The Fourth Walsh

Reviewed by Tom Lawler

The long-running Broadway musical Rock of Ages, now touching down in Chicago for just a week in a new touring production featuring a cast of mainly fresh faces, gets off to a scintillating start as we meet ROA’s narrator for the evening, Lonny. As embodied by the lewd, ultra-confident Andrew Sklar (he has the swagger of John Belushi and the facial hair of Frank Zappa), Lonny descends from the catwalk while belting out verses of “Cum On Feel the Noize” and swinging nunchucks.

The fact that Sklar’s Lonny is a little past his rocker prime is perfect. His body may be a little softer these days, but he’s still got the hair and the cool job – working the door at the Bourbon Room on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip in the late ‘80s. Per the lyrics of “Cum On Feel the Noize,” a Slade cover that the L.A. heavy metal group Quiet Riot rode to the top of the charts in ’83:

Cum on feel the noize

Girls rock your boys!

The opening song is appropriate, since Rock of Ages is full of boys who want to rock and beautiful lace-clad women who are ready to do their part in rocking said boys. Rock of Ages often oscillates between a rock concert and a burlesque show (not a bad night out for Dad!), so it should be no surprise that ROA’s director Krisin Hanggi also recently helmed a Pussycat Dolls revue. Hanggi and her entire creative team (notably choreographer Kelly Devine and music arranger David Gibbs) bring us a sexy, often hilarious, high-energy night of theater.

But that’s not all. ROA also has a bells-and-whistles set that recreates a seedy Sunset strip (kudos to Set Designer Beowolf Boritt) and a ferocious live rock band that is on stage all night playing roughly two dozen ‘80s and ’90s rock classics (Sorry, guys: Mr. Big’s “To Be With You” and Extreme’s “More Than Words” were both early ‘90s hits.)  As with any jukebox musical like this, it’s also quite fun to see how the show’s creators incorporate the songs into the story. Who knew that Starship’s god-awful “We Built This City” could be a passionate dialogue between two characters on gentrification?  Though I won’t ruin how they employ REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” it’s a doozy!

The real motor of  Rock of Ages though has to be this fine cast (several are also in their own bands) that performs with unflagging energy throughout. In addition to Andrew Sklar’s critical work as our fourth-wall busting narrator, special attention must also be paid to Tanner Hussar, playing the role of Franz, an effeminate young German developer reluctantly following in his father’s footsteps. It’s hard to fathom that this is Hussar’s first national tour since everything he does on stage is comedy gold.  You can’t take your eyes off of him. The moment in Act II when Hussar strips off his suit to reveal a bedazzled unitard before tearing into a Pat Benatar classic (you know the one), was the highpoint of the evening for this critic.

Last and most least, Rock of Ages has a story, too. It’s a thin one that you’ve seen in many movies and Scooby Doo episodes. It’s a love story and a familiar conflict with a greedy developer, and all gets resolved – though ROA’s self-mocking of musical tropes pays off well in this Act II with a very non-fantasy ending. Come for this superb cast and not the story and you won’t be disappointed.

At Bank of America Theater, 18 W. Monroe St

Book by Chris D’Arienzo

Directed by Kristin Hanggi

Choreographed by Kelly Devine

Original Music Arrangements by David Gibbs

Remaining performances:

Sat, March 15, 2 and 8pm

Sun, March 16, 2 and 7:30apm

Buy tickets at BroadwayinChicago.com , at the theatre box office or call 800.775.2000.

Photo by: Susan McDonald Gould