12:28pm Thursday 15th July 2010
BACK in the Fifties a generation of teenagers, personified by wild pianist Jerry Lee Lewis with his Balls of Fire, Chuck Berry and his sublime guitar licks and innuendo lyrics and, of course, quiff-wearing Elvis gyrating his hips to Blue Suede Shoes, were anathema to the established order.
Times move on and what was once cutting edge is now neatly packaged and sold back to us as nostalgia. Shows like this and Dreamboats and Petticoats are, in reality, a cynical ploy to make money.
Having said that, this is a highly professional show and in return for your dosh you get two hours of great rock and roll songs.
With no storyline, the driving force is the continuous music.
Played by a superb live fourpiece band and sung by six singers-come-dancers, they are supported by eight excellent dancers in their dazzling array of outfits.
Emmerdale star Roxanne Pallett leads the cast through every rock ’n’ roll classic you can imagine. The pace is relentless as Buddy Holly, Elvis, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, The Platters, the Four Seasons, Jerry Lee Lewis and many more are fondly remembered.
The audience loved this from the opening number and by the end, everyone was on their feet.
No one with a musical soul can watch this and not get involved in the party. It’s an up-tempo, hand clapping, singalong nostalgia trip down memory lane that may be cheesy, but is hugely entertaining.
■ Runs until Saturday.
Tickets: £10.50-£24.50. Box Office: 08448-112-121 theatreroyal.co.uk
Ed Waugh
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