The critically-acclaimed show returned to Nottingham for a three-night run last week.

Based on old Irish folklore, the story is one of good versus evil as the Lord Of The Dance fights to stop the dark lord, Don Dorcha, from taking control.

Both of the male leads were compelling to watch, flying through the air with ease and creating sounds with their feet without barely moving them.

Running alongside the main thread of the story was the theme of lust versus love as Saoirse, the Irish Cailin, fights for the love of the Lord Of The Dance against Morrighan, the Temptress.

The female leads were a joy — my favourite, however, being the temptress, with her cheeky expressions and colourful dancing.

Although the set was simple and at times seemed bare, the dancers filled the void whenever they set foot on stage, with a spectacular high energy show with lots of charisma and colour.

The men and women performed separate numbers, depicting the soft, fluid and delicate nature of Irish dance alongside the strong, masculine flare of the tap numbers the show is famous for.

However, the girls commanded full attention when they tore off their Celtic dresses to reveal black underwear and firm figures — hardly surprising with the energy they expend over the course of the 90-minute performance.

But the performance was at its best when the troupe came together.

The precision and perfect co-ordination were wonderful and the audience cheered whenever it seemed the dancers were about to form a line — the show’s signature formation.

These larger production numbers were broken up by songs and musical numbers from a singer, whose voice was soft and pure but, however, failed to add much to the plot.

A pair of violinists also provided an interlude from the dancing whose exciting performance served as another form of dualism as they battled it out for the best performance.

All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and easy to see why the show has been a worldwide phenomenon for 15 years — LB.