Review: All Shook Up - Jack Cunningham Productions

Society name: Jack Cunningham Productions

Show name: All Shook Up

Adjudicator date of attendance: 06/09/2025

Jack Cunningham Productions’ All Shook Up was a lively, colourful, and good-humoured staging of this jukebox musical. While it never quite achieved its full potential, it still provided a light-hearted evening of entertainment. There was much to enjoy: strong vocal work, spirited choreography, and a company who clearly invested endless amounts of energy and enthusiasm. Some moments of imprecision and a lack of detailed storytelling meant the production sometimes fell short of being truly fabulous. The production moved at a good pace, driven by musical strength and cast commitment. Though characterisation was sometimes superficial, the show remained engaging and accessible, balancing moments of enjoyment with areas for growth.

Direction from Jack Cunningham ensured the story flowed clearly, with smooth transitions and rarely any stagnation. Greater attention to blocking, character arcs, and comedy would have given the show more depth. Blocking was occasionally awkward, with characters speaking upstage and losing connection with the audience. The bar set piece, placed upstage centre, created some of these issues; possibly repositioning it downstage right or left would allow actors to play forward more effectively. The balcony audience was neglected, with performers directing energy solely toward the stalls. Coaching to lift eyelines would include the whole auditorium and strengthen connection. Character development also lacked detail. While broad strokes suit the show’s archetypes, the relationships and motivations need more nuance. The comedy, so central to All Shook Up, often felt underplayed. Leaning into parody would heighten humour and unlock the script’s potential. Despite these critiques, the production was coherent and rhythmic. With sharper focus on detail and stronger emphasis on character journeys, the direction could rise from good to excellent.

Andrew Lane’s musical direction was the evening’s highlight. Under his guidance, the cast delivered beautifully blended harmonies with warmth and precision. Ensemble singing was rich, balanced, and well-rehearsed, providing a solid musical foundation. Andrew kept tempos steady and ensured the band supported the cast without overpowering them. However, the band’s full sound was not consistently reinforced through the PA. The absence of amplified brass left the bigger numbers less impactful than they should have been. For a show fuelled by Elvis’s bold energy, this was a missed opportunity. Still, the clarity of direction and the cast’s strong vocal ability made the musical element a consistent strength. With fuller use of amplification, the score could become truly electrifying.

Jack Cunningham’s choreography was lively and clean, especially from the core dancers, whose precision brought real flair. Routines were well-structured and visually appealing, filling the stage with energy. At times over-reliance on certain moves, particularly high kicks, made the choreography feel a little repetitive. Variety would keep the visual storytelling fresher. The opening number, while energetic, lacked the punch needed to establish the musical’s world with full impact. In Let Yourself Go the choreography for the statues felt stylistically out of place, disrupting cohesion. A noticeable divide existed between strong dancers and the wider ensemble. Choreography should aim to integrate performers of varying abilities, so the ensemble appears unified while still challenging the most advanced dancers.

A strong front line led this ensemble. Jordan Bass in the role of Chad showed clear ability but was somewhat hampered by direction. His consistent scowl-like expression felt mismatched to Chad’s charismatic persona, softening stage presence. Vocally very competent, he especially shone in I Don’t Want To, though the role did not show the full potential of his voice. An affected accent through gritted teeth made dialogue unclear at times, and the lack of a lifted eyeline beyond the stalls left balcony audiences disengaged. With clearer diction, raised eyelines, and more swagger, this role could become a standout.

Jenna Dunphy as Natalie / Ed performed with charm and confidence. A strong mover and singer, she delivered both aspects well. The contrast between Natalie and Ed was possibly a little too subtle; sharper distinctions in physicality and vocal tone would strengthen the comedy and highlight the role’s central transformation.

Timmy Moloney was endearing and believable as Dennis, with sweet vocals blending well with the company. The character’s quirkiness and comedic potential, though, were underexplored. More eccentricity would have added extra humour.

Carrie Mullane has a pleasant voice but perhaps lacked the power and flamboyance Miss Sandra requires. The role thrives on bold sexuality and comedy, which were lightly touched upon. Greater freedom in embracing these aspects would lift her portrayal.

Lyndsey Penkert’s Sylvia was one of the strongest performances of the night, with commanding vocals and natural stage presence. Relationships with Lorraine and Jim were convincing, though comedy was again slightly restrained. With more exaggeration, her performance could soar even higher.

Fionnan Dunphy was utterly charming as Jim, embodying the bumbling father with warmth and humour. His relationship with Natalie was tender, his characterisation consistent, and his comedic timing excellent. A thoroughly enjoyable performance.

Ella Fewer displayed a powerful voice and impressive riffs as Lorraine. She blended beautifully in duets, though her characterisation was too restrained. Lorraine needs more drive and sparkle to fully capture Dean’s attention.

Liam Steenson’s Dean Hyde was suitably gentle and sweet, pairing well vocally with Lorraine. His meekness worked, but his defiance of his mother could have been more pronounced for dramatic contrast.

Anne-Marie Collins delivered a stern, strict portrayal of Mayor Matilda, with strong interactions and humorous facial expressions. Vocally competent, she occasionally struggled with range transitions. Greater smoothness would enhance an otherwise solid performance.

Jonathan Kelly was a comedic highlight as Sheriff Earl. With few words, he achieved much, delivering humour through subtle timing and precision.

Sophie Reynolds was vocally outstanding as Henrietta in Heartbreak Hotel. Her powerhouse delivery made a strong impression despite limited stage time.

The ensemble brought energy, strong harmonies, and consistent engagement. Their singing was powerful and well-balanced, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere. The execution of the choreography was sharp across the board. A core group of dancers excelled at the tricker routines. It was a shame that the rest of the chorus weren’t utilised more, some remaining out of the bulk of the choreography. More integration of the choreography would allow all ensemble members to shine while maintaining uniformity.

The set was simple but effective, with versatile, dual-purpose pieces that moved smoothly and maximised limited space. However the set pieces sometimes felt a little bare, particularly The Honky Tonk, which would have benefitted from more set dressing.

Scene changes, carried out by the cast, usually flowed well but occasionally lacked precision. When done in full light, they must be treated as choreography to maintain the slickness needed to ensure the flow of the show is maintained.

Lighting was thoughtfully designed, with a colour palette that supported storytelling. The transition from sepia tones to brighter colours, matching the changes in costume, was particularly striking. Cueing was tight, though additional front-of-house coverage was needed for extreme downstage corners where the cast occasionally strayed.

Sound was nicely balanced for vocals, with harmonies clear and well-mixed. The main issue was the absence of the full band in the PA, which left brass-heavy numbers lacking impact. Stronger integration of live band and cast would add much-needed power.

Visually, the production was excellent. Costumes were carefully chosen, with warm brown tones in the opening, leading to striking contrasts later. Hair was immaculate, with accurate period styling, and make-up was suitably designed to enhance believability. This department’s attention to detail contributed greatly to the show’s overall polish.

Front of House presentation was slightly less polished. The team were polite and accommodating, but with some improved systems, the welcome could be as strong as the work on stage.

Overall, All Shook Up was a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment that the company should be proud of. Jack Cunningham Productions has a strong solid foundation that with time and a little more attention to small details will be a group to be reckoned with.