Last night Dublin’s Helix Theatre came alive as a sea of teenyboppers swept in to see the phenomenon that is Jedward. I, like the good Mammy that I am, brought my daughter and her friend and didn’t even sneak to the bar once (honestly!). I knew it was going to be an entertaining night from the moment I walked into the foyer and realised that almost every child was either wearing cardboard cut-out hair or had their own locks coiffed up in honour of the twins.
After much anticipation, the duo made their entrance from the back of the theatre, donning Rocky style robes and running up through the aisles. They delighted the miniature audience by launching straight into The Black Eyed Peas ‘Tonight’s Gonna be a Good Night’ and had everyone on their feet straight away.
Now if you go to a Jedward concert expecting fantastic vocals and complicated, choreographed dance routines, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Just as we saw on the X Factor, the music often completely swallowed their voices and when we could actually hear the vocals, one wonders if they were just lip-synced.
But nobody can deny the energy the Lucan boys bring to their performance. They darted about the stage as though fitted with springs, bouncing rather than dancing and managed to change costumes regularly between songs. They treated us to Britney Spears ‘Oops I did it again’ in their trademark shiny, red jackets and donned white suits for ‘Under Pressure’. They even remembered us dedicated parents in the audience by bringing us back in time with ‘Bye Bye Baby’ by the Bay City Rollers and giving us an eighties dose of a Wham medley. Between you and me, I may have even guiltily tapped my feet.
Without a shadow of a doubt, the highlight of the evening was when they appeared in their jumpsuits, armed with water guns, to give us the most hilarious rendition of Ghost Busters. They even managed to look scared as the dancer ghosts appeared on stage. But the brave duo blasted them with their pretend pistols before giving each other a delighted high five! Priceless!
You’d have to admire these two young boys who are simply living their dream. They’ve kept their heads high despite all the negativity that was thrown at them in the early days of their X Factor journey and have certainly come out on top. The screams of the youngsters last night said it all and, without a doubt, they brought a smile to my face. The Mammy in me wanted to rush up to the stage to tie their laces in case they’d trip on the steps but that aside, it was a thoroughly entertaining evening.
You can see details of the twins’ nationwide tour at www.ticketmaster.ie. And however tempted you might be, don’t leave your children to their seats and retire to the bar – go and see the show. You might surprise yourself and actually have some fun.
Maria xx
