ROCK OF AGES

Gatehouse, Stafford (REVIEW)

- ALAN BRUCE

THE familiar pounding out of a 4/4 beat served as a freeway to the glory days of big hair, big sound and rock excess, aka the 1980s, in this production by Musical Theatre Stafford.

The band took centre stage as the sultry sweet ringing notes of Steve Vai's guitar intro to Just Like Paradise filled the air.

This was just the start of an evening of electric performances by the MTS rockers as they treated us to pure 80s ‘rawk' escapism.

Set in 1987 on L.A.'s Sunset Strip, the story follows two young hopefuls, aspiring rock star Drew (Dan Surj), who longs for new girl Sherrie (Alex Lewis), a small-town girl with stars in her eyes. These two really rocked.

The Bourbon Room, run by laid-back Dennis Dupree (Jono Down) and his wild sidekick Lonny (Tim Cooper), is in trouble.