See Rock City and Other Destinations - reviews

What you need to know

The UK premiere of American musical See Rock City and Other Destinations has opened at the Union Theatre, London. The musical which premiered off-Broadway in 2010 features a score by Brad Alexander with book and lyrics by Adam Mathias.

The story is made up of vignettes set in tourist destinations across America where various characters seek to find or avoid their destinies, including a UFO hunter in Roswell, a woman looking for love at The Alamo, three sisters on a cruise to scatter their father's ashes, high school boys looking from kicks in Coney Island, and a desperate bride-to-be at Niagara falls.

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Graham Hubbard directs the show featuring pop, rock and folk music. Runs until 30 August.

What the critics like

This "nifty little musical about personal crossroads and significant US landmarks" is a piece with great charm, delicately worked, says Sarah Hemming in the Financial Times. And the production, packed with witty and engaging performances, makes a poignant UK premiere.

This "charming" American musical taps gently into a sense of boundless possibility, via a series of short narratives about lost souls in familiar destinations, says Fiona Mountford in the Evening Standard. There's much to enjoy in this appealing show, including diners, road trips, strangers in the night, and some stylishly Sondheim-esque numbers.

This whistle-stop tour of familiar landmarks is "a convivial one", says on the Arts Desk. Highlights include the tale of three squabbling sisters scattering their father’s ashes which evokes lifelong family dynamics in crisp fashion, and the wistful tale of the UFO hunter.

What they don’t like

The characters aren't very original and the episodic format sometimes frustrates the interest it kindled, says Sarah Hemming in the Financial Times. It's "a bitty but enjoyable trip".