Review: A Christmas to Remember
A Christmas To Remember – Aljaz and Jeanette – O2 City Hall
Review and Pictures by Mandy Charlton.
It can’t have escaped your notice that we’re now plummeting head first towards Christmas Day and Ex Strictly Pro’s Jeanette Manrara and Aljaž Škorjanec have been dancing around the country in their “A Christmas to Remember”
It’s the third time I have seen them on tour and they never fail to fill my heart with joy but nothing could have prepared me for last night’s festive spectacular. The show was filled with carols, Christmas classics, and Christmas movie themes. To say it was magical would be a mere understatement.
It really was spectacular, spectacular with the highest of production values. The set, the costumes, the small company of dancers and singers Janine Johnson and Adrian Hansel.
Everything and everyone was perfect. Johnson and Hansel had the most amazing vocals and never missed a single note. Jeanette and Aljaž even sang a couple of numbers, I have to say that Jeanette is the stronger singer but everything could be forgiven in such a wonderful festive event.
At the start of the second half during a Home Alone overture, festive angels gave out candy and suddenly Aljaž appeared not 3 feet apart from me, I got great photos and yes, I was a little giddy from the experience.
A Christmas to Remember is all set around counting down the 12 days of Christmas with a dance highlight every day and I don’t think I’ve ever been to a concert where the time passed so quickly, I was gripped through the whole thing and then at the end, there was a massive party feel with everyone encouraged to get on their feet and dance. Of course, I did, and I cried because I was so joyful and I hugged my friend because finally, weeks after I usually am, I finally felt Christmassy.
If you didn’t get a chance to see A Christmas to Remember this year, don’t worry because Jeanette and Aljaž will be back again next year to do it all over again and I’m sure it will be different and new and inventive whilst also invoking nostalgia and the romance and joy of the festive season.
After all, Christmas and the festive countdown, that’s the most magical season of all.