Alright, yes, I confess that my actual name is Dewey Finn, yes indeed.
And although you should know I’m not licensed to teach, I promise you, I can read.
School of Rock is about living your dreams, and for the performers themselves, those dreams are fulfilled while taking part. This show has everything. A great, funny script by Julian Fellows, a cracking score from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Glenn Slater … and rock. What more can you wish for?
It’s the story of Dewey Finn, an unsuccessful rock artist who after being sacked by his band, poses as a teacher to pay the rent. Once at Horace Green School, he discovers his pupils are musically talented and engineers a plan for them to compete in the Battle of the Bands. Really, it’s grooming and corruption of minors at the highest degree, but also a plot which works well, all very tongue-in-cheek farce.
I made the vow a few years ago to see School of Rock at every opportunity and this time it was the excellent Quarry Bank Musical Theatre Company delivering the goods. Always a challenge, QBMTC perform in a venue I acoustically hate, but the power of rock truly overcame that this time.
In the role of Dewey was Carl Cook who had the enormous task of being centre stage for over 80% of the time (There is a reason I know this). Leading the cast well, Cook gave us When I Climb to the Top of Mount Rock as well as joining the kids in the massive numbers, Stick it to the Man and School of Rock (Teacher’s Pet) among others. Alongside him as Rosalie Mullins, the headmistress, we had the fabulous Sarah Coussens whose offering of Where Did the Rock Go was amazing. Then, supporting in fine fashion were Tom Robinson as Ned and Bryany Palmer playing Patty.
But the real standouts for this show are the kids, especially those playing instruments live. These were Finlay Hassall (Zack), Adam Porter (Freddie), Kersten Davies (Katie) and Maria Riga (Lauren) in the band. Then, in the other roles we had Daisy May Sandel (Summer), Connie Davies (Tomika), Charlotte Carter (Sophie), Lilybell Greaves (Shonelle), Dylan Henry (Billy), Sofia Nicol (Marcy), Eliza May Plant (Maddison) and Jett Richards (Mason). All excellent and as good as any professional production. In fact, my top tunes this time were Time to Play and If Only You Would Listen.
The director was Mike James with choreography from Attiye Passey and musical direction by Chris Passey. Having seen this show many times, I still find something new, and I found the arm waving by the kids during Math is a Wonderful Thing funny, showing just how far into loving the deception they are.
There were not many negatives for me, but the addition of dancers into some songs kind of metaphorically photobombed the moments, especially during Where Did the Rock Go. However, in a show with very little for a larger adult cast, I can appreciate the need to give everybody stage time. Overall, the audience will have gone home happy and I’m probably being over picky, knowing Scholl of Rock so well.
This is an incredible show and I defy anyone not to love it. And QBMTC certainly delivered the goods.
Cheers.
Antony N Britt
*All photos taken from social media.
Antony N Britt - Author 