Million Dollar Quartet, Noël Coward Theatre

Million Dollar Quartet, Noël Coward Theatre | reviews, news & interviews

Million Dollar Quartet, Noël Coward Theatre

Impersonators of Elvis et al provide a good but not a great night out

by Joe MuggsMonday, 28 February 2011

Michael Malarkey as an "easygoing" ElvisTristram Kenton

As acting challenges go it borders on the foolhardy: impersonate not just in looks and mannerisms but in musical skill too some of the most truly iconic figures of the 20th century. And do it up close and personal with an audience who know the subjects' work inside out to boot. It seems almost impossible that a cast could manage to convincingly portray the (real) musical meeting of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins at Sam Phillips's Sun Studios in 1956, but Million Dollar Quartet has managed successful and continuing runs in Chicago and on Broadway, so they must be doing something right, mustn't they?

There was never any sense of the devil in Jerry Lee, no sense of the danger and raging fire

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