WEBLINKS
| |
The 麻豆官网首页入口 is not responsible for the content of external websites.
|
 |  | Reviewed by Victoria Minett of the Coventry and Warwickshire Website Team
Elvis, Roy Orbison, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly and most of the greats from the birth of popular music climbed the three steps to Heaven many years ago and, as it says in the song, with all them up there, there's sure to be one hell of a band.
Seeing the aforementioned playing on the same bill has to be the ultimate dream of every rocker and theatre impresario Bill Kenwright has tried to make this dream come true with Rock n Roll Heaven - a kind of Stars in Their Eyes tribute to the great and the dead.
The stage show, which opened at the Belgrade on 4 November as part of its second nation-wide tour, features no story as such, just a collection of singers and musicians impersonating the biggest stars and playing the best-known and loved songs from the era.
With limited staging and lighting, just bands like they used to be (and should be - a proper drummer at the back instead of inside a computer) faithfully recreate an era when the cars were long and the tunes lasted no more than three minutes.
The cast, while clearly very talented, are a bit hit and miss in their interpretations. Kludo White in particular stood out as he tackled Eddie Cochran and while he didn't quite capture the snarl of the raunchy rock n roll rebel, he did manage to get his voice almost spot-on.
Shane Coretese was also great as the housewives favourite Rick Nelson - while looking impossibly young and twinkly-eyed.
Brummie Reuven Gershon got Buddy Holly off to a T in the sound-a-like department, though his glasses were more Chris Evans than Buddy and his suit was about two sizes too big.
Special mention has to go to Fergus Moriaty, who will go down in history as being the worst Elvis Presley I have ever seen - a pink jacket does not an Elvis make.
He didn't sound like him, looked about 20 years too old and turned the King into a caricature with his mannerisms; limp wristed hand shaking that was more Julian Clary than Elvis and hand wringing that looked like Mike Yarwood "doing" Prince Charles.
But still, even he could not ruin the show, which is glued together by some incredibly talented backing musicians, who as a band were tighter than a DA.
Kludo who took over as a rhythm guitarist after his stint as Chochran, was superb, and an excellent young guitarist and keyboard player in the shape of David Ephgrave was as smooth as they come.
All the great songs are here, Are You Lonesome Tonight, Hearbeat, It's Late, Runaway and, the particularly brilliant, Somethin' Else so if you're after a night of rip-roaring nostalgia with tunes straight from an original Wurlitzer, the musical can provide your own slice of Rock n Roll Heaven.
|
