The cast album cover of ROCK OF AGES

It’s Double Take December at Musical Cyberspace! Every musical pretty much has something one likes and something one doesn’t in it. This month I’ll be listing one of each for a range of musicals, a different one each day.

Rock of Ages

Something I Like: Look, I’m just going to say it straight out. I have very little affection for Rock of Ages, so finding something I like about it is tough. In fact, Liza Minnelli’s interaction with the cast at the Tony Awards ceremony during their performance on that show is really the thing I like best about this show. OK, all right, I also like some of the songs that were used in the show and I suppose that Chris D’Arienzo’s book is at least a step ahead of We Will Rock You. And to be fair, it has moments where you can get lost in the funny wildness of the show.

Something I Don’t Like: It’s just not my cup of tea. Although they try to get all meta-theatrical about it, the show is just another jukebox musical in a sea of jukebox musicals. Funny wildness is all very well, but what else does this show really have to offer? Of course, none of this means that I won’t see the film the day its released. I’ll be there like a bear, ready to see whether the constant breaking of the fourth wall, that is a trademark feature of the show, has been dealt with successfully in the adaptation.

Feel free to share your “double take” on Rock of Ages in the comment box!