An Audience with Kylie review: ‘A masterclass in stage performance’
"Everyone worships at the Church of Kylie!"
It was 1986 and I ran home from secondary school to catch the latest episode of Neighbours. Now, here I am along with a collection of celebrity favourites and a lot of lucky fans, to experience An Audience with Kylie at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The Australian starlet who started her career on TV as a tomboy mechanic in a suburban Melbourne street, now three decades later is one of the world’s pop queens.
Fresh from a phenomenal Las Vegas residency and a million miles from the dungarees she wore all those years ago (which she confirms she had stolen) a lavish Kylie arrives on stage dripping in a beautiful sparkly gown. The set list opens spectacularly with some of her most recent singles, ‘Tension‘, ‘Hold On To Now’, and the nostalgic ‘Spinning Around’.
A brief interlude later, Kylie introduces us to her choir whose voices bring a wonderful ethereal tone to ‘All the Lovers’. Each song whether upbeat or downtempo, gets the whole crowd dancing and singing in unison. Between songs, we’re treated to questions from some of the gathered celebrity guests. Mawaan Rizwan, Alison Hammond, and Billy Porter (who declares Kylie’s outfit as deserving “10’s across the board”) add a much-needed blast of humour, while Tom Allen goes off-script to thank Kylie for looking after the gays throughout her career.
As well as the more lively numbers, Kylie also takes time to make the Royal Albert Hall a more intimate setting. Sat atop a white baby grand piano looking a vision in a cherry red dress aKylie serves us a slowed-down version of ‘I Should Be So Lucky ’ that goes down very well.
After an emotional moment between Kylie and Pete Waterman, Kylie takes us right back to the beginning with a live performance of her very first single, ‘The Locomotion ‘ which ends with the pop star joined by Alan Carr, Amanda Holden, Emma and Matt Willis, Rylan and even Bananarama dancing round the stage. Camp, Miss Kylie is also not afraid to indulge. There’s even a live marriage proposal.
Kylie next appears in a stunning black and gold outfit with her team of dancers decked out in the immediately recognisable ‘Padam Padam’ music video looks. Once again this absolute icon gives us a masterclass in stage performance. Fans and celebrities alike, everyone worships at the Church of Kylie! After a stomping rendition of ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ the show closes with ‘Love at First Sight,’ an absolute favourite.
As the house lights come up, mirror balls spinning, and confetti raining down, the beautiful blonde bundle of energy from Ramsey Street exits the stage, leaving the audience in awe and begging for more.
An Audience with Kylie airs on ITV1 on Sunday 10 December at 7:45pm