Memphis...

Yesterday I went to see Memphis - not the live musical, but the broadcast of the musical in the Coliseum Theatre on Richmond Road.

And yes, I loved it. It made me cry. (maaseru too.) The part that really got me blubbery was when Gator started to talk.

Huey Calhoun was a really interesting lead. Not like any other protagonist I've seen, I think. When watching, I didn't know enough about the history of rock'n'roll to know who the role was based on, if anyone; seems from Wikipedia that it's Dewey Phillips, only without the drugs. Or maybe... drugs would explain a lot. It's a story about the beginning of rock'n'roll and about racism in Tennessee in the 1950s.

I liked the contrast between Huey and Felicia.

In terms of the story, act 2 seemed a lot weaker than act 1 - there wasn't much of a climax.

Most stories about the poor and ambitious, especially if their interest is show business, have them wanting to go to the big city, probably Los Angeles of New York. In this story Huey wants to stay in Memphis and never to leave. I liked the attitude.

I couldn't help thinking that you could have the same story today if Felicia was male (or if Huey wasn't). The same laws against marriage. The same opposition by their families - who might come round in time. The same danger of being beaten half to death if seen kissing in the street.

Fabulous casting. I never heard of Chad Kimball before but his mobility, his voice, and his convincing persona were amazing.