Review of Elvis: A Musical Revolution stage show at Adelaide’s Her Majesty’s Theatre

Die-hard Elvis fans won’t be disappointed with this new stage production on now in Adelaide, which ticks all the boxes right down to the King’s thrusting pelvis. 

Elvis: A Musical Revolution

Her Majesty’s Theatre

April 3 – 28

“Long live the King!” was surely the cry of a full house of diehard Elvis fans who thronged Her Majesty’s Theatre for the Adelaide opening of the wildly successful Elvis: A Music Revolution – an Australian production from the enterprising David Venn.

The absolute star of the show is Rob Mallett; anyone playing Elvis needs a massive stage presence, exuding charisma and magnetism, and he has it in spades.

He’s also got the pelvis, the many thrusts of which (cue hysteria) had the customary effect, and wears the increasingly elaborate costumes with suitable style.

The supporting cast give their all, with Noni McCallum as Elvis’s mother Gladys – an affecting endearing presence – and an unrecognisable Ian Stenlake, as the bluff and blustery Colonel Parker.

Rob Mallett plays Elvis, bringing a massive stage presence while exuding charisma and magnetism. Source: Supplied

There’s a show-stealing debut as Young Elvis from Nemanja Ilic, complete with a gold-record grin.

Twenty fine performers – it’s a seasoned group, few debutantes among them – round out an accomplished cast.

The track list mines the archive impressively, with more than 40 of Elvis’s 770-odd recorded songs represented in part or in full.

There’s a show-stealing debut by Nemanja Ilic as Young Elvis. Source: Supplied

The track list covers more than 40 of Elvis’s recorded songs. Source: Supplied

The musical arrangements by David Abbinanti are a hit in their own right – the Act 1 curtain “Peace in the Valley” is sensational – and are played by a phenomenally tight 10-piece band under Daniel Puckey.

As a tribute show, Elvis, A Music Revolution ticks all the regular boxes while ambitiously adding a time shift into the mix, where Elvis’s parents and the Young Elvis pop in and out of the narrative.

It’s a clever device that mostly works, even if it’s overdone.

Like much in this production, less would have been more, and packed a more focused punch.