New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
14th November, 2018, matinee
“I just wanna Rock!”
Having come to Rock of
Ages with no prior reference other than the 2012 film version (mostly
memorable for featuring a surprisingly entertaining performance from Tom Cruise)
I was… let’s say unprepared for the stage show. It’s an altogether louder, more
unsavoury affair.
Lightyears away from the sun-dappled romance of La La Land, the LA of Rock of Ages’ mid-to-late 1980’s is a
grimy cesspit of drugs, booze and other sticky substances that don’t bear
contemplating. All that dare enter the backstreet bars in search of fame and
fortune are doomed to failure. The show opens to the slamming riffs of David
Lee Roth’s ‘Just Like Paradise’. Quite.
Emceeing our journey into the world of pleather,
hair-crimping and screaming guitar solos is ex-drummer turned sound guy, Lonny
(Lucas Rush). Lonny’s role is to simultaneously take the piss out of musical
theatre and 80’s hair-rock, as his
frequent pirouetting, jazz hands and jokes about White Snake and ‘serious theatre’ demonstrate. Rush builds up a
rapport with the audience and plays Lonny with enough tongue-in-cheek humour to
just about get away with the more questionable aspects of the narrative.
Drew (Luke Walsh) is a cleaner at the Bourbon Room bar but
dreams of rocking the world as his superstar musician alter-ego, Wolfgang von
Colt. There he meets Sherrie (Danielle Hope), a wannabe actress and the girl of
his dreams. After a series of misunderstandings and one-night-stands the two
are separated; Drew is signed to a record label and Sherrie is forced to work
as a stripper in the Venus Gentleman’s Club. Add into the mix rock frontman and
serial perv, Stacee Jaxx (Sam Ferriday), a couple of camp Germen business men,
and a ‘right on’ activist named Regina (rhymes with vagina) and you’ve got a
musical that leaps from oddity to oddity.
Post-#MeToo, Rock of
Ages seems borderline offensive in its objectification of women and
presents a world in which sexual assault and exploitation is a just a joke and
results in no ramifications. Knowing that Strictly
Come Dancing’s Kevin Clifton is due to take over the role of Jaxx next year
one does wonder how his squeaky-clean image will be affected by blasé jokes
about statutory rape… (yes, I know it’s only ‘acting’, but it seems an odd role
with which to make his stage debut). Chris D’Arienzo’s book also features
‘jokes’ about Nazis, the LGBT community, bestiality, mental illness and more.
It’s fair to say the lack of irony means most of them don’t exactly have the
audience rolling in their seats. The best gags are the cleaner ones, believe it
or not. Rush’s general mickey-taking is amusing, and there are some good gags
at the expense of the film and the casting of Kevin ‘Curly Watts’ Kennedy as
Dennis.
The second act certainly shows more heart with its
celebration of friendship (‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’) – although the feelings
that Lonny and Dennis admit they have for each other are decidedly
non-explicit, a weird contrast to the endless tit and cock gags that precede it
– and expressions of regret (‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’ is a musical
highlight). The finale featuring karaoke classic, ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ is a rousing
high to end on, although I still begrudge being told to ‘get up and join in’.
Danielle Hope is as watchable as ever in a role that is quite
a departure from her Dorothy days. She makes the audience care about Sherrie, a
role which is otherwise underwritten, playing her with a characteristic warmth
and honesty. As Drew, Walsh is an undeniably excellent singer, reaching high
notes most can only dream of, and his relative innocence is a nice contrast to
the other male characters’ sleaziness.
My bewilderment is perhaps influenced by seeing Rock of Ages at a midweek matinee; with
a half-full auditorium of less-than-enthused retired couples it must have been
a chore for the cast to raise a party atmosphere. Yet, for what should be an
uplifting piece of escapism, the show is ponderously pessimistic. My
prescription: less grime, more glitter and female empowerment.
Rock of Ages is touring the UK, currently booking
up until July 2019. For more information please visit: http://www.rockofagesmusical.co.uk/tour/
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| The cast of Rock of Ages. Credit: Richard Davenport. |
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