Review of School of Rock - The Musical at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

The film School of Rock, twenty years old next year, is quite a product of an earlier time and I suspect that a few writers might think twice of putting some of the story threads and stereotyping of characters and personalities that feature here to paper now. However, looking beyond this context, and changing world, does this show stand up as genuine theatre entertainment now? The short answer is probably, but there are quite a few caveats before this quick conclusion.

School of Rock sees waster and slob Deway Finn desperate for money after being booted out of his band No Vacancy, and when he chances upon a letter to his musical friend Ned Schneebly regarding a vacancy at an ultra-expensive and posh school, he does anything an unqualified teacher would do, pretends to be his mate for financial gain. The rest, we shall leave unsaid if you haven’t seen the film.

So, to the caveats, and the first of these, dear reader, is first a confession that I have never seen the 2003 film starring Jack Black on which this is based, and this presented an enormous issue through more of the show than would have been desired, there are more than a few problems with clarity of both lyrics and dialogue, most especially when the band drowns this out. I have to confess that for the first ten to fifteen minutes; I didn’t really know what was going on. Not a good start. However, things improve, because technical people were tweaking balance knobs or the ears attuned to the situation, something at least improved.

Caveat two, the lead character is someone who you may take a dislike to. He isn’t really the most pleasant guy and has a very low moral standard. The show produces quite a few “Ewww” moments when he overshares either his physique or body sweat. However, he clearly means well, so we shall leave that one there.

Caveat three, there is a lot going on in this that you might think twice about, and those that a writer might think about now as well incorporating. The whole concept of a man becoming an imposter in a school is a little near the knuckle, but at least it doesn’t shy away from it and confronts it all head-on in the second act. You will either be grateful they actually go there with the “touch” moment just to recognise the issue, or go, “did they really go there”. That is down to you.

It is actually quite remarkable that the book of this musical is by the man who brought us the prim and proper Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes, and that the music comes from living musical legend Andrew Lloyd Webber. I can’t help but feel that if you sat through this oblivious to this, and were asked who provided both those roles, these names would be a long way down the list. However, actually knowing the latter is involved, you can, on a second listen hear much of Webber’s distinctive themes in songs such as When I Climb to the Top of Mount Rock and Variation 7/Children of Rock especially.

So, to performances after many caveats, and this is where the quality begins to show in this production. Leading the cast as the lovable(?) slob Dewey Finn is Jake Sharp, who becomes every inch the demands of the character. This is a proper love/hate character and at times he is so repulsive, you squirm in your chair, grateful you are not one of the other actors on stage. I confess, that despite many many qualms, yes, I did end up liking him. And I also delighted in Sharp’s larger than life performance. It is quite remarkable in many ways and he has a remarkable physical ability as well.

The complete opposite of Finn is the extremely stiff and starchy school mistress Miss Mullins, and while, like many of the characters in this show, she isn’t totally believable, you cannot fault Rebecca Lock’s performance. Her performance of Where Did the Rock Go? for example is beautifully performed.

The same ridiculous over-the-top performances (and there is nothing wrong with that in this case) come from Matthew Rowland as Ned Schneebly and Nadia Violet Johnson as Patty Di Marco. Bold and ridiculous playing, which for the former gets even crazier at the end.

And so, to the children of rock and their performances. Sometimes there are astonishing moments when youngsters give brilliant performances on stage, and amazingly, in School of Rock, there are twelve of them. All brilliant in their own way. Daisy Hanna clearly has enormous fun pulling her best rock face and struts around with the equally brilliant Harry Churchill with their guitars as if they own the stage. And for those moments they are performing, actually, they do. I suspect they will go far.

Also, a lovely performance comes from Northampton lad Angus McDougall, as the ridiculously awkward Lawrence who finds his home behind the keyboard dressed as an even smaller Elton John. I really enjoyed Evie Marner as the bossy Summer, desperate for her gold star and she spars brilliantly against Sharp’s Finn. Finally, while vocally, all the children are brilliant and all have their moment, none is greater that the unaccompanied Amazing Grace performance by Tia Isaac as Tomika. Amazing sums it up.

Visually, School of Rock is a treat, director Laurence Connor keeps everything in check, and scene changes never drag thanks to Anna Louizos’ versatile set which ease in and out from the wings or from above to give us the rigid walls of Horace Green school, the concert dive, or Dewey’s bedroom dive. There were a few issues with lighting timing leaving the cast in the dark on occasion and the already mentioned sound issues, which I think could still be improved.

However, it is a great little show in many ways, even if it isn’t even close to being politically correct on more than a few levels. It will entertain, and despite all that comes before it, does leave you with a weird sort of warmth by the time you reach the final scene and the inevitable rise from your seats for the curtain call.

Gross at times, heartwarming at others, School of Rock mostly, well, rocks!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Monday 6th June 2022 at the Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton.

School of Rock - The Musical runs at Royal & Derngate until Saturday 7th June 2022.

For further details about the Royal & Derngate see their website at http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Production photos: Paul Coltas