She’s just a small town girl, living in a lonely world and he’s just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit. Sound familiar? If Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing brings back fond memories for you, you’re going to get along just fine with Rock Of Ages.
Now playing at The Arts Club Granville Island Stage, Rock Of Ages is a completely absurd jukebox musical filled with every bit of 80s nostalgia they could pack into 2 hours. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, the narrator, Lonny, opens the show by setting the scene on the Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip in the mid-late 80s. Along with the required boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl of every classic John Hughes-esque story, we are then treated to a non-stop stream of 80s power ballads and rock anthems. The music is definitely the star of the musical as the tracks are applied to tell the story, or in some cases the story is built to fit the song. In the effort to pack as much in as possible the duelling tunes occasionally overwhelm each other, but you’ll still find yourself singing along. Rock Of Ages makes overlooking little foibles easier as it knows you’re here for a good time, not a long time (although Trooper’s song isn’t part of the songbook) and treats the audience like part of the show.
The performers are all strong but at times the audio let them down with some feedback from so many voices on the small stage. Making his Arts Club debut, Brett Harris’ Lonny is an over-the-top character, part ringleader and part court jester. The rapport and chemistry between Lonny and Bar Owner Dennis Dupris, played by Kieran Martin, makes for many memorable moments. Romantic leads Sherrie, played by Marlie Collins and Kale Penny’s Drew are both great voices but didn’t quite hit the chemistry to ignite a fire. For those of us who lived through this era, extra laughs come from the 80s references, language and costumes. Though some of the 80s wigs, especially mile-high Drew’s mullet and oddly un-80s loose trousers were at first distracting and kept me from really buying into the character.
While it’s not perfect, Rock Of Ages is a foolish, good time and a good chance to let your hair down. Some in the audiences join in the theme with their own outfits and hairstyles. Breaking the fourth wall allows Rock Of Ages to keep an awareness of its ridiculousness making it easier to forgive its flaws as you let yourself drift off in the memory of the nostalgic soundtrack and simple story. Sing-along and enjoy!
The Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of Rock of Ages runs through July 30th at the Granville Island Stage