Review: Million Dollar Quartet at Noel Coward Theatre, St Martins Lane, London, Thursday, June 16

by Keith Hunt

Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins playing together - now that's what you call a supergroup.

The big four came together for a jam session in a truly seminal moment on December 4 1956 when the careers of Presley and Cash were taking off, Perkins was frustratingly hungry for fame and Lee Lewis was a session musician with a precocious talent yet to be unleashed onto the rock 'n roll and country scene.

The place is an old radiator shop that has been converted into the home of Sun Records in Memphis by enterprising Sam Phillips (charismatic Bill Ward) as he makes his mark in music history.

Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux saw a golden opportunity to turn such a fleeting moment in time into a jukebox musical in Million Dollar Quartet, currently pulling in audiences at the Noel Coward Theatre in London.

Perkins and Cash are deserting Phillips, Presley has already been sold to RCA to raise cash to keep the studio going and is on his way to Hollywood stardom and piano thumper Lee Lewis, at 75 the only one of the quartet still alive, is playing the enfant terrible as he is about to unleash Great Balls Of Fire.

The main characters are great look-alikes and sound-alikes. The delightfully named Michael Malarkey captures the handsome Presley mannerisms with a suitably curled lip; Derek Hagen gets just the right amount of heartfelt quiver in his bass-baritone voice; Ben Goddard is a bundle of neurotic energy as Jerry Lee.

Carl Perkins has less distinctive characteristics but Oliver Seymour-Marsh captures the smouldering resentment the singer is said to have felt over Elvis hijacking his best known hit Blue Suede Shoes.

But this show is far from all doom and gloom and more a celebration of the coming together of four true icons. Songs such as the aforesaid Blue Suede Shoes and Great Balls Of Fire, as well as I Walk The Line. Hound Dog, See You Later Alligator and Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On will stir memories for many.

Francesca Jackson, playing Elvis's besotted girlfriend Dyanne, adds to the quality cast with a smouldering version of Fever.

The defining moment comes when a photo is shown of the historic moment and the four stars mirror the pose on stage.

Having restrained ourselves from leaping to our feet during show, there was plenty of shakin' going on for the finale.

Million Dollar Quartet is right on the money.