DISNEY’S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL to 31st August 2008
Disney's High School Musical
Book by David Simpatico. Adapted by Peter Barsocchini.
Hammersmith Apollo, Queen Caroline Street , London W6 9QH
Tue – Sat 7:30pm, Matinees: Wed, Thu, Sat & Sun 3pm
Runs 2hr 10 mins, one interval
Tickets: 08448 44 47 48
Review: Geoff Ambler 8th July 2008
The latest Disney musical settles in for a high energy summer in Hammersmith.
Occupying the cavernous Hammersmith Apollo, this latest once TV movie (released in 2006 and already filming High School Musical 3), occasional ice show and now stage show, is destined to prolong the latest Disney franchise. Spawned from an unfathomably popular hit movie, this staged re-enactment achieves the kind of excited fervour amongst its extremely high pitched and pom-pom waving young fans normally reserved for boy bands.
Letitia Dean plays the acerbic drama teacher Ms Darbus, intent on raising the importance of musical theatre to the levels that academic and sports extra-curricular achievements enjoy. Working against her is generally angry basketball coach, Coach Bolton whose son Troy, captain of the school team, has discovered a musical talent as well as a musical girlfriend Gabriella Montez. Much scheming and singing, between teachers, friends and the drama diva Sharpay Evans ensues, before we finally get to the moral of the story which is something to do with resisting peer pressure and being who you want to be or, possibly, being part of a team until they feel guilty about ignoring the needs of the individual, and a happy ending.
The two leads, Mark Evans as Troy and Claire-Marie Hall as Gabriella, engage with the audience, making the most of their numbers and time together but are over amplified and, at times, overshadowed by their pantomimic nemesis, the splendid Rebecca Faulkenberry’s Sharpay, who having left subtlety on the dressing room floor has a whole lot of fun with the part.
Indeed it would be unfair for me to criticise this show at all as it is most definitely not aimed at me, however the target audience, of which thousands can pack into the Apollo, enjoy raptures from the raising of the curtain or, at the beginning of the second act, from the raising of the safety curtain. Loud music, bright primary colours, Disney cartoonish sets, pantomime and cheese dominate and their audience appreciate every moment, clapping along at every opportunity, even bizarrely to the slow ballads.
The unstoppable High School Musical franchise will roll on this summer as the go to holiday show, for more than enough cheerleader costumed young girls, to ensure a financial success and a great time will be had. Parents, however, should pack ear plugs.
Ms Darbus: Letitia Dean
Coach Bolton: Norman Bowman
Troy Bolton: Mark Evans
Gabriella Montez: Claire-Marie Hall
Sharpay Evans: Rebecca Faulkenberry
Ryan Evans: Michael Pickering
Taylor McKessie: Nadine Higgin
Chad Danforth: Damian Winter-Higgins
Zeke Baylor: Dylan Turner
Jack Scott: Ben Nicholas
Martha Cox: Laurie Scarth
Kelsi Neilson: Holly Taylor
Gregor Stewart, Simon Hardwick, Nyroy Dixon, Matt Flint, Adam Bracegirdle, Paul Riddiford, Stevie Hutchinson, Matthew Russell-Jones, Lauren Varnham, Kirsty McDonald, Helen Morris, Maxine Ewenson, Stephanie Siadatan, Carly Mercedes Dyer, Samantha Tan, Hayley Griffiths, Chris Milford, Carl Au, Karli Vale, Sarah-Louise Warden.
Director: Jeff Calhoun
Associate Director/Choreographer: Tara Wilkinson
Choreographer: Lisa Stevens
Costume Designer: Wade Laboissonniere
Lighting Designer: Ken Billington
Sound Designer: Rick Clarke
2008-07-14 17:26:25