Rock of Ages as presented by 9Arch Musical Society

9 Arch Musical Society 

Rock of Ages 

Saturday 23rd November 2024 

As I battled through the inclement weather en route to Galway, I wasn’t prepared for the breakdown and subsequent abandonment of my poor car somewhere along the M4. But the musical theatre gods shone through Storm Bert’s efforts to derail my quest. Add in a tow truck, a taxi, and more profanity than that which was dripping from 9 Arch Musical Society’s production of ‘Rock of Ages’ and I managed to make it to the Town Hall Theatre with minutes to spare. How fortunate I was to make this thoroughly entertaining production and to experience its very talented cast in what was an irreverent riot of 80s colour, full-on raunchiness, hedonistic abandon, and gross profanity. 

The front of house team was so friendly and helpful. Everything appeared to be well organised and efficient. In spite of the relatively small foyer space of the Town Hall Theatre, everything was kept moving thanks to the great efforts of the team. 

The very talented Alan Greaney was an extremely busy man with this one. It is one thing to direct a massive production like ‘Rock of Ages,’ but to also play the central role of its narrator is a mammoth undertaking altogether. As director, Mr. Greaney’s greatest strength lay in his excellent handling of the myriad comic opportunities within the script. He elicited very funny performances from his cast, himself included, who were pacy with their dialogue and held for laughter, when required. Comic timing across the cast was very strong and it was clear that this had been an area of focus during rehearsals. Visual humour was equally strong. The humorously captioned protest placards were a delight, as were the seemingly never-ending array of Lonny’s hilarious t-shirts, which deserved a curtain call all of their own. A merchandising opportunity was surely lost there. I would have bought them all! Continuity was excellent as one scene ran into another with great fluidity, ensuring good pace throughout. For me, there were two main issues which kept arising throughout the show. These had to do with sightlines and performers hitting their marks for lighting purposes. Overall, a really strong piece of direction from Mr. Greaney, with excellent attention to pace and the comic possibilities of the script. Congrats on a mammoth undertaking! 

MD Shane Farrell and his excellent band looked absolutely amazing with their wigs, costumes, and accessories. They blended into the Bourbon Room very well, never looking out of place amidst the comings and goings of its eclectic mix of colourful clientele. And what a fabulous sound they made too. It was loud. It was face-melting. It was thunderous. Exactly as it should be! However, the key thing was that we heard every single word that was said and sung. This is a notoriously difficult balance to achieve with this show. All credit to Mr. Farrell and the sound department. Offstage ensemble vocals, of which there were many, were excellent. The choral sound in ‘The Final Countdown’ was superb, as it was in ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling.’ The finale ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ was incredibly powerful and musically sublime in its harmonies, phrasing and performance. Full credit to chorus mistress Katie Feeney who did trojan work too. Principal singing was very strong throughout and there was great sensitivity and nuance in the more subtle ballads. A super job. 

Choreographer Jay Molyneux did an excellent job. Routines were energetic, inventive, precise and performed with delicious knowingness. The cast got the humour and this was reflected in the choreography, which was very much an extension of the zany, comedic style of the show. I loved the full-on energy of the opening as we were invited to ‘Cum on Feel the Noize’. Confidence and performance levels were sky high, setting the tone for the craziness which was to follow. Our hippy friends were a delight in ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’, a quirky, well-rehearsed routine, performed with great gusto and more than a little tongue-in-cheek. 

Homegrown talent Laura Ní Cheallaigh was an impressive Sherrie, the quintessential ingenue who lives the dream and successfully graduates from waitress to stripper. Ms. Ní Cheallaigh had excellent presence and delivery of dialogue was very strong. She sang well, with a rock chick edge that was perfect for the style of show. ‘Every Rose Has It’s Thorn’ with Justice was beautifully sung and performed; one of the musical highlights of the show. 

I really enjoyed Eoin Mullins’ portrayal of Drew, the aspiring rock star from South Detroit who falls for Sherrie’s charms. Mr. Mullins had a really good handle on the tongue in cheek nature of the show. His delivery was so clever as he lived every moment on stage. Mr. Mullins was equally at home with the more sensitive moments too, as demonstrated sitting forlornly on the side of the stage. Drew is a challenging role vocally and there were some small signs of vocal tiredness in the extremely high upper register, at the end of what must have been a very tiring week. But the quality was there and when Mr. Mullins let rip in numbers such as ‘I Wanna Rock’ and ‘Oh Sherrie’ we were left in no doubt as to his vocal talent. His power, control and beautiful tone were a joy. 

Alan Greaney, as the show-stealing narrator Lonny, gave a masterful performance. Who better to pull the strings and guide the audience through the hilariously irreverent narrative than the show’s director? Mr. Greaney was so comfortable as he blasted through the fourth wall, toying with the audience with his impeccable comic timing. Nobody was safe when he cheekily meandered off script…or did he? It was so hard to tell at times! He had the audience in the palm of his hand from the get go, with his in your face, less than sanitised delivery. Not only was he a superb comedian, but he also had a powerful rock god vocal with a superb range. He hit us between the eyes with his ‘Cum On Feel the Noize’ at the top of the show. But the icing on the cake was the hilarious, but brilliantly sung, ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ with Dennis. A top-class portrayal all round. 

Jay Hall had great fun with the role of that “above average guy”, Stacee Jaxx. He owned the stage as he strutted into the Bourbon Room, revelling in the attention as his rock star ego grew and grew. Mr. Hall was quite the contemptible character and yet we warmed to his vulgarity in spite of his misogynistic tendencies. It’s not every gentleman who can pull off a leopard print thong. For that alone, Mr. Hall deserved his very own standing ovation. ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ was a superbly sung, riotous romp with Sherrie and his ‘Renegade’ at the end of Act 2 was excellent. 

As proprietor of the Venus Club, Justice Charlier, Sinead Murphy did very well. She had excellent presence and looked every inch the rock goddess. That hair! She delivered a really strong vocal performance, with ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’ being one of the standout musical moments of the show, for me. Dialogue was clear and her accent was secure. However, I did feel that Ms. Murphy could have been a little bigger with her delivery to match her fabulous presence on stage. 

Niall Conway was hilarious in the role of Dennis Dupree. He was totally immersed in the role, looking and sounding every inch the most convincing stoner. Comic timing was so sharp and he played off Mr. Greaney particularly well. Mr. Conway is one of those comedians who only has to walk out on the stage for people to laugh at him. He wrung every humorous drop of comic business out of the part. ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ with Mr. Greaney took some by surprise. It was such a funny number and all credit is due to both performers who relished every second and lapped up the audience support. 

Gustav Louw did well as German property tycoon Hertz Klinemann. He had good presence and looked the part as he carried himself with strength and authority. I felt that his delivery could have been stronger though. Given that he is essentially a villainous presence and there are such strong characters around him, I thought that a stronger, more adversarial delivery was required. 

Niall Caulfield brought his considerable experience to bear on the role of Franz, Hertz’s extremely flamboyant offspring who isn’t gay…just German. This was a very camp performance full of not-so-gay abandon and energy. Comic timing was really strong, although a few things fell flat occasionally as Mr. Caulfield was so lost in the characterisation that his diction suffered slightly. Just a very small thing to watch in high-energy roles as we sometimes push ourselves to the brink and forget that the words are the most important thing. ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ was comedy gold and Mr. Caulfield looked like he was loving every second. 

I have seen Róisín Lawless on stage many times over the years and she is quite the chameleon as she morphs into every role that she plays. An excellent comedienne, Ms. Lawless was the perfect fit for the over-the-top shenanigans of city planner Regina. Comic timing was excellent and her facial expressions were a delight. She worked very well alongside Mr. Caulfield, showing that opposites do, indeed, attract. Her contribution to ‘Hit Me With Your Best Shot’ was immense and very funny to boot. Her vocal in ‘The Final Countdown’ was seriously impressive too. A super job! 

Jessica McDonagh was a really funny Waitress #1 with great comic timing. She was ahead of her time managing to get a cheeky ‘Hawk Tuah’ reference into an 80s musical, but it was delightfully crass and in keeping with the very dubious, vulgar tone of the show. She had a great voice too, with plenty of power and was a strong performer in the ensemble numbers. 

If there was an award for the most appearances on stage in a three-month period, Niamh McSweeney would have to be a shoo in. This time round she played the role of reporter, Constance Stack. Her scene with Stacee was very funny as Ms. McSweeney displayed a deft comic touch. 

Vanessa Walsh was a strong, stern Mayor who clearly ran a tight ship and was intent on levelling the Bourbon Room to the ground. 

There was strong support too from David Alexander as both Drew’s agent, Ja’keith and Sherrie’s father. 

Anne O’Donnell also doubled up, playing a sympathetic Mother Christian and the Strip Club DJ very well.

Mark Shivnan impressed and was clearly enjoying himself as Joey Primo. 

The ensemble was kept extremely busy throughout and what an energetic, committed group this was. Yes, it was a Saturday matinee, but that mattered not one bit as we were blown away by one number after another, the energy levels through the roof. Everyone was in tune with the irreverent tone of the show. All credit to Mr. Greaney. Vocally this was a fantastic ensemble and the harmonies were an absolute credit to everyone. And ladies in ‘Pour Some Sugar’…take a bow! 

Jacqlyn Cronin was a very effective stage manager, ensuring that the show flowed very well throughout. With no major scene changes as such, it wasn’t a particularly busy show on the surface. However, with such a large cast and a plethora of props, there was a lot to keep track of. Dressing the ‘pull out’ section on stage right each time it came off would have kept crew on their toes too. Masking and sightlines needed to be addressed from time to time, as performers could be seen waiting in the wings before their scenes. Just something small to be aware of. 

The impressive set, with its two levels, allowed for some interesting staging opportunities. The detailed dressing, the neon signs and the overall finish were superb. I loved the very clever ‘pull out’ section on stage right which was so well dressed as it transformed into Sherrie’s bedroom, the mayor’s office and the restroom. I would have liked the band’s ‘stage’ to be slightly higher as performers were sometimes lost on it when cast stood in front.

Sightlines needed more consideration at the design stage. The stage left steps, and any action or entrances on them, were completely hidden from view for a sizeable section of the audience sitting on the right, facing the stage. Masking was a bit of an issue also, with performers visible in the wings on occasions as they prepared to go on stage. 

There was great attention to detail in the props department. Nothing appeared out of place. The Sunset Strip model was very impressive, as were smaller hand props such as newspapers, coffee cups and many more. I loved the hilariously captioned protest placards. The ‘Fogmaster 5000’ was so bad that it was actually brilliant. JaKeith’s ‘brick’ phone brought back memories, for sure. The glass on the photo frame played a bit of havoc with the lights, bouncing reflection all over the set. Maybe just pop out the glass in future. 

Elements of lighting for this show were excellent. There was great use of haze and moving lights to create a rock gig vibe as strong beams cut through, giving us amazing, strong pictures throughout. Colours were well chosen and lighting states reflected the mood, whether we were listening to a big power ballad or a full-on, headbanging production number. There were times when more key light was required for faces. This was particularly noticeable on the upper level, where faces were lost from time to time. I know it must be a very problematic area to light but it needed something. There were issues with cast hitting marks but that was more of a directorial issue than the lighting operators. On the afternoon that I attended, there was a number of late cues, which surprised me, given how far into the run the group was. 

Sound was really top notch. There was an excellent balance between band and pit and there was great work with the offstage vocals which added so much to the overall sound. Dialogue was warm and clear at all times. Cueing was also excellent. The end of Act 1 was the part of the show that really underlined for me how good the sound was. Every element was mixed to absolute perfection as the band and vocalists belted out ‘Here I Go Again’. It was huge. It was loud. But every single layer could be heard with crystal clarity. A brilliant job! 

Costumes added so much to the visual spectacle and were excellent all round. Mr. Greaney’s t shirts threatened to steal the show, of course. The gorgeous gospel robes looked fabulous. 

Stacee’s leopard print left little to the imagination and nor did his leather trousers! I loved Ja’Keith’s Don Johnson inspired, Miami Vice look. Justice’s red leather coat was quite stunning. Of course, we had the obligatory lederhosen thrown in for good comic measure. Hard hats and overalls looked great for ‘The Final Countdown’ and Drew’s brightly coloured shellsuit struck a disturbing nostalgic chord. The well-chosen ensembles for ‘Pour Some Sugar’ were very memorable indeed. 

Hair and make-up were just fun, fun, fun! Hair was big! Make-up was bright and loud, reflecting the 80s era very well. A really super job which added so much to the visual spectacle. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this very slick and entertaining show. Production values were excellent and cast were very talented. As mentioned, I did think that someone with a critical eye for detail needed to be out front to ensure that avoidable issues were identified and ironed out as the week progressed. In spite of those minor issues, this was an excellent production, high on humour, with a superb cast. Well done to all! 

Pat McElwain 

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025

Photos kindly shared by the society; taken by Denis Cavanagh