“You won’t see All Shook Up done any better” Edinburgh’s beloved Bohemians bring Elvis realness to the Church Hill Theatre this February.
📍Church Hill Theatre, Edinburgh
📅 14 to 18 Feb
💷 £15 – 18
🕖 Evenings 7.30pm | Matinees 2:30pm
🕖 Running time (approx.): 2 hour 30 minutes + (20 min interval)
👍 Produced by: The Bohemians
🎬 Director: Scott Coltman
🎬 Assistant Director: Ciara McBrien
🎶 Music by: Elvis Presley
🖊️ Book by: Joe DiPietro
🎵 Musical Director: Finlay Turnbull
💃 Choreographer: Fiona Burns
🎂 All Ages
🎭Wheelchair Accessible Venue, Wheelchair Accessible Toilet, Audio Induction Loop
Created in 2004 by Tony Award Winning Joe DiPietro, All Shook Up enjoyed a brief run on Broadway, and a handful of professional productions thereafter. On the other hand it has rarely absent from the amateur stage since the license became available in the later 2000’s.
The story is simple. Swivel hipped musical ‘roustabout’- and Elvis substitute – Chad (Colin Sutherland) exits imprisonment for crimes against decency (presumably), and rocks up in a drab little town in the 1950’s US midwest. Under the thumb of obsessively conservative Mayor Matilda Hyde (Felicity Halfpenny), whilst there may be a bar run by no-nonsense Sylvia (Cathy Geddie), there’s no dancing, no music, and most definitely no public displays of affection. Catalysed by Chad’s magic touch with broken jukeboxes and libidos alike, the town erupts in a love explosion set to the sounds of the King.
All Shook Up is first and foremost, of course, a Jukebox musical, and true to the genre an Elvis classic duly erupts at every single possible opportunity. To the last crotchet, The Bohemians nail every last one, their melodic lines solid, their harmonies tight. A large chorus, and supporting cast really give this production lungs, and the Act One closing ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ will blow the typical pair of socks clean off.
Critically, Sutherland has the chops for the central role; he can swagger with the best of them whilst hitting a pretty note. It’s more Fonzie than Elvis, but that’s just fine. Inspired by Shakespearean comedy, his Chad swiftly conceives a passion for unobtainable culture vulture Miss Sandra (Christine Mills), whilst local grease monkey Natalie Haller (Linzi Devers) imprints upon him. Unable to attract his eye in a raggedy dress, Natalie pulls a ‘Viola’ and becomes Ed to find a way into his good graces.
DiPietro‘s narrative is more than a little cartoonish, an Elvis movie on hammy steroids. Layered atop the central love triangle, there’s Natalie’s hopelessly devoted best friend Dennis (Fraser Jamieson), class-divided teenage sweethearts Lorraine (Tar McCollough) & Dean Hyde (Dean McAvoy), and Natalie’s widower father Jim’s (Sean Quinn) romantic reawakening.
The Bohemians, to their credit, lean into this madcap love mess, and it’s a tribute to Director Scott Coltman that it never descends into chaos. Indeed every impromptu song and dance number – and every daft joke – is carried off pretty flawlessly, so bravo as well to Choreographer Fiona Burns. In comparison to the company’s usual home in the King’s Theatre, it’s a small stage, but long hours of practice shine through in slick execution.
Praise is also due to Music Director, Finlay Turnbull who leads a tight, rocking 11-piece band, and to Sound Designer Murray Armstrong who engineers a loud, but crystal clear soundscape. When I say loud, I mean loud – depending how close to the stage your seat, you might consider ear defence of some sort. The soloists, excellent to a performer, never struggle to be heard, not only because of their own excellence, but due to deft mixing, and and an orchestra cued to accompany, not compete.
The principal cast are fabulous, with not one weak link amongst them. Devers is thoroughly amiable, Mills has sass to spare, McCullough can ‘gosh’ with the best, but it’s Halfpenny who steals every scene she’s in with a ‘villainous’ caricature plucked straight from a Jerry Lewis comedy. Each principal has to carry at least one song, and each does it in accomplished style.
The conclusion when it comes, requires an immense suspension of disbelief, but there’s no doubting the sheer pleaure in hearing much of Elvis’s songbook funnelled through the big voices, and big band of Edinburgh’s beloved Bohemians. Reviewed on performance alone, there would be an extra star up top, but there’s no denying that the music deserves a better play to carry it.
Nonetheless if you love good music, made by a big, talented cast and band, then this is a show for you. This, as with Allegro’s recent triumph Legally Blonde, isn’t second-best musical theatre. Sure the budget’s modest, and maybe there’s the very occassional scrape of arm on microphone, but what they don’t lack is talent or dedication. You won’t see All Shook Up done any better in the ways that count – singing, dancing, drama – than is achieved here.
All Shook Up will play the Church Hill Theatre, Edinburgh from 14 to 18 Feb. It is produced by The Bohemians, Edinburgh.
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