Million Dollar Quartet review: jukebox musical brings 1950s rock'n'roll legends back to life

With its regular building closed for major renovation work, London's Arts theatre has set up a temporary larger venue near Marble Arch, where it is now presenting the jukebox musical Million Dollar Quartet. The show recreates a legendary encounter from almost 70 years ago, when Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis gathered one December afternoon at Sam Phillips' Sun Studios in Memphis and recorded around 40 songs. A newspaper photo of the four at the time carried the caption "Million dollar quartet," which gave the musical its title.

In reality, the session mostly produced gospel and spiritual recordings, and the musical retains only a few numbers from that original tape, including Down By the Riverside, Peace in the Valley, and Chuck Berry's Brown Eyed Handsome Man. The rest of the show instead cycles through the four musicians' greatest hits, including Great Balls of Fire, even though that song was not actually recorded at Sun Studios until a year later.

First staged in 2006 and previously seen in London's West End in 2011, the production has now transferred from Cirencester's Barn theatre. According to the review, Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux's book mixes relaxed charm and humour with somewhat clunky exposition, as characters recount their own and each other's backstories, with studio founder Sam Phillips serving as host and narrator throughout the evening.

Despite these scripting weaknesses, the review praises director Jonathan O'Boyle's production for its four actor-musicians, whose charisma and energetic performances make the familiar songs feel fresh again. A standout moment comes from the actor playing Presley's girlfriend, who commands the stage with renditions of Fever and I Hear You Knocking. The show runs at the Arts at Marble Arch in London until 6 December, after which it will tour until 17 July next year.