'Lord of Dance' taps out weak story

It is a popular theme in mythology, children's books and even made-for-television movies. Yet the battle between good and evil when brought to the stage, as seen in Michael Flatley's "Lord of the Dance" at New York-New York, is more a challenge of patience.

Vivid in color and creative foot movements, the show is definitely a pleaser for the tourist crowd. One out-of-towner attending a performance earlier this week couldn't say enough about the dancers' artistry and talent, clasping her hands as she shared her experience with friends in the theater's lobby. "I could watch that show for 15 hours and never get tired of it. I was so enamoured. It's the beauty of it all. I just can't get over it."

Yet, knowing the power of "Riverdance" -- the Celtic tap show set during the Irish potato famine, that for years has sold out internationally every time it has toured and from which "Lord" creator Flatley came -- "Lord of the Dance" seems too predictable a story line.

Scenes alternate between good and evil with a golden fairy wielding her wand and pixie dust popping up now and again. Good dancers frolic in pastels and bold brights; the evil are typically dressed in black. The sultry temptress -- a vixen in red sequins and even red glitter lipstick -- fills the void in between.

The show's backdrop of castle gates and twisted iron pillars brilliantly sets a medieval mood, as do the faux fire pots.

And the dancers are magnificently precise in their footwork with barely a hint of missteps. Their timing from scene to scene seems on cue, and their blending of tap, ballet and a dash of Flamenco intriguing.

The sound is phenomenal, as if microphones were inlaid in the wooden stage floor. Each click, every stomp thumps through the speakers, at times inciting the crowd into a clapping frenzy trying to keep the rhythm.

But, disappointing, it's hard to be sure exactly what's going on. A silky voiced maiden in a flowing green velvet gown appears off and on singing of the lover she hopes to marry, yet half of her words -- likely in Celtic, but sounding like Spanish -- fall on translator-less ears.

Two dueling fiddlers periodically appear on stage feigning a battle of the bow strings, although it's unclear why except to raise the tempo with a country twist. (No programs come with the ticket price.)

And a lack of ethnicity -- all performers are white -- is culturally uncomfortable given the liberties a mystical, magical theme could offer in portraying the fight between good and evil.

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