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Million Dollar Quartet: More Fiction Than Fact
17 Sep
Summary
- Musical reimagines 1956 Sun Studios jam session with fictional elements.
- Vigorous performances by actor-musicians energize classic hits.
- Show balances factual history with imaginative storytelling.
The Arts theatre, temporarily located near London's Marble Arch, presents "Million Dollar Quartet," a musical celebrating the 1956 Sun Studios gathering of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis. This production reimagines the famed Jam session, weaving together elements of their real lives with a script that is partly fanciful.
While the original session primarily featured gospel numbers and chatter, the musical incorporates some of their greatest hits. The narrative, penned by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux, introduces some dramatic tension through the potential poaching of artists by rival labels and rivalries within the group.
Jonathan O'Boyle's direction brings the "quartet" to life through the energetic performances of four actor-musicians. Connor Payne as Presley, Christopher Erasmus as Cash, Joe Bence as Lewis, and Joey Bradick as Perkins deliver compelling portrayals. Jenay Naima, as Presley's girlfriend Dyanne, also impresses with powerful renditions of "Fever" and "I Hear You Knocking."
