This high energy show with non-stop singing and dancing had the audience clapping along throughout and on its feet at the end. The story of the “man who put the name to rock and roll” is both uplifting and extremely sad.
The disc jockey Alan Freed, who first promoted the new music that became famous all over the world, was a maverick, an innovator, a campaigner but at the end a lost soul beaten by the system.
Here are extremely strong performances from a cast playing multiple roles. There is bravura work from Constantine Maroulis who plays Alan Freed and Gary Turner who plays both humble record shop owner Leo Mintz and night-club owner Morris Levy.
Two very contrasting characters. When at one point, Alan has arranged a concert tour without telling Morris Levy and Levy complains, Alan says: “So shoot me!” Levy replies coolly: “That can be arranged.”
Moving in the world of music, mobs, and a certain crooked police chief called J Edgar Hoover. (Another excellent performance by Mark Pearce). Alan Freed begins by playing only the records he really likes on a radio station in Cleveland. He refuses throughout his career (including after he moves to New York) to play white singers’ covers of Black music.
His concerts across America have Black artists working on stage with white ones. This in 1950s America during an age of segregation. His young audiences on the radio and at live concerts don’t care what colour people are. They just love the exuberant music.
When Alan reluctantly plays a tame record by Pat Boone called Ain’t that a Shame he says to the radio audience afterwards: “Ain’t THAT a shame!”
Along the way, he is accused of inciting a riot. Eventually, after taking commission for working as a consultant for record companies – and then playing their popular records, he is prosecuted for “payola” an American term for bribery.
After four marriages, he dies of drink aged 43.
But what a man. In promoting exciting music that young people wanted to dance to, he was also championing civil rights.
The singing in this show is powerful.
Plaudits to Joe Bence as Buddy Holly; Marquie Hairston as Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Frankie Lymon; Joey James as Chuck Berry; Jairus McClanahan as Little Richard; Cherece Richards as LaVern Baker, and Dominque Scott as Jerry Lee Lewis, Pat Boone, and others; Anton Stephens as Bo Diddley – and all of them for singing as backing singers.
Shelby Speed, the show’s dance captain, plays five main characters, including Freed’s mother, wives and daughter and other minor parts.
Meanwhile, the on-stage band of drums, guitar, woodwind, and bass deservedly received riotous applause at the end of an exhilarating show.
Rock and Roll Man is at Cambridge Arts Theatre until Saturday, March 21.
