School of Rock, the family friendly musical based on the global 2003 hit film of the same name, rocks the stage at the Theatre Royal this week as part of a UK tour.
First debuting on Broadway in 2015 before moving on to the West End in 2016 this high energy, hilarious musical tells the story of Dewey Finn (Jake Sharp) – a mostly hungover wannabe rockstar who is kicked out of his band for his antics on stage yet still dreams of stardom from his Star Wars’ bed in his best friend Ned Schneeblys (Matthew Roland) apartment.
With the threat of eviction for not paying rent hanging over him, Finn strikes gold when he sees an opportunity to pose as a substitute teacher for the highly paid job at Horace Green Prep School .
Arriving late most days, he takes little interest in the pupils until he discovers that many of them are highly talented musicians (albeit classically trained).
Teaching the pupils to ditch their textbooks for rock music, he puts together “The School of Rock” band as his ticket to enter the Battle of the Bands and reclaim his position as a rock star… However with the pushy parents and the overbearing strict Principal Mullins breathing down his neck, can he really pull it off?
Perhaps in a surprising turn from his usual repertoire, the guitar heavy, catchy rock tunes featured throughout were written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Some of the songs are perhaps less memorable than others but Youre In the Band and Stick it to the Man are highlights and are guaranteed to stay in your head long after you leave the theatre.
Sharps’ portrayal of the role made famous by Jack Black was tough shoes to fill. However he manages to embody the quick witted humour and man child mannerisms and qualities Black is famous for while also putting his own unique nuances into the role.
Principal Mullins (Rebecca Lock) was perfectly cast as the stiff upper lipped, over bearing head who transforms into a quite likeable character by the end as she re-discovers her own relationship with music in the ballad Where does the rock go showcasing her impressive vocal range.
The true stars of the show were of course the adorable and quite hilarious children, who were a real triple threat with first class acting, singing and playing live instruments throughout the performance. In between all the adolescent rebellion there are also some sweet emotional moments too which will have you laughing and crying in equal measures. A fun filled experience for all the family.