Rock of Ages

Athenaeum Masqueraders

ROCK OF AGES

As seen by Matthew Heaton, NODA SW Regional Councillor on Saturday 25th May October for Delia Lee, NODA SW District 10 Representative

Director: Donna-Kate Hargreaves

Musical Director:  Kris Nock

Choreographer: Joni Carpenter

Producer: Natalie Dell

The Athenaeum, Warminster

Rock of Ages is a bold and exaggerated jukebox musical built around classic rock songs from the 1980s featuring songs from Whitesnake, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Steve Perry, Poison and Europe, amongst  others.  Written by Chris D'Arienzo, with music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Ethan Popp, the original Broadway production ran for 2,328 performances, tied as the 32nd-longest running show in Broadway history. Since debuting in 2009, there have been replica productions in many counties including the UK, running from 2011 to 2013 years at the Shaftesbury and Garrick Theatres, followed by two national tours. During the show, the performers frequently break the "fourth wall", directly addressing the audience and seemingly forgetting (or perhaps reminding the audience) that they are actors in a musical.

The show, set in the 1980s in the Bourbon Room bar/club on West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, needs big hair, big guitars, big characters, plenty of spark, energy, fun and audience involvement to be a success and I’m pleased to says that the Masqueraders certainly managed all of this to create a most enjoyable night out.

The fixed-set was impressive and the open curtain allowed us to see this before the start of the production. It was comprised of a rear platform for the band, a tall SL platform (projecting from the back wall forward, with a front staircase extending nearly to the downstage edge) and a lower SR platform towards the front of the stage. Good use was made of the side stage extensions with a great dance pole for the ‘Gentlemen’s’ Club far Stage Right. The set worked well with creating levels, though it did restrict the space available if many of the 22 cast were on stage at once and certainly if there was any significant choreography. I was wondering if perhaps moving the smaller SR platform to the rear (which would also have covered the rear stage entry point) and reduced the size of the SL platform could have assisted here, without affecting the overall style of the production. A good use of varied entry and exit locations was made, using both the side door and rear entry points to the auditorium too. Properties are not a key aspect of this show, but were appropriate where used.

The lighting and visual effects used were varied and supported the style and staging of the production. A range of conventional and LED lighting were combined with some nice colouring, effects and haze to give the complete rock effect. It was a complex set-up, but it never overpowered the performances. There was some nice use of smoke cannon and front pyrotechnics for the finale also.  The projection had some nice touches and was used sparingly. A visual treat overall!

This is difficult show to set sound for due to the live band on-stage being usually behind the performers and the volume and style of many of the numbers. Principals in general were very good in balancing with the band – Stacee being quite so softly spoken was a technical challenge.  We did struggle to hear the ensemble in the chorus numbers, so a lot of their harmonies in this music could not be heard. This was a shame as many of the cast where quite clearly giving it everything!

The costumes were well put-together and very much in keeping with the period, from the denim to the leggings, T-Shirts and black leather studded items. No-one onstage felt awkward with the skimpier requirements. Hair was suitably ‘big’, without too much backcombing. Make-up matched the look of the period. Well done overall!

Direction. The production pitched itself well. The show is designed to not take itself and the conventions of musical theatre too seriously and you achieved this whilst maintaining professionalism in performance and our belief in the characters and the cast. The show requires breaking the 4th wall, starting with Lonny’s conversations with the audience and later interacting with them to encourage the connection without over-doing it. This is an entertaining and amusing show and you really made the most of the verbal and physical humour within and there were many laugh-out-loud moments. The energy and enthusiasm of the whole cast was evident in the larger scenes.

In terms of the principal performances:

Lonny Barnett . This is a great fun part that you really excelled in. Your charisma and humour settled the audience into the feel of the show, as both the Narrator and principal breaker of the 4th wall. You sang and moved well too and built up a great relationship with Dennis. A really great performance.

Dennis Dupree. You took the laid-back Bar Owner to a new level, with a different spin on the ageing, fatherly rocker with more of a ‘Summer of Love’ feel, which I really enjoyed. Your relationship with Lonny was great fun, with ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ being one of the highlights of the whole production. Very well done!

Drew Boley. With a performing maturity for a leading role way beyond your years, you presented an edgier, more knowing Drew than is usually performed, which worked well. Your energy on stage seemed endless and was infectious!  Drew is a really difficult vocal performance with some ridiculously high notes and you did seem to be forcing your voice quite hard to hit some of these. Do seek out other techniques to achieve this and look after your voice. There was a lovely duet with Sherrie towards the end of Act 2, which demonstrated your great vocal control when not strained. You had the audience on your side from the very start, which is the key to this role. Great work overall.

Sherrie Christian. You had both the sweetness and the sass to make a real success of this part.  You acted the party realty well, with the full range of emotional contrasts that the part needs, but your comic-timing and expression was quite exceptional. Your singing voice was clear and very well-controlled, and handled some quite complex and difficult songs with apparent ease. A really lovely performance.

Justice Charlier. You really made the most of this part, building an excellent and believable character with a strong stage presence and an incredible singing voice - Every Rose has its Thorn was a real highlight of a memorable performance.

Regyna. You put together well this character’s transformation from Mayor’s PA to fearless Chief Protester. You performed really well across all your disciplines of dialogue, vocals and dancing with some nice comic timing and touches. Nice work!

Hertz Klinneman. You played the bad-guy German Property Magnet with energy and conviction and certainly had fun with the part (and the accent!). The shear speed of your line delivery and accent did mean that on occasion it was difficult to hear all you said, but overall, you made the most of this fun character.

Franz Klinneman. As a young performer in your first major musical, Franz is not an easy part to start with, but you certainly had fun of the role and made it your own as you rebelled against your evil father. You kept the part going very well in terms of acting, singing and dancing and made a believable son to Hertz. You will refine and develop your performance skills further I’m sure by continuing to take on different and challenging roles such as this.

Stacee Jaxx  A great fun part too this one, whom you played with more of a laid-back style than I’ve seen before, but still successfully This worked well in ensuring you kept the audience with you throughout, despite the character’s highly questionable morals! 

Mayor / Jakeith. Nicely performed with nice contrasting styles so that each role was quite distinct from the other.

Constance and Waitress 1– well done both of you on what you were required to cover to support the production.

The ensemble work was very good in this production and no matter how it is divided up, there is an awful lot to cover. Starting with the choreography, this show needs real conviction to make it work – some of it is quite raunchy and physical and your energy and focus were able to deliver this, even within the space constraints mentioned. There was a good range of 1980s dance styles and moves used, which were also matched to the abilities of the cast.  Actions and reactions from the cast were generally excellent too, with each twist and turn of the story.

In terms of the ensemble singing, as we have said this was difficult to hear with the amplification methods available. There is an awful lot of excellent multi-part harmony in the musical, so it was a shame not to be able to hear this.

Last, but by no means least, we need to mention the Band, who made an impressive sound from their onstage position. The size of the space available for them was tight and perhaps restricted their ability to build their own characters and interact more with the actors around them as is often seen, though this is not an essential requirement. Working from a balcony position to control both the band and the performers must have been a real challenge for the Musical Director, who held it all-together successfully.

In summary, this was a great fun production from The Masqueraders, with what is a very challenging show to put on. The show was to a good standard and in keeping the sense of self-knowing and fun that this show requires. The level of enjoyment and togetherness amongst the cast was very evident. I really enjoyed my travel back in time with you!  Many congratulations to all involved both on and off stage. I wish you every success with your future productions.

PLEASE NOTE:

Any observation made by the reviewer can only be based on what he sees at the performance in question.  The reviewer may have received information in advance of the performance and it is inevitable that his assessment will be effected by that knowledge.

The N.O.D.A. Representative’s intention is to give an objective critique of the overall production and in particular the performance viewed.  It should be remembered that any review of this nature can only be objective as far as the techniques used during the performance observed.  Any criticisms expressed may not have been valid at other performances, and are only made to encourage higher standards in Amateur Theatre.

It is hoped that the audience’s appreciation of your efforts will have given everyone a lift and encouraged you to greater achievements in the future and that the observations made by the reviewer will prove helpful in improving future productions.

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