Review: Lovelace - A Rock Musical

Review: Lovelace: A Rock Musical

This is a story that deserves to be told. Probably more notorious than famous, Linda Lovelace came to fame through the ground-breaking pornographic film ‘Deep Throat'. What many do not know is the back-story of this woman who at a very young age was more or less expelled by her mother and desperately seeking someone to care for following giving up her baby in a forced adoption.

What this production does very effectively is to evoke the era of the late sixties and early seventies; however, once that era is established, the audience of today demands more emotional connection with the characters in the story than we are given in the piece as a whole. Linda's character is very well drawn and performed brilliantly by one of the best leading ladies in Edinburgh or any other festival this year. A simply stunning performance.

The supporting cast is less well-formed in both the writing and execution of their roles. There are a number of songs that are clearly meant to offer ‘comic relief', but in the context of the story come across as inappropriate, leading the audience away from that emotional connection with the power of the story. Had the show taken a more serious route in choosing the musical numbers to include and their style, the finale would have an audience weeping in pity and sympathy for Linda.