The reviews are in for Million Dollar Quartet, Jonathan O’Boyle’s production of the jukebox musical, which has come to The Arts at Marble Arch from the Barn Theatre in Cirencester with its principal cast intact. The show imagines the December 1956 session at Sun Records that put Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis in one room, with Darren Day as the producer Sam Phillips. The critics are close to unanimous on the musicianship, and Joe Bence’s Jerry Lee Lewis is the performance named most often. The division is over the book: the warmest notices are content to treat the evening as a concert with a story attached, while the cooler ones find the scenes between the songs thin and the structure repetitive.
The verdict: fourteen reviews in so far – three five-star notices, six four-star, two at three and a half, two at three, and one outlet that publishes no rating. Across the thirteen that score it, the average is 4.0 out of 5, and the praise for the company’s live playing is all but universal, even among the critics who find the drama slight.
What are critics saying about Million Dollar Quartet?
The Spy in the Stalls
Reviewer: Elizabeth Botsford
“The four young men he gathered came from nothing, and Jonathan O’Boyle’s production never lets us forget it. These are the sons of cotton farmers and sharecroppers. Folsom Prison Blues lands as a song from that hard world, not just a back catalogue hit. Connor Payne’s Elvis is all charm and restless hips, already gone on to better things. Joey Bradick gives Perkins the bruised pride of a man who wrote Blue Suede Shoes and watched someone else make it famous. Joe Bence is the cocky newcomer at the piano, looking spookily like the real Jerry Lee Lewis. Equally convincing is Johnny Cash played by Christopher Erasmus.”
Read Elizabeth Botsford’s full review at The Spy in the Stalls
North West End
Reviewer: Michelle Knight
“At the heart of this production is Darren Day’s compelling portrayal of Sam Phillips and Jerry Lee Lewis played by the unstoppable and incredible Joe Bence as the crazy provocative pianist. Joe Bence captures the characterisation of Jerry Lee Lewis to perfection. As Philips tries to calm’s Lewis, it proves tricky as this ambitious, yet mildly vulnerable man instinctively knows he needs get his lucky break. You will be dazzled by Carl Perkins, Jonny Cash and Elvis Preseley who make up this impressive quartet.”
London Box Office
Reviewer: Shehrazade Zafar-Arif
“Connor Payne had perhaps the biggest challenge in this respect as Elvis Presley, but he flawlessly mimics Elvis’s swagger, boyish charm, and distinctive dance style without ever falling into caricature. Christopher Erasmus is equally effective in capturing Johnny Cash’s memorable bullfrog-deep voice (though it sounds a bit more artificial during his spoken dialogue) and brooding, morose expression. Joey Bradick brings a depth of character to Carl Perkins, balancing his professional confidence with his innate insecurity and resentment about being overlooked. Most entertaining of all is Joe Bence as Jerry Lee Lewis, who brims with charisma, cheekiness, and comedic timing, whether he’s earnestly and unabashedly showing off his talent at the piano or grinning as he tells a morbid story about his brother’s death.”
Read Shehrazade Zafar-Arif’s full review at London Box Office
LondonTheatre.co.uk
“This electrifying rock ’n’ roll musical has audiences dancing in the aisles”
Reviewer: Lisa Martland
“As for the cocky, crude and charismatic Jerry Lee Lewis, it is hard to take your eyes off Joe Bence when he is allowed to let loose at the piano. His onstage energy, through to the final notes of the excellent encore numbers, is off the scale. Jenay Naima is also worth a mention as Dyanne, who may be present because she is Elvis’s girlfriend, but proves she has a powerful voice of her own.”
Theatre Weekly
Reviewer: Greg Stewart
“Connor Payne’s Elvis Presley balances swagger with restraint, avoiding caricature. Joe Bence is consistently electrifying as Jerry Lee Lewis, combining exceptional musicianship with infectious comic timing. Christopher Erasmus brings a measured coolness to Johnny Cash, his rich vocals particularly effective throughout the evening, while Joey Bradick gives Carl Perkins a thoughtful, quietly compelling presence. Jenay Naima once again makes a memorable impression as Dyanne, delivering some of the evening’s strongest vocal moments.”
The Upcoming
Reviewer: Michael Higgs
“But Million Dollar Quartet is a jukebox musical: the songs are the point. And here, the show shines. The four impersonators are outstanding: Connor Payne delivers a solid Elvis Presley, including pitch-perfect chemistry with Elvis’s girlfriend, Dyanne (bombastically performed by Jenay Naima); Christopher Erasmus’s Johnny Cash is calm, collected and powerful; Joey Bradick’s Carl Perkins is confident and upbeat; and Joe Bence’s Jerry Lee Lewis is a virtuoso at the piano who commands the stage with great humour. While their impersonations are largely reduced to their respective characters’ mannerisms, their covers of the songs are spot-on, with excellent interpretations throughout, featuring brilliant vocals and passion on their respective instruments.”
Theatre South East
“Million Dollar Quartet Rocks the West End”
Reviewer: Jordyn Murray
“Making up the quartet is Christopher Erasmus as Johnny Cash, Joey Bradick as Carl Perkins, Joe Bence as Jerry Lee Lewis, and Connor Payne as Elvis Presley. All four men deliver energizing vocals and incredible live instrumentals. They each embody the essence of their characters and bring a commanding presence to the stage. However, Bence as Jerry Lee Lewis is on another level entirely. His cocky but effervescent charm is scene-stealing, and his command over the piano keys is equally impressive.”
Jonathan Baz Reviews
Reviewer: Jonathan Baz
“Rarely does a jukebox musical sound as though it had been lifted straight from, well, a classic jukebox. But played out on Libby Watson’s set, lavished with neon that ingeniously suggests an authentic 1950s Wurlitzer, Million Dollar Quartet does just that. Over two hours the most gifted actor-musician company in town recreate the (real life) magical evening at Tennessee’s Sun Studios in December 1956 when, for one night only, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley came together to salute Sam Phillips, the studios’ owner and the man who had launched all their careers.”
Adventures in Theatreland
Reviewer: Bethan Warriner
“Christopher Erasmus as Johnny Cash is a standout. His voice is deep, rich and wonderfully gravelly. He makes those famously low Cash tones sound completely effortless. There’s a lovely stillness to his performance too, which works beautifully against some of the bigger personalities bouncing around him. Then there’s Joe Bence as Jerry Lee Lewis, who is an absolute joy. Funny, cheeky and incredibly likeable, he brings bags of personality to the stage. And, of course, there’s the piano playing. Watching him attack the keys is half the fun.”
Read Bethan Warriner’s full review at Adventures in Theatreland
London Theatre Reviews
Reviewer: Bethany Chandler
“Such a show cannot be discussed without first addressing the musicality (musical supervision by Lee Freeman). The entire cast do an incredible job of creating such a fun and concert-like atmosphere whilst also demonstrating some seriously impressive musical prowess. A particular standout has to be Joe Bence, playing the role of Jerry Lee Lewis. He depicts Lewis with such a playful & cheeky sincerity whilst also showcasing some, frankly, otherworldly piano skills. I found myself looking forward to both his hilarious one-liner quips & his lively musical interludes.”
Read Bethany Chandler’s full review at London Theatre Reviews
LouReviews
Reviewer: Louise Penn
“Presley, of course, is iconic, and Cash has recently been the subject of his own musical, The Ballad of Johnny and June. Big shoes to fill and a tough ask. However, Million Dollar Quartet is not a biopic in any sense. When it tries to include material from the quartet’s lives, such as their shared experiences of losing a sibling, it feels awkward and unnecessary. Where it shines is in its setlist of more than 20 numbers, all toe-tapping gems. Each actor finds a sense of the person they portray.”
WhatsOnStage
“London transfer for the jukebox extravaganza”
Reviewer: Hang Yuen
“The venue has its flaws: incessant sirens can pull you away from the nostalgia. The show itself is also less than perfect: by the seventh song, the dramatic structure begins to show its limitations: music, scene, speech, music, scene, speech. The formula becomes increasingly predictable. The performers remain engaging, but the momentum repeatedly stalls.”
Harry Theatre Life
Reviewer: Harry Brogan
“Overall, Million Dollar Quartet is a musical that is put together nicely, whilst act 1 and 2 don’t quite connect with each other, it’s nevertheless a cheery show for the most part, with nice performances, excellent music and it’s for the fans of these stars.”
TheatreVibe
Reviewer: Lizzie Loveridge
“I first saw this show in 2011 and remember being blown away by the deep register of Derek Hagen singing Johnny Cash songs. This new show is in no way disappointing with Christopher Erasmus delivering the wonderful Cash songs – “Sixteen Tons”, “I Walk the Line”, “Riders in the Sky” and “Folsom Prison Blues”. These classic numbers will make the hairs stand up on your arms.”
Production photographs by Alex Tabrizi.
For more of what the critics have been saying this season, see our other London theatre review roundups.
Million Dollar Quartet is booking at The Arts at Marble Arch until Sunday 6 December 2026, ahead of a UK tour in 2027.
