Southampton Mayflower – until 23 July 2022
Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock
5*****
Jake Sharp as Dewey Finn brings to life Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘School of Rock’ and it does not disappoint!
This incredible cast is a flurry of talented children who follow their substitute teacher through his journey as he tries to win the ‘Battle of the Bands’ with their help. The twist is, that Dewey Finn is not a real substitute and has forged his way into the school under his best friends credentials! With the help of the children, Dewey takes them on stage where they ‘Stick it to the Man’ and prove to their parents that they are more than just brains!
The children in this cast are superb, all playing their own instruments and singing whilst keeping a solid performance is no easy task-and they succeed. There are so many children in the cast that it is impossible to praise each one for their talents, but for me, the stand out was Alfie Morwood as Billy. He stole every scene he was in with his cheeky grin, his perfectly timed sass and sweet voice.
Heading up the school, Rebecca Lock as straight laced principal ‘Miss Mullins’ is a true star. Her vocal agility was the envy of the audience, with a rendition of ‘Queen of the Night’ and the nostalgic ‘Where did the Rock go?’, she earned every ounce of praise the audience could give. Together with Jake Sharp as ‘Dewey Finn’, they were a force to be reckoned with. Sharp was extraordinary and portrayed the bumbling ‘Dewey Finn’ perfectly, paying a slight homage to the original Jack Black whilst making it truly his own.
This really is an incredible show, and to know that the children are playing the instruments themselves brings a new level-they are truly superb.
Southampton, get down to see School of Rock because ‘You’re in the Band’!!!!