LOVE ME TENDER | STAGE REVIEW
New Theatre, Cardiff, Tues 15 Sept
Words EMMA CLARK
80’s diva Mica Paris headlined this rock fest of a musical, set in a small town in the American Midwest in the 50’s. When cool good looking drifter Chad turns up on his motorbike and leather jacket, he soon shakes the town and puts the local gals in a tizzy with his wild ways and guitar playing. Inspired by the songs of Elvis, this feel-good musical is very much along the lines of Footloose, but develops into a comic tragedy full of misunderstandings, loneliness and true love, with a brilliant sound track thrown in. The cast are pitch perfect, with standout performances by Mica Paris, Shaun Williamson and the talented cast of young actors.
As the story unfolds, the talented cast, under the direction of Karen Bruce, spark up and belt out classic hits such as Love Me Tender, Hound Dog, and Blue Suede Shoes, which make an appearance more than once. A variety of foot tapping favourites kept the audience bobbing along, and in a rare quiet moment, Mica Paris’s stood out with her heartfelt version of There’s Always Me. Her voice is truly incredible, but as she is such an incredibly strong singer, it did at times overpower some of the other performances. The quirky set was designed by Morgan Large, and his fairground set in particular was cleverly designed and looked very authentic. The set changes were quick and unobtrusive and didn’t detract from the story.
This is very much a pick me up, and you will leave the theatre smiling, while the obligatory sing a long at the end only added to the fun and nostalgia of the whole evening. You will leave feeling slightly worn out as this is a high energy show is full of twists and very funny laugh out loud moments.
Runs until Saturday 19th September 2015.