All Shook Up Tour Review - 10/21

[kyguy78]

Posted: 10/21/06 at 9:37pm

Just got back from seeing All Shook Up in Louisville. I have to say, I was somewhat surprised by how much I enjoyed the show. It's not anything spectacular, but for a good two and a half hours of fun entertainment, it's not bad. The plot's very weak, but the energy of the cast members and the songs combine to create an all-around solid production. The main thing I liked though was the song selection. They just didn't raid Elvis' songbook for all the hits, but they grabbed some lesser known songs that really kinda standout because of how they contrast with all of the popular ones.

I thought Jenny Fellner did a great job with a very limited part. She has a terrific voice and I can see why I've read some buzz on the internet about her future on Broadway. She really carried the show.

Joe Mandragona did a great job with Chad and played him totally over the top. His timing was on tonight and nearly all of the jokes he delivered got a good laugh from the audience.

Really, there's no one in the cast I can complain about; I thought they all did a good job. And it was obvious to me that they all seemed to be having a great time with the show. The only one I might pick on a little is Susan Anton who really seemed to turn the overacting on once she has her solo number with the statues.

The sets were hit and miss. I thought the bus during "Now or Never" was neat and what they did with some of the moving set pieces was nice, but it was a very minimalistic approach to staging. Not a big complaint though really because I firmly believe the focus of the show should be the music.

I know Louisville had made a big deal all summer about how they were improving their Broadway series and this was a nice kickoff to a season that sees DRS roll into town next month followed by Spelling Bee, Spamalot, and The Lion King.
Updated On: 10/21/06 at 09:37 PM