Theatre addicts like me can get a bit desperate in January. The lack of new shows and the profusion of deals encourage a recklessness that leads to going to good shows again or trying ify ones…..and so it was with this…..
The surprise was that I thought it was rather good fun. It’s not my favourite musical period or genre, but the fact that it’s well staged and performed and that it sends itself up mercilessly made it worth the visit.
The book is marginally better than We Will Rock You – where that show has a banality index of 10 (max), this one’s 8. A rock club is threatened with closure because a nasty German businessman wants to pull down and redevelop the whole block. Oh, and there’s an on-off love story between the waiter and the waitress (who moonlights as an exotic dancer; cue scantily clad ladies pole dancing), and of course, it has a happy ending.
The rock soundtrack is sung and played extremely well and there’s masses of neon, fireworks, glitter balls and things that fall from the ceiling into the auditorium. If its tongue were not firmly in its cheek, it would be brash, crude and misogynistic - well, it is brash, crude and misogynistic, but in a self deprecating and somewhat harmless way.
They must have been trying out understudys as we had five, including some of the leads, but without that slip of paper (and, sadly,knowing what Shane Warne actually looks like), you’d never know it. It’s very slickly staged and choreographed and the sound is excellent – a lot lot better than Matilda down the road.
Maybe dull Januarys have a purpose after all. - Gareth James
22 Jan 12
My wife and I saw this show as a joint birthday present, we're both fans of west end musicals and I am unashamedly a fan of the bands whose songs appeared in the show.
What a great show with some stellar performances from the cast and band. The actors who played Lonny, Drew and Sherrie were superb. Justin Lee COLLINS and Shayne WARD were first class and the ensemble worked their socks off to support the main characters. In short, this is one of the most energetic shows we've seen for a long time.
Credit must also go to the guys in the band who played some great 80s rock and metal songs superbly. The actors who sang the songs could all go out and make albums tomorrow....I know that Shayne's already done that but you know what I mean!!!
Is this show camp....Yes!
Is this show funny...Yes!
Is the music good ...Yes!
Show you go and see it...Yes!!!!
This is a feel good musical and with all the doom and gloom around at the moment, go and brighten up your day or weekend by seeing this. It will make you wanna rock, and if you had long hair and loved Poison etc in their hay day, then you will shed a tear for those halcyon days....just like I did!
Rock On!!!! - Jock
08 Jan 12
Best night out i have had in ages, good to have a laugh,smiled all the way through, left with a good feeling, met the cast after got loads of pictures,if lived in London would go again. - Pauline Heron
18 Nov 11
Went to see this at the weekend and had a great time. The whole audience joined in on the singing and waving of our pretend lighters and it was a full house! Go and see this if you're up for some fun! Only downpoint was that shayne didn't sing that's my goal! - Ann
15 Nov 11
Had high hopes for this but was very disappointed. The show is dire, the book is poor and the whole production is not west end standard at all. Can't see it lasting much longer, the upper circle was closed and the stalls/dress circle were only half full...says it all really. Definitely one to avoid. - Sam
28 Oct 11
Am amazed at how what is essentially a campy, fun musical is dividing people. I had an absolute ball, and this is not really my kind of music. The cast are sensational, the script is cheesily and cheekily funny, and the songs and staging are massively exhularating. Can't wait to see it again. - ajh
03 Oct 11
Quite disappointing and will be surprised if it lasts. I thought Shayne and Justin Lee were both wasted in their roles. Considering the great new shows that have had to close like Betty Blue Eyes and Lend Me A Tenor, I can not see this going on for long - Joe Spiteri
02 Oct 11
A fun night out, dont take things so seriously its called having a good time,look how long we will rock you has run and it was slated.
- Bob
29 Sep 11
Absolute fun from start to finish. It makes no apologies for being a jukebox rock musical comedy. Seen it twice and seeing it again. My 65 year-old mother (and huge theatre fan of may years) was up and dancing and she's returning to see it again as well. - Matt
29 Sep 11
My wife and I saw this show last night (Gala Evening) and we were sorely disappointed! We see a lot of London shows and, sadly, this ranks amongst the worst we've seen ever! The performers were fine but the whole thing lacks any sort of substance and, at times, the storyline is inane and really quite offensive. If it lasts more than six months it will be five months too long and to extend the run whilst it is still in preview is foolhardy in the extreeme!! - A W
29 Sep 11
I lived through all this rock stuff without really noticing it at the time. Coming to it now, it all seems rather harmless and thankfully not too loud. What I really object to is the feeble 'plot' which strings these numbers together in an oh so tedious and unfunny manner where 'send-up' is misinterpreted as a chance to cynically patronise its undemanding audience out for a beer and a laugh. What really says most about the show and its audience is the bottled beer sold in the aisles during the performance - this is second-rate musical theatre as nostalgic rock concert without the mud. Please send it out on tour without delay and release another West End theatre for something worthy of a higher star-rating.
Having now caught up with the reviews, there is most obviously a chasm between the critics who say "a load of poo", pointing out the show's deficiencies, and the fans who have a great night out. It's also interesting that some newspapers have not sent their theatre critics to see this, choosing instead journalists with an interest in rock. The audiences that choose to see this just for the music may like it, they may not notice or care about the sexism and stereotyping, they may not even realise they are seeing a poor quality theatre show, and the producers will know they have struck gold by selling trash. There are two sides to the fence so now you have read the opinions just decide which gang you want to join. Popularity never did equal quality. - Mikey
29 Sep 11
What a fun night out! I'd happily go see the show again. Perhaps the story isn't very original, but the show certainly is heaps of fun and had me plastered with a smile on my face the entire way through! Also, a mention must be made to the incredibly talented cast including Oliver Tompsett, Simon Lipkin, Sandy Moffat and Jodie Jacobs. - RT
29 Sep 11
what a bunch of party poopers you all are & if you dont like rock music or anything remotely funny or raunchy, why bother going at all ? I loved this show, its hilarious with a hugely talented cast, most notable of which is Shayne Ward,who was surprisingly good with wonderful vocals. Dont listen to the old fuddy duddy critics,check out twitter feedback for a more realistic opinion. Go see ! - sally ann
29 Sep 11
The one Star is for the poor cast who try so hard in this terrible show...It's all very desperate... - Tim
29 Sep 11
Agree that this is difficult to review as the fans will love it regardless of critics(as has been shown by some of the strong comments on twitter about reviews).
However for non fans this has to be one of the weakest shows to make it into town in a long time. Hats off to the cast for Herculian efforts in trying to make it work but dire book, b-list songs and weak direction make it hard to see this lasting long in the West End. - Phil
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