Rock of Ages & Other Stuff

Hello everyone!

After a few people pointed out that my first blog post was actually a bit bleak, I’ve decided to write about something a bit cheerier this time.

Overall, my final semester of University has started really well, although this may have something to do with my decision not to do a dissertation.

One highlight has been having a friend down to visit for a few days a couple of weeks ago. Showing them around the city and doing generally Oxford-y things was a nice reminder of how great it is to live here. It can be pretty easy to forget, amidst all of the work and drama of University life that you live in the ‘city of dreaming spires’. Visiting a few museums, pubs and stately Oxford University colleges and generally acting like a tourist for a while was definitely a refreshing change of pace!

Anyway, something from that week I felt especially inspired to write about is the performance of Rock of Ages by the Fortune Players musical society at the Brookes Union Hall.

To be totally honest, I’ve never been huge on musicals and didn’t really know much about Rock of Ages, apart from vaguely remembering there being a film adaptation featuring Russell Brand a few years ago, so I didn’t really know what to expect.

The musical itself is based around a simple boy-meets girl story, but is best described as a frenzied, self-aware mishmash of 80s rock, rebellion, widespread debauchery and silly German accents. In short, I was really blown away by the whole thing, there really wasn’t a dull moment.

I knew a few people performing, but I can say with confidence that the entire ensemble totally knocked it out of the park. The entire soundtrack was brilliantly performed by every singer and the band were especially amazing throughout, including an unexpected saxophone solo at one point.

Even the set, lighting and production were top notch, although if I had to take issue with anything, there were a few haphazard sound issues on the night I went, but even these were handled pretty well by the performers.

Congratulations to everyone involved for an evening of genuinely hilarious, utterly silly entertainment. I’m now hoping for more stuff from the Fortune Players before the end of the year, including apparently hosting an 80s themed ‘Dixieland’ night and a possible concert.

Thanks for reading and good luck to everyone handing in their dissertation soon!