REVIEW - Rock Of Ages - It's up there with the best shows you'll ever see!!!

One of our trusted reviewers, Lindsay Harris, loved her evening at the Manchester Opera House as she attended Rock Of Ages on Wednesday. The musical runs until Saturday so book today if you want to see this amazing show!

I have seen so many musicals I am starting to lose count so I don’t easily class a show as a favourite but after seeing Rock of Ages last time it was in Manchester I quickly decided that it was one of the top of my list. So obviously I was really looking forward to seeing it again when it hit Manchester again this week. There’s always a worry that things won't be as good the second time around but I wasn’t disappointed.

The show is set in Dennis Dupree’s Bourbon Room on Sunset Strip L.A. and the set has all of the lights, stage, bar etc that you’d expect in the club including the band that are on stage all of the way through the show. Dupree this time was played by Ross Dawes who was entirely believable in his part as a jaded Rock club owner and pulled off some very impressive cartwheels, which led to a loss of breath and some on stage giggles prompting huge cheers from the audience.

The whole show is brought together by the Narrator, Joe Gash, who is also Lonny, sound engineer in the club. He slips between the two roles as the show goes on and is beyond hilarious.  As the narrator, he refers to the fact that he’s in a musical, reads from Musicals for Dummies to check how to end Act 1, he encourages all the audience participation that you’d want in a show like this and involved one poor lady in the audience all of the way through - much to everyone’s amusement. His humour is smutty to say the least and there are lots of jokes that might make some people blush. It all adds to the hilarity of the show. Gash plays this role so well, I am convinced he must be like his character in real life. He looks like he’d be great on a night out. He is cooky, bouncy, rude and his vocals and dancing were perfect. He is everybody’s favourite character and Gash’s stage presence is incredible. All eyes are on him in every scene.

Kevin Clifton is the shows big name and plays Rock Star Stacie Jaxx. I wasn’t sure that he would make a convincing Stacie when I heard it was him, but he blew it out of the water. He was sexy, arrogant, had rock star vocals and his moves had it all. He is my new favourite Stacie for sure!

The main love story, that Lonny the Narrator tells is us essential in a musical, is between Drew (Luke Walsh, who actually played Drew last time I saw the show aswell) and  Rhiannon Chesterman as Sherrie. Chesterman had played Regina in the show last time I saw it and I remembered her strong vocals. The two play their strong parts convincingly with outstanding vocals.

There was a few other actors familiar from the last time I saw the show and the entire cast are outstanding. The plot takes us through the story of the cast trying to save the club from destruction and Drew trying to become a rock star. The choreography is impressive. The score is one that you’ll struggle not to join in with too. I’ve been listening to it regularly since the last time I saw it. Big 80’s rock classics such as The Final Countdown, Dead or Alive, Hit me with your Best Shot, the list is endless. The jokes are frequent and the way that the cast refer to being in a musical by calling the other waitress ‘waitress number 1’ and mentioning the ensemble, all add to the funny chaos of the show that we all love.

It really is the best night out you’ll have! So much fun, the audience were all on their feet for the finale, singing and dancing to Don’t Stop Believing and it was clear to see that everyone had had an amazing night. I honestly cannot recommend Rock of Ages enough. If like me you love the classic rock songs, and you want to come out of a show with a sore face from laughing so much, you must book tickets and get there whilst you can. It’s smutty, it’s loud, it’s hilarious - It’s rock and roll. Go and see it - as you're in for treat!

WE SCORE ROCK OF AGES - 10/10!!!

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