Having been in The MAC’s theatre countless times before and seeing it in various different iterations over the years, it still surprised me how warm and intimate the space felt as it was transformed into the so-called Luminaire Club for Broadway celebration The World Goes ‘Round.

The Luminaire Club is a novel idea which sees The MAC’s Downstairs Theatre set up to look like a New York style jazz-club with two seating options available to audience members. You can choose from standard theatre seats as normal, or the more premium option of tables dotted in front of the stage, complete with table service and flickering candles to really set the jazz-club mood. This is the first of a few performances being held at the ‘Luminaire Club’ throughout Autumn, and because we attended the show for my birthday, we booked the more expensive ‘at-table seating’ option and it definitely didn’t disappoint!

Now, I am quite ashamed to admit that whilst I have seen my fair share of musicals and would definitely consider myself a fan of jazz hands no matter what the occasion, I really didn’t know that many of the songs performed throughout the show. When it comes to the musical duo that is Kander and Ebb, after Cabaret I have to say I’m pretty lost. That being said, whether it was Conor McFarlane’s hilarious rendition of ‘Sara Lee’ or Carolyn Maitland’s emotional take on the eponymous ‘The World Goes ‘Round‘ there wasn’t a second of this show that didn’t have me absolutely captivated and by the end of the first half I had vowed to acquaint myself with each of the musicals as soon as possible. 

Over the course of a few hours we see the ensemble tackle everything from Mr Cellophane and All That Jazz to Colored Lights and New York, New York in a manic, joyous and high-energy show. The premise is simple and the stage setting is subtle yet absolutely gorgeous, but it is the musicians and performers that really make this show a winner. Not one of the musicians or performers take a breath throughout the entire show, and although I had never heard either of them before, my personal favourites were the entire cast’s zainy account of ‘Coffee in a Cardboard Cup‘ and Aveen Biddle’s raucous energy as she squeaked and squealed her way through ‘Arthur in the Afternoon‘.

Advertised as “A little bit of Broadway comes to Belfast”, this co-production from Blunt Fringe and The MAC needs no more of an explanation than that. If you love musicals and everything Broadway, then you will adore every single minute of this innovative tribute to Kander and Ebb, no matter if you’re a big fan or not!

The World Goes ‘Round runs at The MAC until 15th September 2018, to find out more or to book tickets click here. 

Laura Caldwell

Author: Laura Caldwell

Hi, I'm Laura. I'm 30 years old and have a degree in Journalism with Photo-Imaging at the University of Ulster. I have an undying love for Belfast and all that it has to offer, an undying love for sleeping, Tegan and Sara, trashy tv shows, foreign snack-foods and being irresponsible with money. I also quite like origami, reading, jazz, hip-hop, dubstep, anything acoustic and Food Network TV. I've written for The Big List, Culture NI, Chatterbox and The Echo, as well as writing for BBC Across the Line.