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LOLA: A Flamenco Love Story

 
Lisa Simonis Review by Lisa Simonis 3 Published: 4 Aug 2025 Pleasance at EICC Show Dates: 30 Jul 2025-24 Aug 2025

Dear flamenco lovers – this one’s for you. LOLA: A Flamenco Love Story tells the story of Lola, a woman who moves to London, fleeing a traumatic past in 1960s Spain and leaving her young child in the care of family. We meet her as she arrives at the train station and follow her journey of discovering life in London.

A feast for the eyes and a delight for dance lovers.

Through contemporary flamenco – blended with touches of Latin pop and jazz – Lola’s story is told through dance, movement, music and pre-recorded voiceovers rather than through dialogue. English translations of the lyrics are displayed on screen for most of the show to help audiences follow along.

At its core, Lola’s story is one of the hardships of moving to a new country while still reckoning with the ghosts of a past she wishes to forget but cannot. Luckily, she finds a welcoming community of expats in London who take her in and provide a safe space for healing. It is as much a story about friendship, community and love as it is about finding inner courage – though its slow build resolves quickly, leaving the audience wishing for more.

The dancing and live music are the showstoppers here. Featuring a mix of contemporary flamenco with the rousing rhythms of Latin pop and jazz, this performance will have audiences dancing in their seats. In particular, the male solo is a standout highlight. One of the defining features of flamenco is the multilayered voices at play – from the guitar to the heartfelt singing with its beautifully melodic, nostalgic and melancholic sound, accompanied by percussion, all matched by the dancers’ resounding footwork and interpretative movement.

Among the show’s many highlights, the costumes stand out, with luscious embroidery, flowing fabrics, tassels and ruffles. LOLA: A Flamenco Love Story is a feast for the eyes and a delight for dance lovers.

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The Blurb:

A vibrant new dance musical fusing passionate contemporary flamenco with the rousing rhythms of Latin pop and jazz. After the death of her husband, Lola flees the poverty of 1960s Spain to find work in London and support the young children she’s left behind. The work is hard, the weather is miserable and she doesn’t understand the language. She misses her home. She misses her children. But a chance encounter brings Lola fresh hope. A story of resilience, love and hope told through the exhilarating power of flamenco. LOLA is passion, poetry, despair, reconciliation, love.