CityLife

Merchants Of Bollywood @ Opera House

ABSURDLY colourful and improbably energetic, Merchants Of Bollywood might just be the most exhilarating musical I've seen this year.

A veritable onstage explosion of life and fun, the sumptuously-costumed dance sequences, inspired by Bollywood movies, are actually so fast and furious that, when I happened to glance at my watch some 15 minutes into the show, I was astonished.

There had been more energy expended in that short space of time than most musicals can muster over their entire running time! Nor does the pace let up throughout this tremendous spectacle.

Although the real selling point of this sizzling show are these astonishing dance sequences, it's not merely an incoherent collection of "Bollywood's greatest hits", even if that might have been enough.

The show also has a not-at-all perfunctory family drama narrative (unlike some big musical spectaculars I could name), as well as providing, should you care to take it on board, something of a potted history of modern India, and its astonishing film industry.

Desire

The narrative in fact reflects the family history of the show's superstar choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant, who fell out with her family and especially her grandfather, even though he was Bollywood pioneer Hiralal Merchant, over her desire to work in Bollywood.

As far as her grandfather - thinly disguised here as Shantilal Merchant (played by Indian art-house favourite Arif Zakaria) - was concerned, Bollywood was no place for decent women like his granddaughter Ayesha (Carol Furtado) and films should be used for the betterment and education of the people, not as a glitzy, sexy entertainment vehicle for "models and ex-Miss Worlds".

Ayesha, more in love with disco than classical dance honouring the gods, does, of course, go on to huge success, but will she reconcile with her grandfather?

Let's just say that in Bollywood films there are only happy endings and this terrific entertainment will leave you as happy as any musical I've ever seen, even, quite possibly, dancing in the street.

A fantastic, life-affirming show that deserves to run and run but will be here only until Saturday.

The Merchants of Bollywood is at The Opera House from Monday, November 6 until Saturday, November 11. é15 - é28. Call the Box Office on 0870 060 1768 for tickets or click here .