Rotterdam, 8 May 2021
Her soul was a map, her heart is a compass, time to learn of her road. Lesley Roy closes today’s rehearsals with an eye-catching stage concept.
Country: Ireland (#IRL)
Act: Lesley Roy
Song: Maps
Semifinal: First (18/05/2021)
Position in Running Order: 07/16
Lesley Roy closed today’s round of rehearsals. Unlike the others (not counting Australia here), her rehearsal was delayed. We soon found out why: She has brought her own decor.
Ireland’s staging concept can best be described as a walk through a pop-up fairy tale book. Lesley’s team took the aesthetic from her music video and transposed it on the stage via a vast array of cardboard trees, playing with perspective to give her song a wondtrous, zany feel. Lesley’s stage props are animated by stage hands to further enhance the idea of her being the heroine of her own story.
While Ireland’s staging fixed one of Lesley’s potential issues (her on-stage charisma), the rehearsal also brought another to the forefront: Her vocals weren’t entirely there, and especially near the end she sounded winded and out of breath. Perhaps the result of putting her on a treadmill for thirty minutes? By the end, Lesley “exits” her cardboard reality via wide shot, showing off how the illusion of her forest
Our team was collectively impressed by the creativity at which Ireland presented their rehearsal today. However, they have their work cut out for them however. A smoother transition from story to reality would make both parts of the act more meaningful. If they can achieve this and Lesley can stay in tune / in breath throughout, we might be looking at another Emerald Isle qualification.
You can see what Ireland’s staging looks like from afar via this official vid:
What do #YOU think of Lesley’s rehearsal? Has she finally tried the right face? Share your thoughts with us in the comments, on our forum HERE or on social media!
