If Elvis weren't already dead, the musical
All Shook Up would likely kill him. And I don't want to hear anything about his heirs approving of this execrable knock-off of his music.
The truth is, I don't even like Elvis Presley's music all that much. But even non-fans know that his recordings were all about rebellion and lust. The folks who perpetrated this mess did so with the notion that a caricature of Elvis -- swivel hips and attitude -- is a source of humor. That works for Elvis impersonators, but a show about his music should do more than offer a cartoon.
Plugging in Elvis tunes at obvious moments, All Shook Up is about an Elvis clone, Chad (Joe Mandragona), whose arrival in an uptight small town unhinges several people. Tomboyish Natalie (Jenny Fellner) falls for him; nerdy Dennis (Dennis Moench) has a crush on her. Natalie's dad is captivated by the statuesque museum manager Miss Sandra (Susan Anton), as is Chad. Only Lorraine (Valisia Lekae Little), a perky African American, and Dean (Brian Sears), the son of the town's Moral Majority mayor, Matilda Hyde (Beth Glover), find true love.
Natalie disguises herself as "Ed" to cozy up to Chad, swiping a device from Shakespeare. (It wasn't enough to offend the memory of Elvis: The creators of All Shook Up have the audacity to claim Twelfth Night as an inspiration.) This silliness is so mind-bogglingly stupid and offensive that I'm amazed anyone could call it entertainment. (Among other things, the mayor confesses an affair with a black Jazz musician, so her blond, pale-skinned son is black, making it OK for him to pair up with Lorraine.)
Mandragona has the right look for Chad, but he unconvincingly mimes guitar playing, and his singing is only adequate. Susan Anton, a beauty queen from 1969 who is a lumbering actress and only a passable singer, is especially painful to watch.
The only redeeming moments happen when Little, Sears, Fellner and Moench sing. They have fine voices, and when they perform, it's almost possible to forget how bad the surrounding material is. Almost. Grade: D
ALL SHOOK UP, presented by Broadway Across America, continues through March 11.
