Donna Marie, Lady Gaga Tribute and Impersonator at St Davids Hall Cardiff Show Critic

THERE can’t be many stars who can attract well over 1,000 people to a concert hall without actually being there.

But such is the magical appeal of Lady Gaga that when the tribute act, the Donna Marie, Lady Gaga Tribute and Impersonator, rolled into town the fans rolled into Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

I am not quite sure what the normal composition of an Lady Gaga audience would be but here it was mainly youngish girls and some boys with presumably their mums, and a good smattering of Wales’ gay community.

I know the main Gaga singles and the accompanying videos and our leading lady, mother-of-one 35-year-old Donna Marie Trego, from Dinas Powys, had meticulously recreated costumes, dance routines, doing a good version of arguably the biggest pop-electro songs so far this century.

While, of course, this is not as lavish or polished as a real Gaga concert, the effects are great fun, with videos, lasers and pyrotechnics, including a bra that shoots out sparks, and other zany outfits.

The set was an old New York-style metro carriage that acted as Donna Marie’s changing room and from where she could appear for each number. In those quick change spots a large video screen kept the audience entertained with presumably her own version of Gaga videos and some that I didn’t recognise but were sufficiently wacky to keep our attention.

Donna Marie may well be amazed at how full St David’s Hall was for this fun night. But then this act has toured extensively and is often hailed as one of the best tribute acts on the road. Plus this was a young, enthusiastic audience – just what St David’s Hall needs. A good move whoever booked the act.

This was the opening night of this new theatre show that was rehearsed in Cardiff, with new songs Donna Marie has learned. It features such big hits as Judas, Poker Face, Born This Way, Let’s Dance and Bad Romance – which as you would expect stole the show.

The 11 dancers did all the right moves and formed an effective frame.

Admittedly, there are times when Donna Marie looks a little unsteady in those amazingly high-heeled shoes and boots, but as the show develops this will no doubt ease, but for one night at least, we all went goo goo for Gaga!

4 out of 5

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/showbiz/2011/06/04/music-review-lady-gaga-experience-st-david-s-hall-cardiff-91466-28818407/#ixzz1OKjrcncJ

Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/showbiz/2011/06/04/review-lady-gaga-experience-st-david-s-hall-cardiff-91466-28817016/#ixzz1OKjcHtaW