MUSICAL REVIEW: High School Musical ★★★

 

Two decades after Disney’s High School Musical first sent a generation of teenagers dreaming of basketball courts and musical-theatre auditions, Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez have returned to the stage with an infectious burst of nostalgia.

Co-directed by Joseph Houston and William Whelton, this production understands precisely what audiences want: familiar songs, exuberant choreography and the comforting message that being yourself is always worth the risk. The story remains unabashedly simplistic, but its enthusiasm is difficult to resist.

Tobias Turley brings athletic confidence to Troy, while Leonor Correia’s Gabriella offers a gentler counterpoint. Their romantic connection, however, lacks the spark needed to make their central relationship entirely convincing. Elsewhere, Caitlin Tipping relishes Sharpay’s deliciously exaggerated ambition, forming a particularly entertaining double act with Luke Bayer’s Ryan. Original film cast member KayCee Stroh is a delight as the eccentric drama teacher Ms Darbus, while Harry Judd lends Coach Bolton an easygoing authority.

Aaron Renfree’s choreography is among the production’s greatest strengths. Basketball-inspired movement transforms numbers such as Get’cha Head in the Game into thrilling ensemble spectacles, while Bop to the Top delivers a gloriously camp highlight.

Andrew Exeter’s expansive set turns the Troubadour into East High’s gymnasium, with audience seating integrated into the action. George Reeve’s video design adds a convincing arena atmosphere, while Rory Beaton’s lighting shifts effectively between the exuberance of the basketball court and the intimacy of quieter encounters. Matt Peploe’s sound design supports the musical’s energetic numbers, although the scale of the venue occasionally threatens to overwhelm its more delicate moments.

Ultimately, this is a production that favours spectacle over emotional complexity. Some characters remain frustratingly two-dimensional, and the familiar narrative offers few surprises. Yet the committed ensemble and inventive staging give the material renewed theatrical life.

It may not break free from every convention, but for nostalgic fans and younger audiences alike, this is a thoroughly enjoyable return to East High.