“Rock Of Ages”
Nottingham Theatre Royal

I’ve seen this brilliantly entertaining jukebox musical many times over the years, so here we go again because I could not fight the feeling to release my inner rocker.

Set in the mid to late 1980s and centring on music club The Bourbon, on LA's Sunset Strip, where Drew is working while waiting for that elusive big break as a rock star, we meet wannabe singer/actor Sherrie - 'just a small town girl' from Kansas, and Drew's love interest.

But the young rock wannabe is not the only one lured by Sherrie and when Stacee Jaxx, lead singer of stellar rock band Arsenal, sets his sights on her, it seems Drew's romance, and the search for paradise is over.

In the tradition of all good musicals though, true love finds a way.

The tongue is firmly in the old cheek with this show. Big hair, glam rock costumes and larger than life personalities are everywhere in this heart-warming story about saving the community’s rock joint from the developers who may have built this city , but the citizens just wanna rock! Even part time narrator of the show, Lonny states "who would put Alec Baldwin and Curly Watts in the same acting bracket?" - Baldwin played the part in the film and Kevin Kennedy plays the same part in this tour,

It is a parody of all things glam, rock and eighties and I loved it.

Strictly Come Dancing’s Kevin Clifton plays Stacee Jaxx who has a big ego. Who would have guessed though that Kevin Clifton had such a big voice - now there was a surprise! He filled those big arrogant Stacee Jaxx pants till they bulged. Of course it goes without saying that we knew the dancing was going to be great but his acting was good as well.

Zoe Birkett (Justice Charlier) is well cast and I love her voice, shame we didn’t hear more from Zoe.Her soulful vocals brought out the passion and emotion in some great rock ballads like "Harden My Heart" and "Shadows Of the Night", and she can also belt out songs like "Anyway You Want It". A very classy lady.

Kevin Kennedy, who everyone should remember from playing Curly watts in Coronation Street, plays Dennis Dupree, the owner of The Bourbon Lounge. I've seen Kevin in a few theatre plays and musicals and this is the best that i have seen him perform. he can sing, we know that, and he can play guitar as well. In this role though he looks and sounds more at home as he is with the comedy element of the show.

Jodie Steele (Sherrie Christian) starts off as a bit of a wet blanket but before too long, she reveals herself to be an absolute powerhouse of a singer. When she strips back the rock songs though you can hear what an amazing emotive voice she has.

Luke Walsh (Drew) is one for the ladies to look out for. There is plenty of flesh on show for the men in the audience, but he is eye candy for the women. And what a voice this man has. Rock is not the easiest genre of music to sing and make sound comfortable, but Luke's vocals are spot on every single time, and boy can he hold a note!

Vas Constanti (Hertz Klinemann) is one of those panto style villains that you love to hate and then turns it all around and you start to love him, well Hertz is, while Vas is a brilliant comic and character actor.

Andrew Carthy (Franz) is wonderfully camp as the son of tough talking German developer, Hertz; just wait for his big reveal though in Act Two. Again a brilliant comic character actor who just lights up the stage every time he appears on it.

Rhiannon Chesterman (Regina), plays the rebel with a cause who's not gonna take the take over from the Germans, but discovers that that one of the German pair has been waiting for a girl like her to come into his life. Aaahhh, another happy ending.

And last but by no means least, Lucas Rush (Lonny) is that musical theatre glue that holds everything together as Dennis's sidekick and

narrator of the show. He is all over this musical and provides the majority of the comedy. Imagine a cross between Freddie Mercury and Alan Carr and you may scratch the surface of this brilliantly funny character. His duet with Donny is comedy gold, and really quite touching.

A brilliant set and lighting design and, when the musical is a rock jukebox music, you just have to have the sound right up there, and it was. It was just like being at a gig in parts, which added even more to the excitement.

Also watch out for some lovely parodied comedy moments on the projections at the back of the set.

The hair was big and the costumes, in many places were tiny, and it all created the feel of the beautiful 1980's period that I remember oh so well. Probably too well come to think of it!

As you'd expect, the songs were all classics, from the gorgeous "More than Words", "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" and "I Want To Know What Love Is" to the out and out rockers like "Anyway You Want It", "The Final Countdown" and the explosive final number "Don't Stop Believin'"

Expect nothing but a good time, Nottingham, we are gonna take it so come on, and feel this noize!

“Rock Of Ages” is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 6 April 2019. Miss it at your peril rock fans.