A true celebration of Elton John’s legacy. Jimmy Love captures Elton’s flamboyant onstage persona
The Rocket Man (starring Jimmy Love as Sir Elton John) is a real tribute to an icon. Love manages to capture Elton’s instantly recognisable vocal quality and flamboyant onstage persona. The likeness is good (helped along by some outrageous costumes and colourful glasses), the piano skills are there, and we are quickly swept away in the illusion.
Love’s own admiration for Elton is quickly evident, and the two-hour spectacle is lovingly crafted to give us not only all of Elton’s hits (Saturday Night’s Alright, Crocodile Rock, and Yellow Brick Road to name a few), but also offering insights into Elton’s life and the history behind his iconic songs.
Love’s patter is honed. Each anecdote is conveyed with a confidence and an ease earned only from delighting audiences around the country with these same stories for years. There are some very touching moments, but most of the stories are humorous and delivered with brilliant comic timing.
This whole show is a well-oiled machine. Love is joined on stage by Tara Armstrong, who mostly provides backing vocals, but shines in their duo “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”. The band are all a class act. The camaraderie on stage creates a genuinely enjoyable atmosphere, making the show not just a tribute but a great night out.
As Love points out; Elton John’s music has been the soundtrack to many people’s lives across several generations, and The Rocket Man provides the perfect platform for audiences to sing along and dance in the aisles. The Rocket Man show was simultaneously a brilliant tribute to one of the world’s most famous musical artists and writers, as well as a really great night out! Highly recommend!