Random West End Show Review - Memphis

So there was a dark time when the unity that we have as human beings today, was not the case and in that time, the only driving force that kept us all going, was music. I find Memphis to share similarities to Hairspray in the sense that it's set during a time where people of different ethnicity couldn't live together in harmony, though in the case of Memphis, this is the main thing talked about whereas in Hairspary, it is talked about in that as well, but is not the main focus as it were. But anyway, let's have a look at this show:

So a party going on at this black Rock and Roll bar, attracts the attention of white man Huey Calhoun (played by Killian Donnelly, but now played by Matt Cardle from this week on) who claims he's there for the music and nothing else. He is about to be fired as a stock filler, but convinces his manager to keep him on. The manager then tells him that if he can sell 5 records by playing them on the speakers, he can stay and have a sales job. He gets fired anyway because of the particular music being played, despite selling well over 5 records. He returns to the bar and starts flirting with Felica (played by Beverly Knight), a singer at the bar who just so happens to be the sister of the bar's owner Delray (played by Rolan Bell). Huey promises Felica that he will get her on the radio and then gets to do just that, thus start a chain of events that sees just how far one will go to unite people of different ethnicity.

This is one dark musical which just so happens to be based on the life and career of the real Huey Calhoun and honestly, I like it. Its got great original music all around, its funny, has an important message going into it and the acting is top notch. Well worth a watch if you enjoy African-American music or just want to have a good time. 9/10