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Christmas in Benidorm, Spain
Celebration at the Palace!
26th December 2006
Reviewed by Mike Danata
It's
been a few years since I last went to Benidorm for a holiday, so I did wonder as
to how much it may have changed. I remembered it basically being split into two
parts, those parts being the "Old Town" and "The New Town". I also remembered
the Old Town, suddenly coming "Alive" at around 4-5pm, one minute the streets
were empty and the next they would be crammed with people! You could never quite
work out where they had all come from, so suddenly, it seemed!
I also remembered an area in the newer part of town, being full of bars and
clubs, with entertainment everywhere, mostly with FREE admission! Indeed a few
years ago I had actually worked one of the entertainment rooms there myself!
Well this time I wasn't coming to work, I was coming for a break after a very
busy year in the Studio.
I had already been aware that there was a couple of magicians appearing in the
show "Celebration" at the Benidorm Palace (I heard that they were going to make
a full size jet appear in the show!) so needless to say I had already booked in
advance for that one! But would there be any other magicians working in Benidorm
this Christmas? I wondered as I departed from my local airport.........
Arriving in Benidorm on Christmas Eve to basically good weather (just a bit
windy the first day), though the sunshine was out! The weather actually got
better with every new day, temperatures every day were in the mid to late 60's,
PERFECT!
Having seen a Fantastic Abba tribute act in one of the bars on Christmas night,
and not being able to find any magicians appearing anywhere, I was looking
forward to Boxing day, this was the "Big Night" at the "Benidorm Palace"........
I had visited the Palace on a couple of previous occasions, the first time many
years ago, probably when it hadn't long been opened. I seem to remember its
location being on what appeared to be a sort of main road, in the middle of
nowhere, with hardly anything near, it wasn't even that easy to find! Well this
time it was very easy to find, sign posts pointing to "The Palace" absolutely
everywhere! The area now is very built up around it, with shops, bars, and
hotels, a very busy area now probably due to the location of the Palace!
I was going to get a taxi, but decided to walk, as it was a pleasant evening,
and only a twenty minute walk away.
I had picked up my tickets from the box office the day before, so didn't have to
queue for the tickets. Despite arriving a good half hour before the doors were
due to open, and not having to queue for the tickets, there was still a very
long queue to join, to gain entry!
Standing in the throng of people was quite exciting in itself, watching taxis
arrive with more people, along with big coaches arriving, everyone dressed to
the nines! The huge car park gradually filling up as well, a real "buzz" filled
the air outside the huge building, with its flashing neon signs, that is the
"Palace".
Once the doors were opened, you walk along a long foyer, down some stairs, have
your photo taken, and then you are seated, in this big but somehow still
intimate room.
Everything is so perfectly organised from start to finish. The five course
dinner was delicious (the best and most tender fillet steak I've EVER tasted!)
and the service impeccable!
Everyone gets a good view of the stage, and during the five course meal a trio
was playing some very nice pre show music.
I also noticed a couple of close-up magicians performing magic at the tables, to
many oohs and aahs from the onlookers. At one point I saw a little boy drag one
of the magicians away from the table he was working, so that he could have him
at HIS table!! Such was the popularity of the magic!! The magicians names I
later discovered were Martin Compton Holgate and Andy Rugman, together known as
"Double Deception". They were later to also appear in the show.....
Suddenly I looked at the stage again whilst eating, and the trio had changed
into a quintet (more magic!) at 9.20 they disappeared from where they came.
Fifteen minutes later we had a band joined by two singers. At 10.15 the curtains
closed on the band. The lights dimmed and smoke began to fill the room, the show
was about to begin......
Smoke and lasers filled the air, suddenly the room appeared to be full with cast
members dressed in black hooded robes clutching candles, (this reminded me of
the Siegfried & Roy show in Vegas, when the dancers appear dressed in robes in
the audience). These robed people dispersed, a male dancer then performed a
short flamenco solo. The music then segued into Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, and
suddenly the stage was filled with over thirty dancers in stunning costumes,
performing flamenco to what must be one of the most dramatic pieces ever
written! It really was absolutely stunning.
In between the dancing, the show was interspersed with many Variety acts of the
visual kind, no language problems with any of these acts!
First there were comedy acrobats, "Price & Mcoy" from Australia, they have
worked all over the world including the famous Moulin Rouge. Top professionals
and it showed!
A trapeze artiste by the name of Oliverira from Portugal was quite spectacular,
and had the audience on the edge of their seats!
A visual comedian also from Portugal called Tito Lester, who has worked
extensively in Germany, and top television shows in Europe. His act consisted of
a "Film Sketch" where members of the audience became the actors, being primed by
him, but with hilarious results! An object lesson in audience management, and
hilariously funny!
Incidentally I was still eating at 10.40! (The service wasn't slow, there was
just so many courses!!)
Now it's time for "Double Deception" the two young Magicians.....
The moment they bounced on the stage, they had a big cheer from the audience!
(Probably due to the fact that they had already made their mark performing the
close-up magic at the tables! Their act was basically a very fast moving bird
act with canes, fire and candles thrown in for good measure! Some VERY slick
bird productions, and cage productions, with cages that just seemed to get
bigger with each production! They worked perfectly together, aiding in all the
misdirection. Doves were produced, changing into a girl! Culminating in the
production of a giant Parrot, which I have to admit I have no idea where it came
from, and I call myself a magician!! It really was a very slick performance, but
no appearing Jet! A thoroughly enjoyable act though.
The second half of the show, and there were more fantastic dance routines, with
the most incredible outfits, you'd have to go to Vegas to see a show of this
calibre!
Suddenly the music changed to Frank Sinatra singing "Come Fly With Me" I thought
to myself "This must be the appearing Jet Illusion" bearing in mind that I was
now anticipating a plane appearing, so I was ahead of the game. I did feel
cheated, because I honestly can't remember what happened, and I'm not totally
sure what I was meant to think I saw! What I did see was a spotlight swing onto
a staircase on the left hand side of the stage, (remember that this stage is
huge, I believe it's one of the widest stages in the world). The audiences eyes
would have followed the spotlight, two young guys dressed in pilot uniforms, are
seen to be walking down the steps, they walk centre stage, and the audience
realises that there is a jet on the stage. Somehow in my opinion something was
wrong with the staging, because I had no idea if the stage was actually empty
prior to it appearing! No attempt was made to prove "nothing there". I think the
stage might have been blacked out, but can't remember. For all I knew, (and the
rest of the audience) a black curtain could have been in front of it, and merely
went up as we watched the magicians walk down the steps. The actual stage lights
could have blacked out whilst we were watching them walk down the steps, so I'm
not sure where the actual magic came into it. The audience didn't really react,
because of the confusion, as to what we were meant to see, we all felt that we
had missed something. I suppose it was akin to a magician pulling tons of items
out of an empty box, but if the audience were not shown the box EMPTY they
wouldn't see the magic, the magic would be lost. I did feel disappointed at
this. it seemed a huge expense (I'm guessing it would have cost a fortune) for
very little effect. I did enjoy their main act though!
The finale of the show was the most spectacular. The show was called
"Celebration" so all the showgirls outfits represented bottles of champagne,
even down to the CORK headdresses! With water fountains in the middle of the
stage, symbolising the flowing champagne, you'd have to be there to fully
appreciate it!
I understand that the outfits for one show costs around 280,000 euros (approx
£183,000!) to make, then you need to maintain them every week, the show changes
every year (this information is courtesy of the Palace).
I remember a few years ago, I sneaked around the back of the building, and
through an open door saw row upon row of very elaborate dresses suspended by
ropes to the roof of the building, to prevent creasing!
Many famous people have appeared at the palace over the years including Omar
Pasha (also appearing at the Blackpool convention this year) Boney M, The
Ramping Brothers (now appearing in Cirque du Soleil), and illusionists
"The Twins".
There are 33 dancers in the show, six of them currently are English! There are
10 people behind the stage every night, and four technicians for lights, lasers
and sound. The room holds 1,500 people seated!
It's a brilliant night out, you could almost be on a cruise ship, because of the
general ambience of the place.
Who needs Las Vegas when Southern Spain has the BENIDORM PALACE!
© Mike Danata, January 2007
www.mikedanatasmagicstudio.co.uk