the live performance, not replace it.
See some video of the show here: https://youtu.be/-EeUEFV3zME
Despite its flaws, Michael Legend manages to deliver an enjoyable experience, thanks to the sheer power of Michael Jackson’s music and the talent of the performers. When the show focuses on live music and dancing, it’s captivating. However, the technical issues, pacing problems, and excessive reliance on video projections prevent it from reaching its full potential.
If you go in with tempered expectations, you’ll leave the theatre smiling, carried by the energy of the music and the performers’ dedication. But there’s no denying that this tribute could be much stronger with better direction and technical execution.
HOW TO GET TICKETS
Tickets for Michael Legend: A Tribute to Michael Jackson can be purchased through the official website of the Apolo Theatre.
Don’t miss your chance to catch the show before it ends on July 20! Buy tickets here.
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