Million Dollar Quartet Reviews: What the Critics Say

Million Dollar Quartet opened at The Arts at Marble Arch on 4 September 2026, and the critics came in on 15 September. They loved the four musicians and were much less sure about the script, and nobody gave it fewer than three stars.

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The Critics' Verdict

The stars ran from five down to three. Pink Prince Theatre and Fairy Powered Productions gave it five. BroadwayWorld, Musical Theatre Review, Theatre Weekly, LondonTheatre.co.uk, Theatre South East and The Upcoming gave it four. The Guardian and WhatsOnStage, the two biggest names to review it, gave it three.

The warmer reviews and the cooler ones saw much the same show. The difference was how much the thin story bothered them, set against how good the music is.

Audiences have been even warmer than the critics.

What the Reviews Praised

The playing. This is what everyone agreed on. The four leads play their own instruments, and the Guardian's Chris Wiegand, at three stars, said the well-worn tunes hit you afresh because of it (17 September 2026). Musical Theatre Review's Chris Bartlett picked out Joey Bradick's guitar playing as Carl Perkins (4/5). If you're going for the music, you'll get it.

Jerry Lee Lewis. Joe Bence was the performer critics singled out most. Theatre South East said he was "on another level entirely" (4/5), and Pink Prince Theatre described him kicking the piano stool away and playing with his feet (5/5). BroadwayWorld had one reservation: the character can demand a lot of attention (4/5). His Great Balls of Fire is the big moment in the second half.

Johnny Cash. Christopher Erasmus's deep voice came up again and again. Pink Prince compared it to "a warm vocal hug", and WhatsOnStage named his Walk the Line as a highlight (3/5).

Dyanne. Jenay Naima plays Elvis's girlfriend, a character written for the show, and her Fever surprised a few reviewers. WhatsOnStage's Hang Yuen called it one of the most beautifully integrated moments of the night. The Reviews Hub pointed out that she sings as much as the men but isn't on the poster (70%).

The finale. The last few songs turn into a concert, and the audience is on its feet. Theatre South East described people being encouraged to get up and clap along, and LondonTheatre.co.uk's Lisa Martland found Bence's energy "off the scale" right to the last note (4/5).

Where Reviews Were Mixed

The script. This was the main complaint, and it came from the warm reviews as well as the cool ones. Theatre South East, at four stars, called it "far more concert than musical". A Young(ish) Perspective found the same pattern repeating: narration, scene, song (3/5). The Upcoming answered that it's a jukebox musical, so the songs are the point (4/5). If you want a story that builds, this isn't that show.

Sam Phillips. Darren Day narrates and doesn't sing. Theatre Weekly found him "assured and charismatic" (4/5), and WhatsOnStage liked how quickly he dealt with an audience member calling out. Others felt his narration explained too much, and The Reviews Hub thought the director didn't know what to do with him during the songs. He's the one who carries the story, so this matters most if you're there for the plot.

How true it is. The session really happened, on 4 December 1956. The Guardian called the show "a curious mix of wildly fanciful and diligently factual": some of the hits came later, and the real night was mostly gospel. If you know the history well, expect some licence.

Is Million Dollar Quartet Right for You?

Book it if you love 1950s rock 'n' roll, or you want to see real musicians play it live.

Book it for a night out with parents or grandparents. A Young(ish) Perspective, at three stars, said the older generations are exactly who it's for, and that they'll have a great time.

Think twice if you want a musical with a strong story. The Reviews Hub put it plainly: a fairly weak narrative, but "its intended audience won't care at all".

The critics saw the company that's playing the whole London run. The drummer alternates between Josh Haberfield and Jacob Evans.

Not sure which date or seat to go for? Call us on 020 7193 9050 and we'll help you choose.

Book Million Dollar Quartet Tickets

At The Arts at Marble Arch, Marble Arch W1H 7DX, until Sunday 6 December 2026. It runs 2 hours 5 minutes including an interval, it's for ages 8 and up, and tickets start from around £20, with discounts on performances up to 23 October. All-in pricing, so the price you see is what you pay.

Million Dollar Quartet tickets • Call us on 020 7193 9050

Sources

The Guardian (Chris Wiegand, 3/5) · WhatsOnStage (Hang Yuen, 3/5) · BroadwayWorld (Franco Milazzo, 4/5) · Musical Theatre Review (Chris Bartlett, 4/5) · Theatre Weekly (Greg Stewart, 4/5) · LondonTheatre.co.uk (Lisa Martland, 4/5) · Theatre South East (Jordyn Murray, 4/5) · The Upcoming (Michael Higgs, 4/5) · The Reviews Hub (Maryam Philpott, 70%) · A Young(ish) Perspective (3/5) · Pink Prince Theatre (Neill Kovacic-Clarke, 5/5) · Fairy Powered Productions (Phil Brown, 5/5)