School of Rock - Brings Dad Bods, unlikely coupling & embracing your inner child together on stage!

Before the show launches into a full on Rock & Roll jam, a familiar voice comes over the speakers…. It's only legendary multi-award winning musical writer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber!! To let the audience know that all the child stars in the show are playing their instruments live in the show. (I will get back to that in a few minutes)

The curtain goes up and your senses are attacked by a full on Rock & Roll jam resembling Bon Jovi or white snake in their hayday, with lead character Dewey Finn (Jake Sharp) looking extremely out of place while embracing his dad bod in all its glory, fighting to be centre stage and in the spotlight to the opening number “I’m Too Hot for you.” with a band called No Vacancy, only to be kicked out of the band by the end of the song. The show then cuts to Dewey sleeping in his tip of a room being woken by his flatmates looking for his outstanding rent and judging his life choices and lack of direction.

The show centers around Horace Green, a prestigious private school with fees of $50,000 and a stiff, prim and proper headmistress Miss Rosalie Mullans (Rebecca Lock) who becomes Deweys unlikely love interest once he breaks her barriers down and they realise their mutual love of Stevie Nicks. The schools pupils are all stereotypically what you expect to see at any posh private school, there's a smart arse know it all gold star student, a nerd, a closeted extravert, a spoilt brat and a new out of place student to name but a few. Dewey poses as a substitute teacher for the elite school to try and make his share of the rent, and in doing so infuses the children with his passion for rock and roll. Transforming his classroom full of spoiled kids into a rock band that would put the likes of Queen to shame.

The show follows their journey to the point where he enters them into the coveted Battle of the Bands competition he had planned to enter with No Vacancy, much to the horror of the schools teaching faculty and the childrens rich, entitled and cold parents. The results of the competition come through towards the end of the 2nd half after they perform “School of Rock '' and they aren’t what you would expect, but they do bring a positive result in their own way.

Each and every one of the child actors in the show were stars in their own right, and wowed the audience with their live vocals, tight harmonies, slick dance moves, but most importantly their live playing skills of their various instruments ranging from bass guitar, piano, drums and lead guitar. Special mentions have to go to Rebeccas combination of classical opera vocals to full on growling rock and roll and Jakes amazing sense of fun, comedic timing and very evident bond he has with his child co-stars.

I have to be honest and say I have never watched the film or seen anything to do with the musical so I was going in blind, but I can say hand on heart this musical bursts with comedy, a tremendous cast and a killer soundtrack full of thrilling and fun big rock & roll numbers ranging from “You’re in the band,” “stick it to the man” and “School of Rock” that will have you wanting to get up on the stage and join in the madness.

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE - https://www.goh.co.uk/whats-on/school-of-rock/