The cast includes awide range of talent, as those with little stage experience brush against morepolished performers. The nearly three-hour show features many recognizabletunes, such as the title song, “Twist and Shout,” “That Old Black Magic” and“In the Still of the Night.” Songs are introduced with interesting backgroundmaterial and the occasional comic moment. Written entirely by Davis, the non-musical end of Shake Rattle & Roll shows a genuinelove for the era.
The music offerssome great moments when the production is brave enough to drift away fromkaraoke-style solos. A four-woman a cappella performance of “Lollipop” wasamong the most impressive song treatments in the show. Davis’ passion as a performer is infectious,drawing audiences into the spirit that made early rock ’n’ roll so powerful.But the show could have used some editing to avoid slowing down in parts. Forexample, the production seems to have included a sketch inspired by “I LoveLucy” just because it could. Removing the dead weight in Shake Rattle & Roll could make for an even more entertainingshow.
Shake Rattle & Roll continues through Aug. 29 at the Waukesha CivicTheatre.
