Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly: all active in 1955, all represented in this Shanklin Theatre tribute show on 7 June. The Class of 55 is produced by the team behind The Roy Orbison Story and covers the moment when rock'n'roll took shape as a genre rather than a crossover experiment. The musicianship matters here; the originals are well-documented and the comparisons are immediate.
LMS Worldwide Limited build their tribute shows around accurate musical recreation rather than theatrical framing, which suits the 1955 material well. The songs speak for themselves: "Johnny B. Goode", "Tutti Frutti", "Great Balls of Fire", "Peggy Sue" and the early Elvis catalogue do not need a narrative to hold an audience. Shanklin Theatre gives the performances the acoustic environment they need, and the rescheduled date suggests a production worth planning around.
Tickets via Shanklin Theatre. Suitable for adults and families with older children. More music events on the Isle of Wight through the summer season.
