Sex, Drug, Religion & Rock & Roll - The Life of Jerry Lee Lewis

[Jitterbug]

Sex, drugs, religion and rock & roll – that’s the life and story of Jerry Lee Lewis. Also widely known as “The Killer”, Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the pioneers of rock & roll music with his distinctive piano playing “boogie, woogie, honky tonk” style. Lewis is a contemporary of the rockabilly greats of Sun Studio like Johnny Cash & Carl Perkins and at one time counted Elvis Presley as a friend. A self taught piano player, he soaked up the styles of Hank Williams, Jimmy Rodgers & Al Jolson in a glorious era of American popular music.

Imagine now for a second – a cool Friday night walking down a tiny side street in Frankston, surrounded by big neon lights unashamedly advertising greed & commercialism and brushing past scattering pedestrians hurriedly making their way home, before finally ascending the steps into the house of the Lord – the church. On entering, one cannot help but be confronted by huge banners loudly proclaiming the presence of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit but also very strangely sharing the centre stage with a bottle of whisky, magical pills (drugs), gold records, guitars and a piano. Tonight, at the Jubilee Hall in Frankston, the stage has been set for “Hellfire – the story of Jerry Lee Lewis”, a new musical directed by Hugh Halliday and written by Allen Wilde.

Starring Andrew King in a one person, musical performance, he was well supported by a pretty lone guitarist and with clever use of illustrations showing selected sensational headline grabbing, historical newsprint flashbacks on large video screens and stage audios. Interspersed with songs & hits, the musical tells the story of Jerry Lee Lewis - the wild man of rock & roll. Growing up as a Bible-believing and God-fearing young man, Lewis was devastatingly torn apart by his love for the “devil” music, especially the blues music from the black juke box called "Haney’s Big House" and his wanton lust of the flesh. Enrolled in a Bible college to train as a preacher where his other piano playing cousin, Jimmy Swaggart, achieved fame and later notoriety as an international TV evangelist after being exposed for sexual misconduct, Lewis was later kicked out of Bible College for playing his devil music.

The musical showcased Lewis’ musical hits and Andrew King played some great piano in the indomitable style of Jerry Lee Lewis. But it was also not afraid to tell the audience, warts and all, the troubled & turbulent life and times of this rock & roll legend. First married at 17, and later married seven more times, including his second marriage before his divorce was finalised and the infamous third marriage in 1958 to his first cousin, Myra, who was only 13 years of age causing a public scandal and furore that destroyed his first overseas tour to England and leading to the ban on playing his records on radio back home in the USA. Only just the year before, he has recorded with Sun Records and enjoyed great success with hits like “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire”. After the backlash, he retreated to the Country music scene where he similarly achieved some success with a number of hits including the 1968 No 1 hit, “To make Love Sweeter For You”. But he never deserted his first love for rock & roll music. In the 1970’s, with the revival of interest in music of the 1950’s era, Jerry Lee Lewis continues to have hit singles and was later inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

Through his stage career, Jerry Lee Lewis’ public travails were well documented ranging from violent behaviour on stage, clashes with fans and fellow musicians, the shooting of his bass player, his divorces, death of his two sons and his battles with police with drugs and the Internal Service Revenue (Tax Department). Thank God, it seems Jerry Lee Lewis today is a much transformed man drinking only grape soda and continuing to perform around the world.

Watching the musical, I couldn’t help but feel for Jerry Lee Lewis as a person “who has fallen short of the glory of God” as I reminisced about our similar experiences as young men, riddled with guilt and passions, whilst growing up as God fearing, Heaven & Hell, Bible believing Christians in the very conservative, fundamentalist Assembly of God Pentecostal Church although we are separated in different era and countries. But isn’t it true also that God came to this world not to judge but to save the sinful, and therefore let those who have not sinned cast the first stone like what the Bible says?

I was quite moved by the performance and really enjoyed the musical. And I believe the audience did too last night showing again and again their love & appreciation with applause whenever Andrew King sang the memorable hits from Jerry Lee Lewis. If you are familiar with the exciting yet turbulent times associated with the birth of rock & roll music in the 1950’s and have a love for the music of Jerry Lee Lewis, I invite you to watch this musical.

The next matinee show is at 2pm, 10th October followed by an evening performance at 8pm at the Jubilee Hall, 2 Balmoral Street Frankston. For bookings, you can see Allen Wilde in one of our dance gigs or ring direct on 0406958330.

[JeannieLushes]

For those who are not sure whether or not to attend this musical, I can honestly say I was impressed with Andrew King and his basket of many talents as he demonstrated a life of an icon of our Rock N Roll era.

The musical and production as put together was even more impressive.
Allen Walker has probably got something here that allowed me to walk away with no surprise that the casino has booked this musical for 20 more shows.

Congratulations Allen and as per ANdrew King...his potrayal of Jerry Lee Lewis was spot on!!
Well done to Allen and the team!!
Cheers,
Jeannie Lushes

[brown eyed girl]

OOOOps Jeannie I think you meant ALLEN WILDE and not Allen Walker.

Thank you for your views on the show as I'm going tomorrow night with some friends. The tickets are only $20, will be much more expensive at Crown Casino.

Cheers
Lorenza