High School Musical On Stage Review | The Lowry | Manchester
- Frances
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
You may have barely escaped the grasp of High School Musical in 2006, but Disney’s straight-to-TV movie is back with a vengeance, celebrating 20 years of catchy pop bops and bringing its infectious, nostalgia kick to the Lowry audience.
High School Musical On Stage is more than a satisfying live adaptation; it offers the backflipping, spirited spectacle you want from the coming-of-age rom-com. This modernised Grease musical has been given a serious glow-up by Hope Mill Theatre and Chris Harper Productions, whose collaboration pieces together a bright patchwork of musicals past and present into a super slick project.
After strangers, basketball star Troy (Luke Bayer) and bookish Gabriella (Leonor Correia) meet-cute on a New Year’s vacation, Gabby transfers to East High where she gets to know her meddling classmates, discovers a love of music and rekindles her relationship with Troy. Mathy Gabby soon discovers that the fragmented teens of East High are taught to stick to what they know and stay in their lane despite the jocks, nerds, musicians and skaters all wanting to break out of their boxes. While the hotly anticipated basketball game gets underway, Troy finds it hard to keep his head in the game, dividing his attention between auditioning for the school’s musical with Gabby and winning the school’s basketball championship with his bros.
High School Musical’s easygoing plot is brought to the stage with love and sincerity, making its vaguer tracks pop with incredible staging and choreography while also utilising the impeccable vocals of its cast. Standouts, Get'cha Head in the Game, Stick to the Status Quo and What I've Been Looking For reveal all the hidden skills of Bayer. The boyband stylings of choreographer Aaron Renfree turn the basketball team into a smoothly blended, synchronised act but overall, this is a beautifully collaborative musical. The ongoing ensemble performances bring an ease to the clearly difficult choreography and make this production’s immersive seating work. It feels like you're watching a school full of cheerleaders because the choreography is so coordinated and on point.
This is a delightful and comforting musical with extended seating, allowing part of the audience to sit on the school turf as if in the bleachers of a game. However, the audience who don’t get up close and personal with the cast are treated to the immense choreography from the large ensemble head-on. Projections, pocket staging and jumbotrons all come together to make this big-budget musical both interactive and intimate despite its scale. As Troy and Gabby endure sabotage from friends, family and teachers, Jason Donovan (Coach Bolton) and KayCee Stroh (Ms Darbus) also ensure this melodrama is coated with an extra layer of fun and assure High School Musical wears its influences on its sleeve.
Hope Mill Theatre have reworked High School Musical’s choreography, staging and songs with an attention to detail that transcends its straight-to-TV movie. Bringing karaoke night to the Lowry theatre, this restaged romcom is far more than meets the eye.
Tickets are available via the Lowry link