'Million Dollar Quartet' review — this electrifying rock 'n' roll musical has audiences dancing in the aisles

Read our review of the Tony Award-nominated Million Dollar Quartet, now in performances at The Arts at Marble Arch to 6 December.

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall of producer Sam Phillips’ Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, on 4 December 1956, when rock ’n’ roll legends Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley came together for an impromptu jam session. Well, here’s your chance to be experience that historic moment, thanks to Jonathan O’Boyle’s revival of musical Million Dollar Quartet, which has transferred to London following its run at the Barn Theatre in Cirencester.

Seventy years later, it’s possible to listen to some of the tracks performed that day, but as for what these incredible musicians discussed, we can never know. Instead, Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux’s libretto (Tony-nominated in 2010) creates a drama around the conversations that might have taken place: the fear of failure, the loneliness of success, the compromises demanded by the music industry, and the rivalries and respect between four very different personalities.

Adding context to the storyline and guiding the audience through its scenarios is Phillips, played convincingly and with pathos by Darren Day. Occasionally, the exposition threatens to disrupt the flow of this pacey production, but the underscore accompanying these scenes – often provided by onstage drummer Jacob Evans (alternating with Josh Haberfield) and bassist Geraint Downing – helps prevent the show from simply becoming an uninterrupted concert.

The pressure is on, then, for the main performers to not only embody the musicianship of each member of this legendary quartet but also capture something of what made them tick on a personal level – a challenge they all meet. Distinct vocal styles, wonderful harmonies, virtuoso guitar and piano playing, nifty moves (credit to choreographer Joanna Goodwin) and compelling storytelling combine to give us a rare window into their lives. Most of these hugely talented actor-musicians have already had an opportunity to refine their portrayals at the Barn – and it shows.

Joey Bradick’s Carl Perkins is at something of a crossroads, striving for another hit and battling resentment at others’ achievements. Connor Payne’s Elvis, meanwhile, feels liberated by embracing the ‘real’ rock ’n’ roll that Phillips nurtured at Sun Records, in contrast to the saccharine Hollywood path he is being pulled towards elsewhere. Christopher Erasmus brings depth and vulnerability to the role of Johnny Cash.

As for the cocky, crude and charismatic Jerry Lee Lewis, it is hard to take your eyes off Joe Bence when he is allowed to let loose at the piano. His onstage energy, through to the final notes of the excellent encore numbers, is off the scale. Jenay Naima is also worth a mention as Dyanne, who may be present because she is Elvis’s girlfriend, but proves she has a powerful voice of her own.

Designer Libby Watson’s set, with its discoloured walls, framed pictures of recording artists and gold records, helps immerse the audience in the musical improvisation onstage, while lighting designer Alex Musgrave’s colourful flourishes are particularly welcome when the quartet comes together.

This production must have had quite an impact in the intimate Barn Theatre, but the piece soon makes its mark in this larger space too. By the finale, people of all ages were literally dancing in the aisles.

Million Dollar Quartet is at The Arts at Marble Arch to 6 December. Book Million Dollar Quartet tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Million Dollar Quartet (Photos by Alex Tabrizi)