Don't Need Nothing, But a Good Time! - Rock of Ages, 4.2.13 Garrick Theatre, London

 On Monday the 4th I returned to London, to once again hit the West End.  This time was to see 'Rock of Ages' at its new home at the Garrick Theatre! This was my second time seeing the show having been in the audience last August while it was playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre, and when it ended I knew I had to see it again!

First off Garrick Theatre, in my opinion a lot bigger than Shaftesbury, and the stage seemed wider! I had ordered the tickets that were on an offer for £35 for the stalls, which had placed us in Row P and dead centre of the stage. at first the seats felt fine, we were underneath the Dress Circle so we had coverage but it didn't prevent an restrictions of sight to the stage and could view the whole thing, it wasn't until other audience members sat in front of us that it would of been a problem, as those in front really blocked our view! Now being it was a Monday night, and I could see it wasn't a full house in the audience, my friend and I could spot a Row that wasn't being used and just before the performance started we ran and sat dead centre in this row! Closer to the stage, and just about under the Dress Circle and those in front weren't an issue. So when booking seats in the stalls I suggest closer the better and when you get to say Row M, I would say if you have someone in front you may be in for a awkward view from those who are sitting in front of you! I cannot give any advice on the Dress Circle as this was my first time in This Theatre. Also be aware that this theatre I believe may be just above a underground rail, as throughout the performance you do tend to get a little bit of a rumble and vibration on your feet as a train is coming past, however the music is so loud you tend to ignore it after the first few trains.

 

Now before I go into the synopsis if you like myself saw this musical after watching the Film version staring Tom Cruise please do not think of the films story line FORGET IT and go in with an empty mine as the musical is completely DIFFERENT in certain ways and also in my opinion better!

 

Rock of Ages is based in the 80s where ROCK was on everyone's radio! the setting is on the Sunset Strip of Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.  We are first introduced to Lonny 'The Sound Guy' and Narrator of the show throughout, he works at the famous bar/club 'The Bourbon Room' which is owned by Dennis Dupree, working within this bar is Drew or wannabe rock star Wolfgang Von Colt! Then 3,337 waffle houses away in Payola, Kansas we are introduced to Sherrie, a young Wannabe Actress who travels to Hollywood looking for fame, she gets a job (thanks to Drew) at 'The Bourbon Room', there friendship blooms and love is on the horizon until...The Sunset Strip is in trouble, by Hertz and his Son Franz, coming from Germany they want to turn the Strip to provide 'Clean efficient Living' and knock it all down, including 'The Bourbon Room.' Not everyone supports this change and led by Regina, protest are run along the strip, and end in the public chaining themselves to the bar to prevent demolition! Inside Dennis has his way of improving the adequate tax revenue of the Bar, by Hiring the top rock band 'Arsenal' on their last night of their final tour, for lead stinger Stacee Jaxx is planning on going solo.  When he arrives he woos Sherrie, (in the men's toilets) and asks for her to be let go straight after.  Drew upset by this, goes on to be the opening band for Arsenal and gets spotted by an Agent saying he is going to make it big. Drew quits his job, and Sherrie is left out in the cold after running out of the Bar, but is spotted by Justice the owner of the Gentlemen's Club 'Venus Club' and brings her in and offers her a job, Sherrie reluctantly accepts, and we end Act 1 on Drew in hope of fulfilling his dream in making it big, and Sherrie performing as a stripper.

In Act 2 we start with the beginning of the demolition of the strip, and the protestors are hot on their feet to help prevent it! it is here we witness how much Franz doesn't really want to be part of it all and starts to become closer to Regina. Elsewhere Sherrie is starting to settle into the life of a stripper, however she doesn't really feel its exactly the way to live her life, and Drew is struggling to attract any producers to help him to become Wolfgang Von Colt, and his agent starts to moderate his image to that of a boy band singer. The two bump into each other and confess that their lives aren't going quite as planned and just as Drew is about to confess his love her finds Sherrie reluctantly giving a lap dance to Staccee Jazz (now hardly ever sober and struggling with the break up of the band) he leaves the club, with Sherrie running after him. For Hertz his success in the demolition is rising and Franz finally gets the courage to stand up to him, joining the protest, and sticking with Regina. At the Bourbon Room Dennis has sadly given up on his quest to save the Bar, and Lonny is quite upset, but yet finds the way to help Drew see the light on his love for Sherrie, and elsewhere Hertz sees how much he loves his son, and decides that he will stop the demolition and help Franz dreams instead.  Drew races to catch up with Sherrie and the two meet at the train station, they finally confess their love, and in replace it with fame, and begin a family, and although their dreams didn't come true, their new ones still rock!

The set of the stage is based mostly in the Bourbon Room, (with the live band always on the stage)  and also the street of the Sunset Strip, the actors enter the from one and another though the entrance of the bar doors. Throughout yet for other scenes like the agents office, mayors office, and the bathroom a small platform appears on stage from the sides of the set. This is effective throughout and although the performance space is smaller to some of the theatres in London West End, it works very well! However the transfer from the Shaftsbury Theatre, to Garrick Theatre, some of the special effects from the first performance such as the pyrotechnics during 'Heaven/More Than Words/To Be With You' and Also the confetti in the final song was less than that of the first time round. Unaware why this it, maybe its because the Garrick Theatre shares the stage with other performances during its run, or something else.  Although it wasn't essential to the show, I did find myself wondering where they were.

One thing that wasn't left out was the interaction with the audience, from the first song the 4th wall is broken and the audience are included throughout! The direct communication was mostly done however by Lonny/Narrator.  But the cast would run through the audience, egging them on to clap there hands, throwing undies, and flyers out to them as if we were the public on the Strip.

CAST FOR PERFORMANCE:

STACIE JAXX - Tim Hower (Principle)

DREW - Tim Driesen (Understudy)

SHERRIE - Cordelia Farnworth (Understudy)

DENNIS DUPREE- Daniel Fletcher (Principle)

LONNY/NARRATOR - Simon Lipkin (Principle)

HERTZ - Rohan Tickell (Principle)

FRANZ - Sandy Moffat (Principle)

REGINA - Leanne Garretty (Understudy)

MAYOR/AGENT - Nathan Amzi (Principle)

 

Tim Driesen who would usually play Joey Primo, took on the title role of Drew, the wannabe rock star, his voice was brilliant and varied well for each of the different rock songs he had to sing, and his performance as Drew and his character was strong throughout, loved every minute of him.  Though sorry to say that no one at the moment can top off Oliver Tompsett :p sorry!

Cordelia Farnworth this was my second time seeing her perform Sherrie having not yet seen the principle play her, but I wasn't disappointed, and loved her all the same! she goes from the ditzy country town girl, to the strong willed Sherrie at the end.  She is lovely to watch, and im still glad I got to see her perform again.

Tim Hower as Stacie Jaxx, at first I wasn't sure, having seen Shayne Ward perform him in the first viewing I still feel he was the stronger performer than Tim, I just didn't feel that I warmed to him as much as I did with Shayne, although his singing voice is amazing the way he portrayed Stacie in some of the scenes was a tad over the top and too dramatic for what it could of been.

Daniel Fletcher taking on the role of Dennis after Justin Lee Collins, and in all honesty I felt that they performed on the same level with each other, I couldn't tell the difference, and the chemistry with him and Lonny was great and you can see he is having a lot of fun up there! Though I did like the fact that they have to change Dennis being the one to lift Lonny than before with Lonny Lifting up Justin Lee Collins! :) I would have loved to have met him and I hope that I get the chance if he is performing in the West End Eurovision this May! :) (I hope to meet a lot of stage performers that night!!) but I was lucky enough to get a tweet back from him :)

Simon Lipkin! believe me I was so happy he was performing that night having a scare for the weekend as he was off with a bad neck but tonight he was on top form once again!! having seen him 3 times now I will never not get bored of watching him! and Lonny was the part he is well suited for.  Previously seeing him in Avenue Q playing cheeky Trekkie Monster, Slacker Nicky, and The Bad Idea Bear, it was nice to see him without a partner or so to speak puppet! Which was very much how I felt about Jon Robyns its nice to see these actors perform not as them selves but as another and see them dance and Sing without thinking whose face am I suppose to be looking at here! No Simon Lipkin is great and his adlibbing's are really funny and witful, and he keeps the audience and his peers (you can tell) entertained :) I have met him twice but on this occasion did not go to the stage door so this is a photo of me meeting him on the first time I saw the show. I look Awful! and also I received a tweet from him that night also!

My last Performer I shall comment on is Sandy Moffat! Again was really happy he was playing the role of Franz again as he is just so loveable! and an amazing dancer :) He also is another who keeps the audience laughing, and guessing on what will he do next (such as the poking of Dennis Belly) I especially loved the dramatic leaving of the Bourbon Room which I tweeted him saying I shall always do that when I leave any building and he kindly retweeted :P as well as tweeting personally. :)

All in all the cast you can tell always have so much fun on stage and I so wish I was there to be performing on it! Would also love to teach some of my poses on the pole that I have learnt from my PoleJam classes ( its an exercise class).  I recently didn't win a competition where I would of received a VIP trip to see the show again and get the chance to sit down with the cast with a drink and ask them questions...it would have been amazing to have done that. But that will not stop me from buying a ticket and going to see it again, as like We Will Rock You! you will never get bored of this performance!!! and when and if Simon Lipkin leaves (lucky he stayed on after the first cast change) there shall be some hard competition to fill for my viewing :)


Although Ive been lazy on this as this performance I saw him Febuary and it is now coming to April. I still have shows to look forward to and write about, Matilda The Musical, Hairspray The Tour, Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, and Cats, all booked and tickets waiting to be given at the door! Also I have purchased Tickets for the Mad Trust's West End Eurovision in May a late night show which I cannot wait to go and see what the 10 shows competing have in store!!! :)