High School Musical - Review

Troubadour Theatre, London

****

Music adapted, arranged and produced by Bryan Louiselle

Book by David Simpatico

Directed by Joseph Houston and William Whelton

Tobias Turley and the cast of High School Musical

Just opened at Wembley’s Troubadour Theatre, High School Musical is a glorious celebration of all that is wonderful in musical theatre performance. Drawn from the movie of 20 years ago, talented Manchester duo Joseph Houston and William Whelton have taken Disney’s original, restaging it with imagination and flair for the present day.

Yes, the story may be sweet and shallow but it oozes humanity and heart. Set in the all-American East High school, as basketball jock Troy and geeky brainiac Gabriella discover a surprising love amidst the chords of a song, the strength of their self-belief and the support of their friends sees them outwit the jealous bully Sharpay, that all leads towards a deliciously predictable happy ending.

The cast’s star billings are headed by McFly’s Harry Judd as Coach Bolton and Kaycee Stroh – a Disney High School Musical original cast member - as Ms Darbus the school’s drama teacher desperately trying to stage the eponymous musical. The real performing strengths of this young company however rest with the actors playing East High’s pupils. Tobias Turley and Leonor Correia are Troy and Gabriella, both investing beautifully in the credibility of their characters. Not only that , their singing is exquisite too. Matching them in vocal charm – and possibly stealing the evening’s dance-based laurels are Caitlin Tipping as Sharpay and Luke Bayer as her brother Ryan. Their deftly executed routines are immaculately delivered.

This is an evening where the show’s entire ensemble are quite simply magnificent. On Andrew Exeter’s stunning baseball court/gym of a set – that is equally brilliantly lit by Rory Beaton, choreographer Aaron Renfree has drilled his company into imaginative routines that are performed with pinpoint precision, while the imaginative technical touches that include creating the scoring of a spectacular basket in the show’s nail-biting basketball climax makes for a magical coup de théâtre.

The massive space at Wembley lends itself to this gorgeous spectacle of Americana. A simple story, beautifully told and flawlessly performed. Take your teens (or your teenage selves), grab some popcorn and go see this slam-dunk of a show.

Runs until 3rd January 2027

Photo credit: Matt Crockett

Eugenius! - Review

London Palladium, London

Music, book and lyrics by Ben Adams and Chris Wilkins

Directed by Ian Talbot and Michael Jibson

For one night only Eugenius! played at the London Palladium in a concert premiere production of this new musical. As the (lavishly workshopped) show is now entering its final phase of development there is no star rating here, rather an assessment of the performance.

Eugenius! makes for a curious tale. Tracking an implausible yarn of two brothers separated at birth, this ain't no Blood Brothers, nor, with its focus upon geeky adolescents is it much of a Loserville either. Dipping in and out of a fictional world dreamed up by Eugene, there's a bizarre science fiction twist that sees (co-producer) Warwick Davis also play the Evil Lord Hector, who has now evolved into an extra-terrestrial bad guy out to wreak revenge on his earthling brother.

There's a love interest too, but overall, much like Lord Hector's return from across the galaxies, it's all a bit far-fetched, with the show lacking the ribald pantomime humour of I Can’t Sing!, (another show endowed with an exclamation mark in the title...) the last new British musical to play the Palladium. Is Eugenius! aiming at the 30/40-something audience for whom the 80s references maybe spot-on but who might expect much more meat in the narrative? Or is it aiming at a much younger audience, in which case some of the adult nuance is at best inappropriate, and at times mildly offensive? Either way, Eugenius! is a very lightweight offering with a story that needs some serious treatment and a running time crying out to be trimmed by at least 30 minutes.

Aside from a ghastly ticketing glitch that led to a 30 minute delay, the production values on the night were impressive. A stellar cast led well drilled ensembles from Laine Theatre Arts and Arts Ed, with Aaron Renfree choreographing some slick routines.

David Bedella as a cynical TV producer was his usual infernally wonderful self, with Amy Lennox and Summer Strallen sharing the honours as leading ladies in the show's real and fictional worlds. Fine work too from Norman Bowman, Daniel Buckley and Samuel Holmes in support, with Louis Maskell (in strong voice) leading as the eponymous Eugene.

Ian Talbot and Mike Jibson directing made decent use of the modest staging constraints imposed upon the production and credit to Andrew Ellis whose lightning designs throughout were consistently stunning.

Last night Eugenius! was well endowed with one of the finest companies in town, both acting and creative, but as it stands it has simply been rolled in glitter. This is a show that needs careful polishing.