Before we get started here, a theatre nerd confession: I am not a fan of the jukebox musical. Much as I love them, musicals are a campy kind of genre – and writers trying desperately to shoehorn well-loved classics into a scene whether they work or not is just a step too far for me. It gets cheesy fast, and when you pair that with 1980s hair metal, there’s probably enough cheese to host a fondue party in an Olympic swimming pool.
That much cheese can’t possibly work, can it? Well, my friend, that’s where you’d be wrong. This show knows it’s silly. It knows that you know it’s silly. And that’s exactly why it works. There’s no posturing or pretension, Rock of Ages embraces the 1980s in all their kitschy goodness – and that’s what makes it (in the production’s own words) face-meltingly fun.
Tackling a show where music is not just a major production feature, but at the very core of the show’s themes, sets a difficult challenge. But, it’s one that I feel Rock of Ages met admirably. From start to finish, the band led by musical director Renzo Spiteri were absolutely (and there really is no better word than this) awesome! Rather than being tucked out of sight offstage or in an orchestra pit somewhere, the band are given their moments to shine front and centre, and they certainly deserve it.
When you’ve got incredible wailing guitar solos to play off, it would be a shame if the vocals were anything less than extraordinary. Led by choir master Roger Tirazona, there are some moments of absolute brilliance from the cast that I won’t be forgetting in a hurry. Let’s be clear here: 1980s rock is not for the faint of heart. Bands like Bon Jovi and Journey littered their greatest hits with high notes that would make most men’s eyes water – but the cast of Rock of Ages take all that in their stride.
Particularly impressive is leading man Kurt Calleja as lovelorn rocker Drew. Calleja might be best known as a Eurovision alumnus, but clearly he’s got more in his repertoire than catchy pop numbers and a mind-boggling foot dance. As one half of the musical’s central love story, Calleja manages to come across as likably naïve, without being grating, and his show-stopping singing brought the house down.
Packed with energy from start to finish, they do not let the show down for even a moment
The night I attended the show, Calleja was joined on stage by Taryn Mamo Cefai as aspiring actress Sherrie. Though she more than holds down her own in her musical numbers, what really impressed me about her performance was her spot-on comedic timing. The script has a number of wink-wink moments where it breaks the fourth wall, and Mamo Cefai nails every single one that comes her way.
Indeed, the only complaint about the young lovers that springs to my mind is that there seems to be one more of them than there should be. Nadia Vella is also playing the role of Sherrie on alternating nights with Mamo Cefai and, while I cannot personally review her performance, I’ve also heard very positive things. Since both women are clearly gifted performers, it seems like an odd decision on the part of the production team to split the role, instead of granting it to one person and appointing an understudy.
Leading us through the ins and outs of the story is Chris Dingli’s Lonny, who doubles as comic relief and long-suffering narrator. Dingli throws himself fully into the roll with rubber-limbed glee and seems to be enjoying every single second on stage. He’s joined in most scenes by Steffan Cheriet Busuttil as down-on-his-luck bar owner Dennis Dupree. The two seem to make an unlikely pair, but stick with them because it pays off. No spoilers – but the scene involving Dingli, Cheriet Busuttil and a strategically placed fog machine stole the whole show and might just remain burned into my mind forever (whether I like it or not).
Of course it’s not really Rock of Ages without a real rock star strutting about, is it? As Stacee Jaxx, Errol Sammut might not be the strongest actor in the cast, but he oozes frontman charisma and gives a great vocal performance.
Putting a little bit of soul in the show is Katherine Brown’s Justice Charlier, a madame who’s a little more than what meets the eye. It’s hard to hold a stage when people are gyrating their way through your numbers, but it’s a challenge Brown rises to.
Filling up the show’s city development subplot are Colin Fitz and James Ryder as father-son duo Hertz and Franz Klinemann. I’m not quite sure how Fitz manages to remain likeable even when playing a tycoon bent on tearing rock n’ roll to the ground, but he does it somehow.
Meanwhile, coming a little out of the left field, Ryder is a bit of an unexpected scene stealer with his excellent timing and er… surprising wrestling ensembles. He’s joined on stage by Rachel Fabri as Regina McKaig – a city planner who might be just a little too devoted to her job. Perhaps better known for her beautiful classical singing ability, Fabri proved than she can more than hold her own and rock it with the best of them.
I would be utterly remiss if I didn’t take the time to talk about the ensemble. Any director worth their salt knows that you are dead in the water without a strong ensemble – and Rock of Ages is alive and kicking. They blaze their way through Sue Vassallo’s choreography with impressive flair – without a doubt, this is one of the strongest ensembles I have ever seen in Malta. Packed with energy from start to finish, they do not let the show down for even a moment.
From the off, it’s clear that director Marc Cabourdin and artistic director Wesley Ellul enjoyed the product they brought to the stage, and with good reason. Though I find the City Theatre to frankly be a bit of a dull venue, it was well and truly rocked to its foundations by a show that must be even more fun to perform in than it is to watch.
Kudos to this brave production team for being the first ones to bring a long-running musical production to the Maltese stage. It takes energy, it takes guts and it takes a great cast. Luckily, Rock of Ages has all of these things.
Tickets for Rock of Ages are available online.
www.rockofagesmalta.com