Review: Million Dollar Quartet (Curve, Leicester)
Selecting a historic event and then zooming in with a dramatist’s magnifying tool would ideally bring clarity and sharpness to what’s in view, and yet much of Million Dollar Quartet is blurred by an insistence to pack so much in, not least around 20 of the best rock ‘n’ roll songs you’ll ever hear.
Opening last night before an eight-month UK tour, this energetic show has a clever conceit – a night in December 1956 at Sun Records, Memphis, when Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis gathered and improvised music together in the studios owned by Sam Phillips, the man who had given each of them their showbiz break. "I made them boys," he says.
With Jason Donovan in the only non-singing role as Phillips and a group of actor-musicians as the rock ‘n’ roll stars, audiences can look forward to quite brilliant renditions of tracks including "Walk the Line", "Great Balls of Fire" and "Fever" (the latter a showstopper from Katie Ray as Presley’s girlfriend).
In Ian Talbot‘s production, Donovan narrates the action which helps in transferring information to us quickly but Phillips is such a flat character it is hard to engage with him. Age differences aside – Phillips was in his early 30s when in 1956 – Donovan is spirited but such a thin story prevents momentum.
Matthew Wycliffe plays Perkins, Martin Kaye is Lee Lewis, Robbie Durham is musically convincing as Cash and Ross William Wild is the King. Among the actors the musicianship from Wycliffe, a slick guitarist, and pianist Kaye is particularly impressive, as is drumming from Ben Cullingworth and James Swinnerton on double bass as part of the studio band. Kaye, now in his fifth year in the show having joined from the Las Vegas production, offers a character in need of a payday loan when we meet him. On the brink of stardom himself, his Jerry has a messy personal life but his wit gets him by, as does the way he attacks the piano as if he might kill it.
Huge letters hang above the stage at the start, declaring the date when the singers met and adding how ‘that night they made rock ‘n’ roll history’. OK, we get it. It was true. Or sort of true anyway. A number of references are weaved into Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux‘s script, presumably to provide authenticity, yet the overall effect is a bit like Wikipedia set to music.
For example, there is friction between Presley and Perkins over Elvis cashing in on "Blue Suede Shoes", a Perkins composition, and a nudge and a wink at Lee Lewis’ marriages – funny, yes, and they get big laughs but the unsettling truth of what was to come later in his life is there.
In terms of story, very little happens in the first act. Tension escalates to some degree after the interval but the story is slight and, in any case, the plot point I cannot mention probably did not happen like this anyway.
Does it matter? Probably not. In truth, we might be pushing our luck to expect so much music, a compelling story and richly drawn characters in a shade over two hours. Million Dollar Quartet will, indeed, make a million (or two) and has enjoyed success on Broadway and in the West End.
It’s a crowd-pleaser but Donovan looked a little forlorn as the last of the numbers belted out and still he didn’t get to sing. Like me, maybe he was hoping for more. Ten stars for the tunes, two for the play.
Million Dollar Quartet runs at the Curve, Leicester until 24 September before continuing on tour.
