Donny and Marie at the O2 Arena

Celebrating a mammoth five decades in show business, two of America’s favourite family, the Osmonds, are back with more sequins than Liza Minelli’s underwear drawer to “bring L.A to London”. With middle-aged fans swarming in from all sides of the arena, screams of “Donny!” are deafening – reminiscent of a time long gone. After a huge back catalogue of hits, have the brother-sister act still got what it takes to wow a crowd?

The duo appear on the stage for a short rendition of It Takes Two, both looking effortlessly stylish and unfazed by the massive crowd of shrieking fans. Not wasting any time, they break straight into an up-tempo dance routine to a medley of Get This Party Started, Knock on Wood and Dancing in the Street. The pair could very well still be teenagers, such is their energy.

Marie is charming in a sequin dress, thanking the audience graciously. She is comically self-deprecating, making jokes about her age while strutting about the stage in skyscraper heels. Her set is an impressive mash up of songs and genres, beginning with seductive renditions of Walk This Way and These Boots Were Made for Walking. Glugging from a bottle of water, she sassily states: “And you thought Mormons couldn’t drink,” making yet another dig at herself, but the public clearly adore her. Flirting with her audience, she runs through a medley of her country back catalogue, Paper Roses being a standout.

The moment of many a 70s teenage girl’s dream: Donny takes to the stage in a glaring red shirt for an energetic and rocky account of Crazy Horses. He has every woman in the audience crying with heartbreak when he sings Puppy Love. Whilst he is entertaining, Donny is slightly arrogant – and why shouldn’t he be, with an arena full of women fawning over him? – but still, he gives himself one too many fist pumps throughout the night, instead of tending to his audience. Launching into a medley of Celebrate, Taio Cruz’s Dynamite and quite awkwardly Gangnam Style, something has gone awry. The medley is cringe-worthy at best.

The night ends with the siblings’ most recent hit, Beautiful Life, which is slightly too “world peace”, but the audience lap it up, clearly satisfied with the nostalgia infused evening. The duo are enthusiastic and charming and the set eclectic, a glittering medley of rock, country, opera and theatre.

Caitlin Middleton 
Photos: Helen Parish

Donny and Marie Osmond are touring the UK until February 2^nd 2013. For further information or to book visit Donny Osmond’s website here.

Watch the video for The Good Life here: