$400-a-Ticket Immersive ‘Elvis Evolution’ is Getting Universally Panned

Photo Credit: Layered Reality

Since opening at London’s ExCel Centre last week, Layered Reality’s Elvis Evolution has been widely panned by critics and attendees alike. So what happened?Replicating the success of Abba Voyage, the virtual concert featuring avatars of the band circa 1979 that boosted the UK economy by £1.4 billion, has been like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. But it turns out you need a lot more than a bottle—or the promise of a digital recreation of an iconic artist—to deliver that crucial lightning strike to diehard fans.

Layered Reality’s Elvis Evolution Experience debuted last Friday at London’s ExCel Centre, and those who have seen the show have complained about everything from the visual effects to the cost of the tickets.

“I feel sick,” said Ann, who opted to leave the show as soon as the (notably Elvis-free) first half had finished.

Fans like Ann, who expected to see a hologram of the King but were shocked to find little more than a cardboard cutout available for photo ops, were similarly irate. One man was so angry at the ticket prices and the disappointing production that he was removed from the venue during the finale when he shouted “bollocks.”

“There were three musicians on the stage in front of the screen, acting as the musicians that were there in real life. But their instruments weren’t plugged in and there was fake applause over the top,” said Paige, who felt she had “been sold fool’s gold,” when she expected a “life-sized digital Elvis.”

But attendees say the most bizarre aspect of the show is the almost complete lack of Elvis. The show begins in a 50s-style diner where guests are invited to arrive early to enjoy refreshments. Soon, audiences are shuffled into a recreation of Elvis’ dressing room, where a distressed stage manager tells them not to worry, “the King will be out soon.” The scene emulates Elvis’ refusal to leave his dressing room to hit the stage for his iconic 1968 NBC Comeback Special.“Shockingly, the stage manager is wrong,” writes Milo Boyd. “Elvis doesn’t actually appear for the entire duration of the show, aside from in short projected clips of old performances, briefly recreated as an uncanny AI figurine, and, at one weird point, as a comic book superhero.” He adds, “Elvis has not just left the building; he was never in it.”

It’s strange that a show which advertised itself as featuring a hologram Elvis comparable to the Abba Voyage (which ironically plays just down the road) made the “creative decision not to mimic Elvis’ performances” with the technology. It’s even stranger that they opted not to hire any of the thousands of Elvis impersonators who could have done an admirable job recreating the King’s likeness.

The show’s four actors (while the company reports there is a cast of 28 performers) “gave it their all and were the best thing about the show.” However, they were “fighting a losing battle.” The script is lackluster, the effects are “weird,” and the sound is improperly balanced.

Already, comparisons are being made to the abysmal Wonka and Bridgerton experiences—but even this is an unfair comparison. Layered Reality clearly spent cash and effort putting on the Elvis experience, but it isn’t enough to save the production.“Elvis Evolution has been praised by Elvis fans and newcomers alike—but it’s not a traditional concert or hologram show,” said a spokesperson for Layered Reality. “From the outset of development, we made a deliberate decision to explore the most powerful and authentic way to tell Elvis’ story.”

“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.”

Ultimately, Layered Reality sounds as if the show is exactly what it intended to put on; just don’t expect to compare it to the Abba Voyage. And if you’re looking for a show in London—when the two play just down the street from one another—for the price, you might be more inclined to attend the latter.