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An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
2012
Theatre
The show has suddenly become quite wonderful, and the galvanising factor is the terrific stage debut of Melanie C
Blood Brothers
Music
The British pop music industry may be eating itself but if Muse are the pick of what it can offer the world in 2010 then British music is in rude health indeed
Muse
I was smitten by both Gilberts enormous luxuriant moustache and the intelligence and nuance of this highly entertaining play
I totally recommend Babbo to anyone who is looking for really good and traditional Italian food
Always been a fan but never seen them live. I was ecstatic to be part of this epic event. WOW!
London,
David Smyth's rating
Reader rating
Description: The X Factor winner and pop-soul singer promotes her album Echo.
Phone: 0208985 2424
Website: www.hackneyempire.co.uk
Email: info@hackneyempire.co.uk
Trains: BR: Hackney Central 
Extra info: Pub
“World class”: Leona Lewis performing her first full concert last night in her home borough of Hackney. The X Factor winner sang seven songs in a theatre set but showed she has the voice to fill stadiums
Handy hint: Lewis wrote the verses for a Roberta Flack cover on her palm
It was particularly shocking that of all the celebrities who might have been attacked at a book signing, it was Leona Lewis who got thumped by a disturbed man in Waterstones last month.
Not only has she never given the impression of being anything other than thoroughly lovely, but she must be the most cossetted pop star in recent history — rarely giving interviews and only playing her first full concert last night, three years after she broke sales records and became the first X Factor winner to go global.
When Simon Cowell finally allowed her out of the glass cabinet in his billiards room, it was to perform a one-off theatre set in her home borough of Hackney. The audience of competition winners were apparently unaware of the conventions of gig-going, meeting her exit after just seven songs with an excruciating silence rather than screams for more.
Any potential attackers were deterred by a tall barrier between audience and stage, with three security men seated in the wide pit. A transparent projection screen in front of the performers would surely have sparked like a butcher’s fly zapper had any deranged fans got that far.
It was just one element of a high-gloss production that included six male dancers dressed as mime artist burglars, confetti showers and a gown with a train longer than the one on which we arrived.
This extravagant framework suited a voice that has earned her US number ones and deserved comparisons to vocal giants such as Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.
Mostly sailing around the higher registers, on new songs such as Brave and I Got You she successfully hit notes that must have cracked windows in Dalston. The current crop of X Factor hopefuls looked like buskers in comparison. There wasn’t time for her over-reliance on slow-building ballads to become tedious. An understated cover of Roberta Flack’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was a stunning reminder that there’s a good reason she concentrates on the slowies, but she also coped with a welcome change of pace on the fizzing electropop of Outta My Head.
At times Lewis proved she is world class but this show, too short and atmosphere-free, felt like a mere promotional stunt rather than a truly fitting showcase.
After three years, she needs to hurry up and take that stadium-sized voice on tour to the venues it deserves.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
I prefer Alex, she is prettier and has a vocal with feeling and she has a personality.
- Denny, england
Did she have a live band or was it backingtrack ?
- Keith, London
Cowell believes that less is more, but in Leona's case I am afraid it is less is LESS
- Keith Price, Luton England
Note to Elisa- Whitney Houston wanted to mentor this girl. Oh- and she's better than Mariah Carey.
- Dave Hannan, Caernarfon, Wales
Did you leave early? I counted 9 songs. It was always advertised as a showcase so not sure what you were expecting exactly?
- Angela, Stevenage
Oh please, her voice is nowhere near Mariah and Whitney. Leona is way overrated.
- Elisa, London, Uk
I know there is room for both of them but Leona makes Alex B pale into insignificance. She is amazing.
- Goggs, London
This was a stunning concert -- and I disagree about the atmosphere. It was electric! I think the audience were stunned at the end. I was. To take us from the emotional gentle quality of First Time, to the pop fantasy of the fabulous Outta My Head was a truely amazing thing. All the new songs: Brave, I Got You, Happy and Outt My Head were performed to perfection. It was so exciting when she hot all those notes! Even the dancing was dazzling! I have never in my life heard such a singing performance. Loved it, so honoured to be there. Love Leona!
- Joan, London
