Review: Flamenc Oh!!, Peacock Theatre ★★★½

For dance comedy to be a success, it needs to be both funny and have the dance itself performed masterfully and not undermined or looked down on as an art form. I loved the creativity and flair in Yllana’s work with percussive recycling in their co-production (with Toom Pak) TRASH! so I was excited to see what flair and frolics they would bring to flamenco. Or rather, Flamenc Oh!! With a title boasting two exclamation marks, a staid evening of traditional flamenco was never going to be on the menu here.

Yllana has created Flamenc Oh!! in co-production with Sadler’s Wells and it opened at the Peacock Theatre in London this week after success in Edinburgh and elsewhere. It is cheeky and irreverent, but its respect for flamenco as an art form also shines through. The cast give a spirited performance of the family story and all have excellent comic timing. They also share long flamenco careers, both in Spain and internationally. The dancing is sharp, well timed and performed with energetic enthusiasm that matches the comedy of the piece. Their dancing skills means they have a mastery over their bodies which allows both body and facial expressions to be well judged for maximum effect. Some very well-observed tableaux and shock reactions are created as different pairs secretly dance with each other and then get discovered.

We open with solemn patriarch David Bastidas, who enters through the stalls with house lights up and all due formality. He sings with an earnestness that is later explained as his rigidity in his values for his household: “Here, Flamenco!” His wife Raquela Ortega, son Raúl Ortega and daughter Anabel Moreno dance around him and his edicts, both literally and metaphorically, until guitarist Luis Gallo strolls into town with new music and new ideas. The story itself may not be new but wrapping it in a clash of flamenco history versus modern music is refreshingly unique and ripe for some engaging scenes.

There is a lot of well-structured audience participation such as inviting us to clap along or to sing along to pieces such as Prince’s “Purple Rain”. Some of this the audience did well, but some pieces, such as a call and response of a flamenco song, were less convincing. Interplay such as flirtation with individual audience members was more warmly received. The costumes (Tatiana de Sarabia) are exuberant with frills and bold colours and the set (Carlos Brayda) resembles the warm brick of a Spanish patio. Fly curtains in each archway provide both movement and percussive sound, especially as the family make bold entrances and getaways.

A highlight is a flamenco dance battle, come boxing match (complete with ring), as the two siblings compete for the family flamenco heirloom cane and their position as the carrier of the flamenco flame.

Also very appealing are Anabel Moreno’s ever increasing hair-flicking and shoulder-rolling attempts to seduce an oblivious Luis Gallo.

Underneath the humour is a warm message. Families can honour their heritage alongside making changes. Good can be found in the old but it need not be at the expense of the new. This is dance comedy, not pure dance, so is not a night for a flamenco purist. For someone who is after warm-hearted fun, packaged up with some true flamenco talent, there is much to enjoy. Stay for the curtain call which will have you dancing in the aisles before you head out into the night.

Booking details

Production details

Flamenc Oh!!
Created and directed by Yllana, in co-production with Sadler’s Wells
Venue: Peacock Theatre, Sadler’s Wells, London (nearest tube Holborn)
Dates: 30 September to 10 October 2026
Running time: 1 hour 20 minutes, no interval
Recommended for ages 8+

Images credit: Pablo Lorente

[Thank you to Sadler’s Wells for gifted tickets for an honest review]