First it was on ice, then on tour and now the stage version of Disney Channel’s internationally successful TV movie High School Musical officially arrives in London.
The story is pretty well known now - high school basketball supremo Troy Bolton and maths genius Gabriella Montez throw the status quo out of kilter when they step out beyond their cliques and audition for the school musical.
Already this nine-week run is almost sold out thanks to the huge - often very young - fan base the film and its sequel have cultivated.
However, what is impressive about this stage adaptation is that it is not simply a carbon copy of the movie. Instead, small changes have been made in character development and plot, which will probably throw the faithful fans at first but ultimately make for a better theatrical experience.
An example of this is Gabriella’s ballad When There Was Me and You in Act II, normally sung solo but on this occasion touchingly shared with Troy and the ensemble.
While it is a tall order for performers to accurately portray the films’ six or so favourite characters, the two leads, Mark Evans and Claire-Marie Hall, have a genuine chemistry and the vocals to match. Letitia Dean also seems to having a ball as the camp, over-the-top drama teacher Ms Darbus.
It is hard to resist the talent and massive energy on display during the big production numbers - credit to choreographer Lisa Stevens - with the We’re All in This Together finale bringing the youngsters clad in HSM cheerleader outfits and basketball kits to their feet.
Kenneth Foy’s set, full of revolving screens and doors, works perfectly on the vast Apollo stage, while also serving director Jeff Calhoun’s incredibly fast-paced production. High School Musical 2 - Live on Stage! has surely got to be in the planning stage already.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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