The School is Still Rocking at Curve Leicester

Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit West End and Broadway musical School of Rock arrives at Curve Leicester this week and we head back to school to see whether it flops or rocks.

Based on the 2003 comedy directed by Richard Linklater, the stage show follows the same narrative as the film where a struggling guitarist poses as a teacher at a posh prep school.

After being sacked from his own band, ageing and unemployed rocker Dewey Finn needs money fast and impersonates his friend to secure a job as a substitute teacher.

What he thinks is going to be an easy way to earn money soon turns into more as he uncovers the musical talents of the students, unlocking their creative potential and enrolling them in a Battle of the Bands.

Hyper-active Jack Black plays Dewey in the movie and lead actor for the stage adaptation is Jake Sharp. He not only embodies all that actors’ traits, but comes with an amazing stage voice and provides energetic dance moves that were an absolute pleasure to be in the presence of.

On stage for almost the entirety of the two and a half run time, Sharp brings the screen version to life and adds even more jokes and gags, plus his own hilarious topical references and fabulous physical comedy.

The uptight school headmistress Miss Mullins (played by Joan Cusack in the movie) is also a huge success in this version. Actress Laura Tebbutt has an operatic voice that needs to be heard to be believed. And her stage presence and songs delivered real emotion – even more so than the film itself. This take also adds a welcome dollop of romance with her and Dewey finding a spark as he encourages her to rediscover her previous love of rock music she’s all but forgotten.

School of Rock features new songs from Lloyd Webber including the memorable “Stick it to the Man” which is a hard-knock life style hit with the young actors jumping and stomping along to its heavy beats. Miss. Mullins’ anthemic “Where Did the Rock Go?” was equally excellent with its moving delivery acting as an emotional opposite to the raucous tracks heard in the majority of the show.

Fans of the film will recognise, and subsequently love, huge chunks of the dialogue that is lifted directly from the original script. They'll also be familiar with the hilarious “Math is a Wonderful Thing” song, the semi-improvised and a personal fave of mine “In the End of Time (Legend of The Rent/You're Not Hardcore)" and blockbuster finale smash “School of Rock (Teacher’s Pet)”.

Last and by no means least though are the cast playing the pupils themselves. An announcement before the show began informed the audience the young actors are playing their instrument live and boy did they deliver and then some.

They were all absolutely brilliant but just a special shout to the powerful vocals of Jasmine Djazel as Tamika, William Laborde’s shredding on the electric guitar as Zack and look out for Ava Masters on bass whose chicken impression had me in hysterics. And we mustn't forget Alfie Morwood as the band’s wardrobe designer Billy who got some of the biggest laughs of the evening just with a sly look.

At the show’s explosive conclusion, the audience were clapping and dancing in the theatre with joy which created an electric atmosphere at Curve. If there’s any justice in the world, with its incredibly talented cast, songs that’ll you be humming long after the “gig” is over and plenty of belly laughs, the amazing stage version of School of Rock will hopefully become as iconic as the film itself.

🎸🤘🏽

★★★★★

Michael Sales

TICKETS

£59.50 – £10

DISCOUNTS

£5 off 16-26 yrs and/or Students (with a free 16-26 & Student Membership), and Curve Connect

£5 off Under 16s

£20 Under 18s school groups

£4 off for Groups 10+

£5 off for Groups 20+

15% off for Members

ACCESS PERFORMANCES

Captioned: Thu 2 Jun 2022, 7.30pm