Elvis Evolution: 'Atrocious and misleading' show upsets some fans

BBC News

6 days ago

A number of people who attended a new Elvis immersive experience in London have told the BBC they have been left extremely upset, with one fan saying it was "one of the most misleading shows I've ever seen".Elvis Evolution, created by Layered Reality, was announced in January 2024 and advertised at that time as a concert experience that would "use AI and feature holographic projections of the star". It would include a "life-sized digital Elvis who will perform iconic moments in musical history on a UK stage for the first time".But some attendees say the show, for which tickets range from £75 to £300, featured no hologram of Elvis and as a result say they have been left feeling conned and mis-sold.A spokesperson for Layered Reality said: "A small number of people have pointed out that they were expecting a hologram concert, due to the initial announcement made in January 2024. As with many complex productions that are two years in the making, the concept developed from those early stages, and this was made clear when tickets went on sale in October 2024."We ultimately took the creative decision not to mimic Elvis's performances. Those moments proved to be too iconic and irreplaceable. Instead, we use AI to upscale archive footage and in moments we know happened but where no footage existed, offering a new lens into his world."They said the show has been praised by fans and newcomers alike and they were "overwhelmed by the feedback, with many describing it as fun, immersive and unlike anything they've seen before".
The experience starts by taking fans on a journey of Elvis's youth, which we learn about from his childhood friend Sam Bell. After an interval in a Hawaii-themed bar with a cardboard cut-out of Elvis, ticket-holders find themselves as audience members in the 1968 comeback special concert that was performed live on NBC. Elvis Evolution, which opened on Friday for a six-month run, costs £75 for a standard ticket and £300 for a Super VIP option, which includes a mid-show champagne experience, commemorative glass, dedicated seating, a drink at each of the three bars and cloakroom access.
'Absolutely atrocious'
Mark and Tracey Baldwin had VIP tickets for the show but have been left feeling "more like mugs than VIPs". Mr Baldwin told the BBC he feels "frustrated, disappointed and angry at the organisers". Mrs Baldwin said that the show was "absolutely atrocious" and thought she had paid the money for a once in a lifetime experience but "you could have seen this at the local theatre for £30"."It was a shambles from start to finish, there was no Elvis, it was just a video of him that you could watch on YouTube," she said. During the second act, she claims, unhappy people were leaving the show early and she feels Layered Reality have exploited older people and "taken us for a fool by scamming us with technology that we won't understand".
The Baldwins said customers should be refunded and Layered Reality should apologise for "breaking people's dreams".A Layered Reality spokesperson said: "While we understand that expectations can be shaped by comparisons to other formats, we're incredibly proud of what's been created and how it's reconnecting people with Elvis in a bold and meaningful way."Elvis Evolution is not a traditional concert or hologram show. It's a major scale, theatrical experience priced competitively that invites audiences into the world of Elvis through immersive design, selective use of cutting-edge technology, live actors, and musicians. This is an experience where the story leads the technology, not the other way around."
Mixed critic reviews
The experience has had mixed reviews from critics - The Telegraph awarded it one-star and said it had "limp and indifferent offerings", but CityAM described it as "incredibly touching" in a four-star review.TimeOut gave the show three stars and said it was "made with care and the concert is enjoyable once you accept it for what it is". And not every fan has been disappointed by the show – on Facebook some ticketholders praised the experience as "well-acted, innovative, exciting and a whole lot of fun". Another added that it seemed "the majority of people were having fun".
But Paige Rannigan, who attended the show on Saturday evening and says she "saved really hard" to afford tickets as a birthday present for her mother, was left in tears and said she felt "it was nothing like what was advertised or promised".Ms Rannigan suffers from epilepsy and said she was surprised that there were no strobe light/flash warnings either verbally or on signage.Layered Reality said accessibility was at the forefront of their production process and "have created a detailed FAQs section on our website about any potential issues that may arise during the experience and how to contact us so we can accommodate any changes".
Lizzie Ward also visited the experience as she thought she was seeing a life-size Elvis but described it as a "low quality theatrical performance" and is "desperately" trying to get a refund.The Elvis Evolution website no longer references any use of holograms in the show but describes the performance as "combining cutting-edge digital technology, live actors and musicians, mind-blowing multimedia and heart-pounding music"."This walkthrough immersive experience has some seated scenes and themed bars, giving you a multi-sensory journey through Elvis' rags to riches story from country boy to musical icon," it adds.The experience was delayed by several months from the planned launch date of November 2024.
'Not worth the money'
There are multiple shows a day with a capacity of 160 people per performance which Shanine, who attended a preview show recently, thinks is too many people.She told the BBC that it's immersive in "the sense of there being a set" but is adamant that it is "not worth the money".
On Sunday, some of the shows were cancelled for "security reasons" after an attendee was carried out by several security members during the interval. In a video posted on social media, an older man can be seen being lifted by security staff and taken out of the room. Layered Reality told the BBC that the man "became verbally aggressive towards our staff and despite being politely asked to stop, the behaviour escalated, with the guest explicitly stating his intention to continue making threats towards our staff and performers."Security removed him from the event after he refused to leave the venue."Staff had no choice but to carry him out so the show could continue but because of the uproar it became too heated and the mood wasn't right to continue the show," one attendee told the BBC.The BBC understands that some members of the cast raised concerns following the incident. Layered Reality said: "The safety and security of the public and our team is our highest priority, and after a thorough review and ongoing dialogue with the cast, the shows will be running as scheduled on Wednesday 23 July."Layered Reality have previously produced immersive experiences including The Gunpowder Plot and Jeff Wayne's The War of The Worlds.Elvis Evolution is set to run at ExCel London until December. When first announced, the show was due to move to Las Vegas, Berlin and Tokyo after London but this has not been confirmed.