Inside the Elvis Evolution chaos: ‘bad pay, booing and low morale'

Times

5 days ago

When performers were cast in Elvis Evolution, an ambitious new theatre show billed as an 'authentic' AI tribute to the king of rock'n'roll, many believed it would be a career-defining opportunity.
Elvis Evolution, produced by Layered Reality, is an immersive theatre show blending live performance, storytelling and AI. Set across multiple themed spaces, the experience promised audiences a 'life-sized digital Elvis performing iconic moments in musical history on a UK stage for the first time'.
Tickets to the show at the Excel London cost £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.
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Within a week of its opening, on ­July 18 — and after audience ­complaints and intense public scrutiny — cast members said the reality behind the scenes had been far from the ­dazzling production promised. Instead of the holographic Elvis that had been expected, AI had been used only to compile video footage. The holographic imagery promoted in early publicity never materialised.
One performer claimed the working environment had left them feeling 'demoralised', 'exploited' and desperate to escape a 'sinking ship'.
In a letter sent to producers and seen by The Times, 23 cast members raised several concerns about the production.
The letter, signed by 'the cast of Elvis Evolution', raises concerns about pay and chaotic rehearsals. One cast member claims that the show's central draw — an AI-powered hologram of Elvis Presley — was misrepresented.
'We had seen comments on Facebook about the Elvis fans wanting a hologram. And we knew that there were no holograms at all being used,' an actor on the show, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Times.
'Once we saw the AI, we were actually really disappointed. We were sold the same delivery as the audience members. We were told it was going to be this progressive AI, imaginative, creative piece.'
Despite tickets being sold for up to £300, performers claim they were paid as little as £13.50 an hour, with some performers alleging that they were 'often left in hallways doing nothing' during rehearsals periods.
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Poor scheduling, they claim, made it impossible to take on other jobs. Performers were asked to keep weekdays free in case they were called in at short notice, sometimes for just a few hours but often with nothing to do.
'One day you wouldn't be called in and then the next day you'd find out you're called in for 11 o'clock, only to then leave at one. And in those two hours, you've done nothing,' the actor continued.
As morale dropped, the cast say they attempted to raise concerns formally about the conditions. In their letter to the producers, they highlighted that 'the ad hoc nature of the hours, combined with the current level of compensation, has meant that many cast members have had to seek additional employment; second and third jobs, in order to cover basic living expenses'.
The response, the actor said, was underwhelming.
'We could see the wheels were falling off the car very early,' the actor said. 'When we sent the letter, they emailed us back saying we can give you 50p more and make it £14 an hour. All while selling tickets on pre-sale for £300.'
According to those involved, multiple departments, including costume, reportedly experienced upheaval, with some people deciding to leave the production. The actor claimed 'panic' had spread across the production, with 'every single department' in disarray.
This version of events, however, has been disputed by others on the production. One cast member claimed their experience on Elvis Evolution is 'standard across theatre'. They said: 'When rehearsal hours were lower than expected, this was flagged by the cast and quickly remedied for all of us. We reached an agreement on a minimum rate of monthly pay; for me, they've always been open to listening and quick to deal with queries.
'We have an ongoing dialogue with all Layered Reality departments, and we have two team members who are dedicated to working with us. Due to the nature of the show, the director was with the dev and tech teams to bring the show to life. With such a big cast of people playing different roles, rehearsal call times were staggered, but this is standard in an immersive production of this scale.'
Responding to claims of upheaval, one cast member said the production had only lost 'one member of cast from the beginning of the rehearsal process'. This, they added, is 'probably a low turnover rate compared to most immersive productions'.
The production had initially suggested that the 'brand new interactive experience' would involve cutting-edge AI and holographic imagery. Plans for the hologram were scrapped, a development fans quickly noticed.
The audience, the actor said, quickly picked up on the show's flaws.
'I think it's been really awful for the cast. One of my colleagues came on stage and got booed before he'd even given a line,' they said.
'The audience felt duped because they'd read the reviews. It's really demoralising. it's a sinking ship.'
'I said very early on I don't want anyone I know to come and watch this. We were embarrassed. But at the end of the day, we've signed this contract. With the current acting climate and our profession being so risky, we're just doing our job. Ultimately it's not our fault.'
Paige Rannigan, 29, from Essex, spent more than £200 on tickets , expecting a 'life-sized digital Elvis'.
'There were three musicians on the stage in front of the screen, acting as the musicians that were there in real life,' she said. 'But their instruments weren't plugged in and there was fake applause over the top. There were only about three songs on his '68 comeback video, but it was anything you could look up on YouTube or iPlayer.'
In the cast's open letter, they call for several key changes: a guaranteed minimum weekly pay, a review of compensation, paid breaks and travel reimbursement, clearer scheduling, itemised payslips, and formalised guidelines in line with Equity standards.
A Layered Reality spokesperson said: 'As an immersive theatre company, the welfare and happiness of our cast members is of the utmost importance, and we greatly value our entire team. Since the beginning of rehearsals, our cast have had two full-time employees — our company manager and performance manager — dedicated to protecting the well-being of the actors, who our actors can speak to at any time, to address any concerns.
'Throughout pre-production and live shows, where concerns have been raised, adjustments and improvements have been promptly sought and implemented. We're talking directly with cast members who have expressed concerns.'
The spokesperson added: 'As with many complex productions that are two years in development, and creating something new to the market, the concept did develop from our earliest vision announced in January 2024, but all communications since October 2024 reflected an accurate picture of the show as it evolved.'