Baffled Elvis fans dub 'embarrassing' event the 'new Willy Wonka experience'
Elvis Presley fans were "all shook up" with anger as they compared an immersive AI event to the infamous Willy Wonka experience.
Zoe Finch, 62, and sister Linzi Naldrett, 59, called the event at East London's Excel exhibition centre a cringe fest after being invited to a preview show. Elvis Evolution, which went live on July 18, promised to bring the King of Rock 'n' Roll back to life as a hip swivelling, lip curling hologram and transport fans through key moments of his life using cutting-edge digital technology, live actors and musicians.
Organisers say the event has been a hit with Elvis lovers and it's not intended to be a traditional concert or hologram show, but a major scale production that "joyfully celebrates" the Heartbreak Hotel singer.
But nurse Zoe said: "I'm a huge Elvis fan, I even have a tattoo so when Linzi said she had tickets, I couldn't wait to go. From the publicity they're putting out, they're making it sound revolutionary and amazing, but it really wasn't. It was just really strange."
Zoe, who was in London visiting her family from Australia, said she was "super excited" when sister Linzi told her she had tickets for the event, which promised to relive his most iconic moments.
Fans were told AI and holographic technology would breathe new life into decades old footage of his famous Comeback Special, which originally aired on tv in the US in 1968 and a year later on the BBC in the UK. It was the first time he had performed live after a seven-year period during which he focused on his film appearances.
But Zoe and Linzi said the "bizarre" experience seemed to focus more on Elvis' childhood friend Sam Bell, who leads the audience through the story and is one of a cast of 28 characters played by four actors.
They said that after starting the experience in a diner, they were "herded onto a train carriage" where they were blasted with dried ice before the cast began telling the story with "dodgy American accents".
From there, they were transported into a cocktail bar for an unannounced interval where they were given half an hour to buy "extortionate" drinks before the main event, the recreating of the NBC studio gig.
Zoe said: "The story was more about this supposed lost friend of Elvis, nothing they produced was new to me. If you're an Elvis fan, there's nothing in it that you've not seen before. Even the set at the end was just footage of the show which you couldn't see any way because of the three musicians stood on stage in front of it.
Linzi, a carer from London, said there were parts of the experience that she suffered "second hand embarrassment for the actors" taking part. She had paid £75 for tickets originally, but was offered preview tickets after the show was delayed by months and said parts of it reminded her of the doomed Willy Wonka experience, which made global headlines in 2024.
She told the Daily Star: "We were told we were 'going back to 1948' and all the parts were played by the same actors. I'm not sure where the AI immersive aspect came into it. We were taken to this Blue Hawaii cocktail bar, totally out of context, and it turned out it was an interval and you could buy cocktails at £15 a go.
"The staff said you can have your picture with Elvis and it was a cardboard cut-out of him on a surfboard. It did remind me of 'the unknown' from the Willy Wonka event, but I think it was better overall than that, they'd put more effort into it."
Linzi said she was also disappointed with the grand finale of the show, adding: "All it is is a projection on the back wall of the 1968 show, which you can buy on DVD or watch on iPlayer.
"There was an afterparty at the 'All shook up' bar, but I just headed to the exit. I was shaken to the core, but for all the wrong reasons. We just went outside and looked at each other and said: 'What was that?' At one point, I just had second hand embarrassment for the actors dancing and there was a few young girls in tears of laughter at how awkward it all was."
Not everyone was critical, however, as some social media influencers also invited to preview shows gave it glowing reviews. Photographer Charles Moriarty wrote: "If you love @elvis go check out @elvisevolution, which has just opened in London, congrats to all the folk behind the scenes on this. It's a great way to experience the man himself."
Kirstine Spicer described it as: "A full-blown immersive show with live music, retro sets and a big dose of nostalgia. Walk through key moments of his life, with a cocktail pitstop at the Blue Hawaii, before ending the night with a proper boogie at the All Shook Up bar."
A spokesperson for Elvis Evolution: 'Elvis Evolution has been praised by Elvis fans and newcomers alike — but it's not a traditional concert or hologram show. From the outset of development, we made a deliberate decision to explore the most powerful and authentic ways to tell Elvis' story.
"This major scale production brings together a cast of 28 performers and over 300 skilled professionals across design, production, and visual effects.
"Elvis Evolution is a multisensory experience, where technology plays a powerful supporting role — but the show doesn't attempt to recreate Elvis' performances. Instead, it joyfully celebrates the ones he gave us. We're incredibly proud of what's been created, and of how it's reconnecting people with Elvis in new and meaningful ways.'
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