Skip to main content

Review of Disney's High School Musical by NMTC Youth Society at the Cripps Hall Theatre, Northampton

As a regular theatre-goer, and indeed reviewer, I have learnt over the years that not all theatre is really for everybody. It's pretty obvious a statement really, but with reviewers, unlike regular theatregoers, you end up by default attending shows you might not dream of going to see as a normal customer. Maybe High School Musical is one pretty close to the top of the list I would only see on "official reviewing duty", as it's not really for a 40-year odd person. However, beyond that, the Northampton Musical Theatre Company Youth Society has come up with a really pretty impressive production of Disney's classic teen musical.

This is a very dramatic departure from the inaugural production of the Youth Theatre in 2018, Les MisĂ©rables (much more my thing), however, perhaps unsurprisingly it is better suited to the performers here. Their enthusiasm is even more evident to that previous production. Here, unlike the horrors of revolution-torn France, they can have fun, and they do with carefully controlled abandon.

This enthusiasm and clear joy are much of the time what drives this lively production, as the whole company perform Fiona Luck's brilliant choreography, you can see that the performers not only believe in everything but also have put their all into the piece, and here is where director Katy Batchelor should also be congratulated. There are no moments of lost pace in this production, which a show like this would be killed by. Scene changes are swift, from both the adult production team, but also by the cast themselves, brilliantly done all around.

So, while this whole show is much about the company as a whole, there are also some fabulous individual performances. Ben Mineards as Troy Bolton and Eleanor Whitestone-Paul have formed brilliant chemistry that drives their relationship through the show. Their second act opening number of I Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You was a lovely highlight of the show as a result. Also, some nice basketball skills on display from Master Mineards as well.

I absolutely loved Hatti Taylor's brilliantly awkward, but not overplayed Kelsi Neilson, and Anya Neal was a convincingly much older Ms Darbus. Matt Dixon's Coach Bolton was a domineering force over Troy, but also incredibly poignant towards the end in their family moment.

Emily Moss and Henry Patterson had a delightfully sparky relationship as twins Sharpay and Ryan Evans. Patterson particularly showing incredible vocals, stage presence and timing, a career on the stage beckons I feel. Perhaps scene-stealer of the show though came from Louise White's "worm" during detention, played with proper worm-style and some brilliant moments of comedy stares from the rest of the cast. The audience loved it.

The songs themselves are an endless stream of bubblegum tunes, but this mostly matters not, this is pure fun. There is no denying that Stick to the Status Quo is an absorbing earworm, and brilliantly performed by the full company. Elsewhere What I've Been Looking For is superbly played two ways, and performed by both pairings with full belief. The whole thing ends on a lively megamix of the entire song list, which perhaps goes on a little long, and even this young cast is showing signs of weariness at the end.

The book from David Simpatico is lightweight in the extreme, but at least finds a little edge in the much better second act where a little more story makes itself known.

High School Musical did actually deliver everything I expected, it was full of great, but simple characters, fun tunes, and delivered by a cast that was just clearly enjoying the whole experience, and this, therefore, transmits to the audience, leaving even the grandparents clapping along at the end. I wasn't disappointed by it in any way, and I don't think any of the true target audience of a show like this would be either. Great fun!


Performance reviewed: Friday 19th April 2019 (matinee) at the Cripps Hall Theatre, Northampton.

High School Musical runs until Saturday 20th April 2019 at the Cripps Hall Theatre and ticket details can be found at High School Musical tickets

Photo credit: XPB Images Ltd

Popular posts from this blog

Review of Breaking the Code at Royal & Derngate (Royal), Northampton

Breaking The Code , the opening play in the new Made in Northampton season at Royal & Derngate, is a surprisingly old and rarely seen play. Written in 1986 by Hugh Whitemore, it tells the story of legendary codebreaker Alan Turing, a man who, in the 1980s, when this play first appeared, was relatively unknown. The years since the origin of this play have been good for Turing, with his life's work finally getting the recognition it deserves, and also, very much what this play centres on, a recognition of the horrific life and end that Turing had as a result of dealing with the laws of the day. Breaking the Code has seen life before on the stage of the Royal, as back in 2003, Philip Franks took to the role of Turing in a very well-received production. So, what of this brand new version directed by the Royal & Derngate's artistic director Jesse Jones? Does it live up to Turing's legend? That is an unquestionable yes with no machines needed to crack the class behind thi...

Review of Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders - The Redemption of Thomas Shelby at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

The Rambert Dance Company is the oldest such company in Britain having first performed in 1926. However, despite this, this was my first encounter with the group in my ten years of theatre-going. Coupled with this, it was also my first encounter with Peaky Blinders , having never seen the show, and only knowing a few vague things about it. My companion for the evening however was very familiar with the show, allowing some background behind the show. It turns out though,  Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders - The Redemption of Thomas Shelby needs a little more than a good bit of knowledge of the show, as despite this production having incredible style, there struggles to be a cohesive structure to the show and the storytelling. Much more than other dance shows as well. The first act does a whistle-stop tour of the first five seasons and while it is a feast on the eye, and on the ear, it gets extremely confusing at times. The second act is freestyle and drifts away from the stories tol...

Review of National Theatre Connections 2017 (16 Shows) at Royal & Derngate (Royal & Underground), Northampton

Alongside the University of Northampton BA Actors Flash Festival, the Connections festival at Royal & Derngate is now my joint favourite week of theatre each year. This is my fourth year at the festival and each time I have tried my very best (and succeeded) in seeing more and more of those on offer (four in 2014, ten in 2015 and twelve last year). This year I cracked sixteen shows, including the most interesting, a chance to see two of the plays by three different groups. I was able to see nine of this year's ten plays (a single nagging one, Musical Differences by Robin French was missing from the R&D line-up), and most I either enjoyed or finally understood their merits or reasons for inclusion. The writing of sixteen reviews is a little bit of an daunting prospect, however, I will do my best to review each of the plays and those I saw more than once, and pick around the comparisons. Extremism by Anders Lustgarten Performed by Bedford College Extremism was perfo...