Leo Owen “[feels] the noize” one last time at Bradford's Alhambra where Rock of Ages stopped on its “Farewell Tour”

Rooted in Ronald Reagan’s era, Chris D’Arienzo’s jukebox musical imagines the infamous Los Angeles' Sunset Strip under threat as developers plan to gentrify the area. Morgan Large’s scaffold sound rig set and 80s’ costumes transport us to The Bourbon Room, the heart of the show. Here, lairy sound engineer, Lonny (Tim Oxbrow), acts as our narrator and tour guide, playfully introducing central characters.

Lonnie’s side-kick and bromance is Bourbon Room owner, Dennis Dupree, a wizened rocker played by Kevin Kennedy, far removed from his sex symbol status as Curly Watts in Coronation Street. Arsenal frontman, Stacee Jaxx (Cameron Sharp), owes Dupree a favour and with this the fate of the Bourbon Rooms rests as comedic father/son duo, Hertz (Vas Constanti) and Franz Kineman (David Breeds) threaten its future. Like most newcomers to The Strip, barman Drew (Sam Turrell) dreams of making it as a rock star, while Sherrie (Gabriella Williams) has left behind her yokel farm upbringing for acting. Breaking the fourth wall, D-Arienzo has Oxbrow repeatedly banter with the audience, clearly setting the show’s tongue-in-cheek tone and signposting the story’s love interest.

A live band accompanies cast members belting out classic rock numbers both affectionately mocking the genre and paying homage with flashing lights aplenty, high volume and of course the “Fogmaster 5000”. Starship’s “We Built This City” is hammed up to the max for a scene inside the mayor’s office where city planner, Regina (Stephanie Chandos), attempts to defend The Strip’s cultural relevance, leading into Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” acting as a protest song. This is testimony to D’Arienzo’s ability to deftly use song to tell the story, a skill vital in this genre but sorely lacking in so many other musicals where songs are carelessly shoehorned in. That said, the decision to use over-complicated medleys in some scenes is a little messy, unfortunately detracting from strong vocals. Duets from Turrell and Williams feel more like overlapping solos but Breeds and Chandos singing “Hit Me with Your Best Shot” donning rainbow coloured spandex is a joy to watch. Some whole cast numbers feel slightly out of sync but solos are powerful. Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” performed by Sharp with support from the whole ensemble works especially well, and is accompanied by humorous choreography, courtesy of Director Nick Winston. However, the musical highlight of the night comes from Kennedy and Oxbrow in a heartfelt rendition of REO Speedwagon’s “I Can’t Fight This Feeling”.

Although Rock of Ages avoids full set changes, Large utilises a huge billboard at the top of her stage to project different backdrops onto, poles for the gentleman’s Venus Club and a grotty wheel on toilet cubicle. Her pièce de résistance comes in the form of two absurdly small vehicles, a motorbike with a sidecar and bulldozer, both clearly playing for laughs that are successfully elicited.

Laughs are found easily as the show and cast deliberately avoid taking themselves too seriously. Particularly funny moments are found as Sharp woos Williams, singing Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is” while dousing himself in urinal water in place of cologne. Clever choreography in the train station scene and small touches like the inclusion of an Oscar award for a character making a heartfelt speech add to the humour too. Despite the cast clearly adlibbing, some scripted jokes need refreshing a bit. Favourite audience gag of the night undoubtedly comes from Lonnie commenting on the length of the interval, after a technical issue stopped the second half from starting on time.

Rock of Ages seems as fun to watch as it is to act in with cast really giving it their all for the farewell tour. Let’s just hope it isn’t goodbye for ever.