Riverdance is coming to Sheffield for its 25th anniversary – and here’s how to get tickets

It began as a short dance performance designed to fill the seven-minute interval slot at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest in Ireland – then exceeded all expectations by going on to become a worldwide sensation and a major part of 1990s culture, equally loved and spoofed.
By Richard Blackledge
Published 9th Dec 2019, 17:00 BST
Updated 10th Dec 2019, 11:04 BST
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Now Riverdance, the celebration of traditional Irish dancing that was quickly turned into a full-length theatrical production, is returning for its 25th anniversary with a UK tour that includes three dates at Sheffield City Hall.

Developed by producer Moya Doherty, composer Bill Whelan and director John McColgan, the show – which originally starred Michael Flatley until he left over a creative dispute – sparked a mania for Celtic step dancing and broke box office records during its premiere run in Dublin in early 1995.

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It then transferred to London and New York, and has drawn big audiences to venues in far-flung places such as Asia, South Africa and Australia over the past quarter of a century.

At the same time it provided comic inspiration for the likes of French and Saunders, and the writers of sitcom Father Ted - but, since it began, Riverdance has been seen live by more than 27.5 million people.

Twenty-five years on, Whelan has re-recorded the Grammy Award-winning score and the team has rejigged the show with new staging and costume designs.

The Sheffield dates are on April 28, 29 and 30, 2020, and a 25th anniversary LP is out now.

See www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk/event/riverdance for tickets.

Related topics:SheffieldIrelandCeltic