AFTER wowing audiences around the world Stories: The Tap Dance Sensation was performed at the Hall for Cornwall on Wednesday.

The acclaimed theatrical production follows a young, rising film actor named Icarus who is already a hit on screen, yet falls under the oppressive, manipulative influence and stranglehold of a bitter film director.

The show is set against a gritty 1930s noir-inspired backdrop (Picture: Elliot Aubin)
The show is set against a gritty 1930s noir-inspired backdrop (Picture: Elliot Aubin)

As the psychological pressure mounts, Icarus struggles to break free, blurring the line between reality and fiction as he becomes trapped inside the very movie he is filming.

The show, set against a gritty 1930s noir-inspired backdrop, was created by Romain Rachline Borgeaud and RB Dance Company, which reached the finals of France’s Got Talent in 2018 and 2024.

Those expecting a traditional, light-footed tap dance show are in for a big surprise. What unfolds from the off is a relentless 70 minutes of foot stomping dance played out to big beats and hypnotic rhythms.

The 10-strong ensemble cast blend urban jazz, modern tap dance with razor-sharp synchronicity and athleticism against electronic-influenced rhythms reminiscent of artists like Moby and Fatboy Slim.

The dance performances undoubtedly light up the stage but its Federica Mugnai’s set and Alex Hardellet’s lighting that really lift the production.

Hardellet’s kinetic, precision-timed lighting effects create a sleek, cinematic atmosphere. The lighting plays with darkness as much as light, framing the unfolding action, building tension and drawing the audience into the film noir world of the piece.

The set and costume changes are as fast paced as the dancing and beats. The multi-level staircases and modular blocks are pushed, pulled and rotated by the dancers to create shifting urban environments including a bustling newsroom, a subway station, a hotel, a gambling den and a prison.

Dancers leap between heights, race up and down the steps, and use the elevated platforms to perform complex percussive footwork at different vertical levels.

The high-voltage curtain call, featuring members pounding on kettle drums, is an exhilarating end to the night.