Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages, set in 1987, is a jukebox musical based around classic rock songs of the 1980s.  The musical features a range of well-known numbers including ‘The Final Countdown’ and ‘Don’t Stop Believing’. The plot for this musical, centres on Drew, an aspiring rock star, and small-town girl Sherrie.  The story is set in The Bourbon Room, the seedy, sordid, vibrant heart of the Sunset Strip and the impending demolition of the club. The music venue has seen better days, but run by former rock impresario Dennis Dupree, and tended to by Dennis’s mischievous assistant Lonny, it is the essence of rock and roll. This is a vibrant, high-energy production during which performers regularly break ‘the fourth wall’, reminding the audience that they are actors within the story. 

RADMTC did not fail to bring this production to life.  From the moment it started until the very end, the energy and quality of this production was evident.   

The show opened and we were introduced to Lonny Barnett played by Ashley McAllister.  Lonny is one of the male leads in the production and narrates much of the story. This requires a strong actor and singer who can be funny and put the audience at ease. Ashley immediately had the audience in the palm of his hand with a very charismatic portrayal of Lonny.  Ashley had excellent rapport with the audience, a fabulous singing voice and hooked us in straight away. A superb performance.   

Keenan McGuinness took on the role of Drew Boley, a young, aspiring rocker.  Drew is naïve yet determined to achieve his goal of breaking into the world of rock and roll. Slightly goofy at times while also endearing himself to the audience, Keenan achieved his objective and gave a solid performance with great vocals.     

The role of Dennis was performed by George Kelly.  Dennis is an older rocker, and this role requires strong acting skills and a strong singing voice.  This character is often partnered with Lonny, and it is important that this is a convincing, bromance.  George embraced this character exquisitely and gave an excellent acting and singing performance. The duet between Dennis and Lonny was fantastic. Great singing and very funny! 

Sheree Christian was played by Tia Breese. Sheree is a small-town girl who longs for a more promising future in the bustling city. Her character embodies hope, ambition, and the desire to break free from the limitations of her hometown. She strives for something greater, which resonates with audiences and adds depth to the story.  Tia achieved the profile for this role and gave a brilliant performance in all disciplines, singing, acting and dancing.  While I enjoyed all the songs Tia performed, I particularly enjoyed her rendition of ‘Words’.  

A super performance by Michael Bradshaw as Stacee Jaxx.  A self-obsessed rockstar who did not fail to act as the villain while making the audience laugh with his antics.  A very engaging performance.  Michael had a strong presence on stage.  A fabulous performance. 

The role of Justice Charlier was taken by seasoned performer Nikki Jones.  Nikki has an outstanding voice and blows me away with her vocals.  This character requires the actor to portray a strong but compassionate woman.  Nikki fulfilled the requirements of the role perfectly and was tremendous with her endearing, sassy performance. 

Lori Haynes was formidable.  A strong, dramatic advocate for the city’s rock and roll roots, Lori played the role of Regina Koontz with passion.  Her presence on stage suited her larger-than-life character and her strong vocals were fabulous. 

Hertz Klinemann (Garry Clements) and Franz Klinemann ((John Brennan) provided many comic moments throughout.  Garry’s dogmatic portrayal of the real-estate developer, wanting to change the soul of the city with his development plans was strong and completely appropriate.  The juxtaposition of him and the laid-back characters of Dennis and Lonny worked very well creating sympathy from the audience.  His desperation for his son to follow in his footsteps created a different dynamic which also gave the audience a sense of satisfaction when Franz eventually stands up to his father and follows his own dream.  This is an important role and is needed to create tension within the story.  Congratulations to Garry on his performance.   

John gave us a lovely, warm portrayal of Franz.  Trying to do the right thing for his family while secretly harbouring his own dreams, this actor was quickly able to gain the sympathy of the audience while his antics kept us laughing.  Great work John. 

This show boasted a strong ensemble, with many super performances throughout.  Smaller character parts such as the mayor, mother and father, Ja’Keith, Constance and Joey, added positively to the production. I would however, like to mention Clare Thomas who played the waitress.  A super performance Clare.  Great singing and a lovely stage presence.   

The set for this production was minimal however, the use of projection on the back screen, set the scenes very well.  As an audience, we knew immediately where the scene was taking place.  As the stage was required to accommodate a large cast, this was good use of the area.   

While there were a few sound issues in the first half, these were quickly ironed out and did not distract from the overall quality of the production. The lighting was appropriate and added to the ambience of the piece. 

The choreography throughout was excellent. Simple, structured dance moves were used during larger group routines.  This resulted in slick, synchronised movements.  A super technique that added quality to the dances. The costumes added to the impact of the performance and were completely right for this show, congratulations Del, Jackie and Sarah.   

All the musical numbers, under the guidance of Cameron Williams, were excellent.  The harmonies and quality of singing was an outstanding element of the production. 

This is a fun production that enjoys playing with the conventions of musical theatre. The Director Rob Stevens brought this story to life with terrific casting and a very capable support network!  I am sure he is very proud of his team and what they have all achieved together.   

Thank you RADMTC for a great night of amateur theatre.  I look forward to seeing what you bring us in the future. 

This views in this report are solely the opinion of the writer. 

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