Having previously experienced Rock of Ages both on stage and backstage, taking a seat in the audience for the first time offered a completely new perspective on the show and it turns out there were a few scenes I didn’t even know existed! While jukebox musicals can often feel clunky, Rock of Ages stands out because even though it’s supposed to be cheesy, the tracks actually fit the narrative flow quite naturally. Marloo’s cast did a fantastic job of keeping in the ‘rock’ and avoiding the overly polished ‘pop’ sound of the movie and Glee renditions.
The production team did a wonderful job utilising the Marloo stage. Great placement of the live band and a clever rotating corner piece for scenes set outside the bar kept transitions crisp, while the Venus Club pole position and reveal was executed exceptionally well. The costumes captured the era well, though I felt a few pieces leaned slightly more modern.
Allowing audience members to come up on stage to buy a drink from the onstage bar before the show, and chat with the cast in character, was a lovely, immersive touch that brought the audience right into the world of the show, with the signature and delicious ‘Sherrie Bomb’ cocktail setting the mood perfectly. Paired with Devlin Turbin’s phenomenal lighting design throughout, the visual elements looked great while actively driving the storytelling and setting the mood for every scene.
Musically, the band was fantastic and their mix was mostly solid, interacting brilliantly with the characters on stage, even if a few guitar solos got a little lost in the overall sound. The sound team certainly had their hands full managing such a complex show and the mix did encounter some hurdles on our night – a few mics were late opening on dialogue, and during high-energy moments where the band, backing vocals, and quick dialogue overlapped, some lines were swallowed up. A bit more balance between the ensemble harmonies and the lead lines would have helped the storytelling shine even brighter.
Among the principal cast, Kailem Mollard’s Lonny and Luke Miller’s Dennis were very good together, complementing each other effortlessly. Lonny was a delight as the narrator, bringing fantastic comedic timing, while Dennis delivered a commanding and grounded but still comedic performance that anchored the show; their confession scene ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’ was, as always, an absolute audience favourite. Christian Dichiera’s Stacee Jaxx was brilliantly cast, bringing great vocals and leaning into that hilariously sleazy rock-star persona with ease. Complete with an incredible pair of boots, his performance grew stronger as the night went on, and his scene with Sherrie in ‘I Hate Myself for Loving You’ was a comic highlight. Connie Wetherilt’s Regina and Riley Merigan’s Franz were a hilarious duo with wonderful comedic energy together, supported well by Steve Moloney as Hertz. Justice (Therese Cruise) brought a velvety, gorgeous tone to her songs, and leaving the audience wanting even more of her on stage is a testament to that lovely voice.
In the lead roles, Adam Giltrow as Drew brought great heart and chemistry to his scenes with Sherrie (Clara Lee). It was clear his voice was taking a beating late in the season, requiring a lot of use of falsetto to navigate the demanding score, but his commitment never wavered. Sherrie was sweet and endearing, giving a lovely vocal performance, though it would have been fun to see her embrace ‘bad Sherrie’ with a bit more rock edge in her bigger numbers. Extra points to her for navigating the stage in those giant Pleasers.
Surprisingly Rock of Ages’ score is a relentless vocal marathon, and vocal fatigue is a tough hurdle for any cast to navigate. While a few voices were unfortunately and understandably feeling the strain near the end of the season, the energy on stage remained highly enthusiastic. The choreography was punchy and ambitious, with two or three standout dancers leading the charge, even if it pushed some of the less experienced movers to their limits.
The production flowed remarkably well, with Act 2 in particular moving at a fantastic pace. While an enthusiastic crowd is always a wonderful thing, a few eager applause breaks mid-scene occasionally cut into the show’s momentum, as some of those fast-paced transitions work best when they roll straight into the next moment, saving the biggest cheers for the curtain call.
Despite the technical audio glitches and late-season vocal fatigue, Darlington Theatre Players delivered a genuinely fun, high-energy night out at Marloo Theatre that had the crowd having a blast. It was a great night out that the production team should be incredibly proud of. Wishing the entire cast and crew a fantastic and well deserved closing night tonight!
Please note: the writer has previously worked with a number of members of this cast and production team. Image sourced from Marloo Theatre.
Rock of Ages – Presented by Darlington Theatre Players
July 3 – 25 2026