Review: Rock of Ages - Dunboyne Musical Society

Society name: Dunboyne Musical Society

Show name: Rock of Ages

Adjudicator date of attendance: 10/04/2026

Arriving into Dunboyne Community Centre on a miserably wet evening we were more than ready to escape the rain and disappear for a few hours into the unapologetically over-the-top world of ‘Rock of Ages’. Dunboyne Musical Society’s production really embraced the spirit of the show, with big hair, bigger egos and face-melting guitar riffs aplenty. Built around iconic rock anthems, the show is knowingly ridiculous and packed with tongue-in-cheek, often risqué humour that nudges and winks at the audience throughout. There was a strong sense that everyone involved understood that gig. It was never going to be polished musical theatre. It needed swagger and chaos and, for the most part, the production had exactly that.

Front of house on the night was somewhat mixed, although the weather conditions made things more difficult than usual. Things were quite congested, with a noticeable bottleneck as audience members entered. Once inside the hall, however, things improved considerably. Volunteers were warm and helpful and the atmosphere was friendly and enthusiastic despite the miserable conditions outside.

Orla Mulreid Deane directed with a confident hand and had a good understanding of the tone and style required. There was great humour and the comedy was knowingly ridiculous throughout. Pace was generally strong and scenes flowed well from one to the next. There appeared to be good collaboration between the director and stage management team, with transitions handled very efficiently. Sightlines were occasionally an issue in some busier scenes. Overall, solid direction with a good understanding of the comedic style.

Gráinne Kennedy’s choreography was one of the stronger elements of the production. There was a good understanding of the style that ‘Rock of Ages’ needs, with plenty of attitude and high energy from a cast that was enjoying every minute. ‘Nothing But a Good Time’ was particularly impressive, full of energy and really well synchronised movement. ‘Here I Go Again’ was one of the standout moments of the show. The routine had an exhilarating energy that nearly lifted the roof off the community centre. ‘I Hate Myself for Loving You’ was suitably raunchy, playful and full of attitude, while the closing ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ was another highlight, with brilliant ensemble movement and vocals.

Musical director, Caitríona Ní Threasaigh, had assembled an exceptionally strong band, made up of some of the finest musicians you could hope to hear. They fully embraced the spirit of the production, with their costuming, wigs and rock-star energy. The standard of musicianship was excellent. Guitar work, from two of the best in the business, was particularly strong. Ensemble singing was very strong throughout. ‘The Final Countdown’ featured excellent ensemble vocals, while principal vocals throughout the show were also of a very high standard. The overall sound mix needed attention at times. The drums in particular appeared inconsistent from number to number, at times sounding under amplified and at others overpowering within the overall mix. Even with those issues, there was still a huge amount of quality on display musically. The vocals were strong and the musicians themselves were outstanding throughout. It simply felt at times that the sound mix did not quite allow the audience to hear the very best of the excellent work being done on stage.

Dan Whelan gave a very strong performance as Drew, bringing much charm and sincerity to the role. A very skilled comedian, Mr. Whelan got a great deal of humour out of the character. Vocally, he was excellent throughout. ‘Waiting for a Girl Like You’ was particularly well performed, with Mr. Whelan showing his wonderful range and capturing the softer side of Drew very effectively. His work with Sherrie in ‘High Enough’ was also excellent, with the two voices blending beautifully together and creating a very emotional connection. Mr. Whelan’s energy and stage presence were excellent throughout, giving us a very likeable character to root for.

Nicole Lamb was one of the standout performers as Sherrie. Ms. Lamb struck a great balance, capturing Sherrie’s idealistic, naive energy while still allowing her vulnerability to shine through. I loved the way Ms. Lamb leaned into the comedy of the role. Her comic timing was excellent throughout and she brought out layers of humour and quirkiness in the role that are not always explored but worked exceptionally well. Ms. Lamb’s singing was of a very high standard. ‘More Than Words’ was beautifully sung and ‘High Enough’ was another musical highlight of the evening. An excellent portrayal all round.

Ian Tighe was excellent as Lonny, throwing himself into the chaos and comedy of the role with a complete lack of subtlety. As the narrator and orchestrator of the show’s mayhem, Lonny spends much of his time poking fun at the plot and dragging the audience into the madness. Mr. Tighe did this with confidence and great comic timing. He had a brilliant rapport with the audience, interacting in a very relaxed and natural manner. Vocally, he was also extremely strong. ‘Cum On Feel the Noize’ gave him a perfect opportunity to show off his rock vocals and he did so with face-melting style and confidence.

Eoin Kenny gave a very enjoyable performance as Dennis Dupree, bringing plenty of personality and laid-back charm to the owner of the Bourbon Room. Mr. Kenny was very funny as the permanently dazed, rock-and-roll relic clinging desperately to his glory days. His costuming, physicality and relaxed stage presence all combined to create a very convincing character. At times he genuinely looked as though he had wandered into scenes accidentally and was only gradually figuring out where he was, which suited his portrayal perfectly and got plenty of laughs.

Michael Long gave a very strong performance as Stacee Jaxx, with an outrageous ego and rock-star swagger that was very funny. This was an egotistical Stacee who adored himself but thankfully Mr. Long played it with enough charm and humour to keep the audience on side throughout. He found a good balance between rock-god excess and the knowing, tongue-in-cheek comedy. The hilarious restroom scene with Sherrie was a standout moment, played so well by Mr. Long and Ms. Lamb. Mr. Long had a very impressive vocal range. ‘I Hate Myself for Loving You’ was particularly strong, suiting his vocal style very well, while ‘The Heat of the Moment’ gave him another chance to shine vocally.

Emmagene Cooke was excellent as Regina. This was a hilariously funny and committed performance as the bespectacled activist determined to save the city from the excesses of the Sunset Strip rock scene. What impressed me most was how well she stayed in character throughout. Her comic timing was excellent and she had a natural ease as a comedienne that appeared instinctive throughout. Ms. Cooke’s vocals were also very strong. ‘We Built This City’ showcased her voice very well.

Sean Cronin was absolutely hilarious as Franz, delivering one of the show’s funniest performances. Franz is a deliberately ridiculous character and Mr. Cronin understood the over-the-top style of performance required without ever pushing it too far. He was wonderfully animated and full of energy and his physicality was excellent throughout. His scenes with Regina were some of the strongest comedy moments in the show.

Brian Denison gave a very enjoyable performance as Hertz, the German developer determined to tear down the Bourbon Room. Mr. Dennison had great stage presence and understood the comedy style very well, getting great humour from the character without turning him into a complete cartoon villain.

Jenny Seery gave a very strong performance as Venus Club proprietor Justice Charlier, bringing warmth and calm to the role amidst the chaos of the Sunset Strip. In a production filled with exaggerated rock-star egos and over-the-top comedy, Ms. Seery resisted the urge to push too hard, allowing her to bring more sincerity and maturity to the role. Ms. Seery’s vocals were very impressive. ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’ was a beautiful moment musically and was delivered with warmth and sincerity which brought great emotional honesty to her portrayal.

Orlagh Dillon made a great impression in the role of Waitress #1, proving once again that there is no such thing as a small part in musical theatre. Despite limited stage time, she made the most of every moment on stage with excellent presence and energy. She sang superbly in ‘To Be With You’, with a very impressive vocal.

James Sullivan was excellent as dodgy promoter Ja’Keith, making a real impact in this smaller role. His relaxed delivery felt very natural and he looked very comfortable throughout.

There was also solid support from Ailbhe Travers as the Mayor and Emma Lou Harte as Constance, both of whom added nicely to the strength of the supporting cast.

The ensemble work throughout the production was consistently strong, adding greatly to the energy and atmosphere of the show. Whether in the high-energy numbers inside the Bourbon Room or as Justice’s dancers in the Venus Club scenes, they threw themselves fully into the spirit of the production. What really stood out most was their commitment and the feeling that they were really enjoying themselves throughout, as they constantly threw themselves into the exaggerated humour of the Sunset Strip.

Stage manager Colm Mallon and his team did very good work throughout, helping to keep the show moving at a good pace and ensuring that scene changes and moving elements were handled smoothly overall. The three tracked panels used to separate the Bourbon Room from the street scenes were a simple but clever design feature and were managed very effectively throughout the show. They moved on and off cleanly and helped to quickly separate the playing space. Particular credit should also go to Mr. Mallon and his crew for the handling of Regina’s backwards fall, which looked extremely real from the audience’s point of view. It appeared effortless from the front but it was clear that a good deal of coordination must have taken place backstage to make it happen successfully.

The set design was very effective, capturing the grungy, chaotic atmosphere of the Sunset Strip very effectively. The Bourbon Room looked great with its neon signage, posters, graffiti and rock-club aesthetic. The use of the three tracked panels which moved in and out to create separation between the Bourbon Room scenes and the exterior street locations was very clever. The pull-out restroom truck was also an excellent design choice, right down to the impressive artwork on the restroom door.

The lighting design played a big part in bringing the production to life and was very much in keeping with the loud, energetic concert style the show requires. The show was immersed in a world of neon colour, haze and rock-concert beams that immediately established the atmosphere of the Sunset Strip. The use of colour throughout was particularly effective. Strong pinks, blues and purples helped to create that glam-rock nightclub feel, while the frequent use of backlighting through copious amounts of haze added great depth and scale.

Sound was probably the one area of the production that felt slightly inconsistent. When it worked well, it worked very well, but there were times where balance issues affected the overall impact of certain numbers. That said, there were also moments where the sound came together extremely well. ‘Here I Go Again’ in particular sounded excellent, with a much stronger balance between band and vocals. This allowed the full energy of the number to come through and it was actually one of the strongest sections of the production. Sound effects, when used, were appropriate and very well timed throughout and dialogue was always very well cued and clearly heard.

Costumes worked very well in capturing the loud, outrageous and gloriously over-the-top style of the late 1980s rock scene. From leather and denim to animal print, band T-shirts, fishnets and oversized accessories, the costume department went full-out with the excess and chaos of the era.

There was very strong work from the props department throughout. The Bourbon Room in particular was dressed extremely well, with bottles, crates, stools and the cash register all adding to the authentic rock venue environment. A lot of the props work also added to the comedy of the show. Lonny’s nunchucks were a funny addition and Hertz’s oversized brick-style phone was another good visual gag. The ‘Fogmaster 2000’ worked extremely well with its smoke effect providing another very humorous moment. There were one or two areas where consistency could have been a little better. The briefcase of cash wasn’t overly convincing, with the notes appearing to be white and printed only on one side. That aside, the props department did very good work throughout

Hair and makeup were very well handled, helping to create the exaggerated rock-and-roll world required. This is a show where there is no room for subtlety and this was clearly understood as the exaggerated glamour of the era unfolded on stage. Wigs in particular were excellent. Hair was big and makeup was loud. Exactly as they should be. Super work from all involved.

Overall, Dunboyne Musical Society’s production of ‘Rock of Ages’ delivered an unapologetic, over-the-top night of pure escapism and very enjoyable comedy. There was a great sense of a cast that embraced the silliness and the chaos from start to finish. The society should be very proud of the blood sweat and tears that went into getting this ridiculously self-aware and high-energy show to the stage. A thoroughly entertaining night!

Pat McElwain

Sullivan Adjudicator 2025/2026