Stage@leeds, University of Leeds – until 21st June 2025
Reviewed by Lauren Fordham
5*****
Fantasy World Adventure Mega Park is the brainchild of recent University of Leeds graduates Abbie Freeston and Matthew Stanley.
It follows the fortunes and misfortunes of Teddy Mega, who is under pressure from his mother, Susan, to take over from his recently-deceased father and become Chief Executive Officer of the family theme park, Fantasy World Adventures Mega Park (FWAMP).
The audience is immersed in the world of FWAMP from the moment they enter the auditorium, and are welcomed by yellow-uniformed staff, who exhort us to play real games like ‘Hook a Duck.’
The attention to detail paid to creating the set is commendable, from the authentic elaborate theme park map to the use of furniture to effectively recreate the rise and fall of rollercoasters and the humorously blunt sign advertising the sale of ‘Really Expensive Burgers.’ The only addition it (and stage@leeds as a whole) lacked was the provision of ice cream as there is no air-conditioning in the venue and temperatures were, but one could also argue that it’s absence served to accentuate the authenticity of a torturous tramp around a real theme park on a hot day.
The hugely talented cast is led by Henry Marshall as Teddy, who is endearing at the start as he laments his inability to live up to his mother’s expectations and continue his father’s legacy in ‘I Can’t Be Mega’, because he wants to be the furry bunny mascot instead.
His chemistry with Lilian Sztankov, who plays his best friend-turned-girlfriend Pippa Robins, is empathetic and believable. The scene where she encourages him that he can win the role of mascot evokes the ‘What’s Up Doc?’ moment between Emmett and Elle (the latter being the one who mistakenly dons a bunny costume and needs reassurance.) in Legally Blonde The Musical. It doesn’t surprise me to see that Legally Blonde has been one of Sztankov’s theatrical credits in real life, too. As Mega gains confidence, however, he treats Pippa with disdain, saying, ‘What do you know, you’ve never had pressure and you’ve never had goals, I need someone on my level to tell me what to do.’ This anxious-protagonist-leaning-on-a-woman-and-then-belittling-her-once-he-reaches-his-goal trope reminds me of Evan in the musical Dear Evan Hansen, and I think Marshall certainly has the ability to play him should the musical be revived in the future.
Tribute must also be paid to the comedic chops of Gee Case Watson who plays Barb, proprietor of the Hook a Duck stall, and to Abbie Freeston’s lyrical wit in playing with near-profanity in the song ‘I Can’t Hook a Duck at Hook a Duck’, I have praise also for Beth Walkden, who adeptly plays Esme, a complaining child abandoned at Barb’s stall while her mother goes on the Abyss of Death rollercoaster, with a Verruca Salt-like skill.
I must also applaud Charlotte Farthing, who plays Teddy’s mother Susan Mega. Although she’s not a likeable character at first due to the way she mocks Teddy’s goal, ‘You’re going to be a shitting bunny rabbit?’ The song ‘Mummy Mega’s Lament’ gives a greater depth to and sympathy for her as she remembers first meeting Teddy’s father Carlos. This evokes the song, ‘If I Met Myself Again’ from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, and Margaret New would definitely be a role she would be capable of if she chose.
Lastly, I want to commend The Department Montage, specifically The Royal Castle, and the Sugar Daddy – hilarious songs about the STIs swapped between princes and princesses and the unfortunate but mirthful misconception of a morally-murky candy floss seller Frank Jones (played by Josh Phillips.)
This show is sweet as candy and equally funny so do choose this adventure and enjoy this rollicking, raucous, random, rollercoaster of a musical now, or look out for it at the Edinburgh Festival 2026 – you won’t regret it and you’ll certainly give it a clap!