Andrew Lloyd Webber showcases the liberating power of rock ‘n’ roll in a spectacle that outshines the 2003 cult hit.
As the thin layer of fog covers the stage, an incandescent light beams onto Dewey Finn (Craig Gallivan). He urges the children to “Stick It To The Man”. The children look confused, seemingly unable to decipher the meaning of the phrase until Dewey explains it to mean a metaphor for resistance. Resistance against the oppressive confines that the school has placed on them, resistance against Miss Mullins (Laura Tebutt), their authoritative head teacher, but most importantly resistance against the wishes of their controlling parents.
Based on the 2003 cult film starring Jack Black, the plot of School of Rock: The Musical follows eccentric slob, Dewey Finn. Dewey cheats his way into a private school teaching gig by impersonating his best friend Ned Schneebly (Alan Pearson) after he is kicked out of the band that he formed. He soon learns that the children are each gifted with special talents that are not used to their potential by Miss Mullins. Dewey pounces on the opportunity to exploit the kids in order to win the coveted Battle of the Bands but instead liberates them and allows them to showcase their talents in ways they could never have imagined.
It isn’t surprising how the story incorporates as many contemporary issues and namedrops into the grandstanding performance as it can. Whether that be the children naming their musical influences as Taylor Swift and Kanye West or Summer (Amelie Green), a 10-year-old showing maturity beyond her years by expressing her frustration at, “unrealistic images of female beauty”. Simple additions to the story make all the difference in this impressive musical performance.
The superiority of the theatre performance over the movie cannot be overstated. Andrew Lloyd Webber utilises everything that works in the movie and improves upon it by adding real emotional weight to the story, primarily through the kids’ relationships with their parents.
The ballad, “If Only You Would Listen” is a wonderfully original song penned by the legendary composer and establishes the fractured relationships between child and parent. In contrast to the broken bond is Dewey’s wholesome relationship with the kids as their journey allows us to watch the lovable protagonist transform from a naïve, wannabe rock star to a man who has found his craft as the teacher of kids he once detested.
This offers a clever twist with the children singing “only you would listen” to Dewey as the story reaches its climax. And it is ultimately the influence that Dewey has on the children which makes this such a satisfying story. He allows the children to contribute through the catchy number, “You’re in the Band” and assigns them roles so they all feel that they are working towards something special.
And the child cast are given their moments to shine with charismatic guitarist Zack (Albert Atack), bombastic drummer Freddy (Jasper Bew) and wildly talented Tomika (Kaylah Black) the standouts. The story of Tomika is emphasised more so in the theatre production than the movie. The shy 10-year-old lingers around the stage, too shy to play a real part in the band until she bursts into life, showcasing her talents in front of the class with a beautiful acoustic rendition of “Amazing Grace”.
The production largely hinges on the performance of our lead with Gallivan delivering his lines with explosive enthusiasm. Gallivan has a charm that lures the audience into feeling genuine compassion for Dewey despite all of his whacky antics. And throughout the performance, Dewey’s determination to win Battle of the Bands is what drives him to forge relationships with the children.
Although contrary to the movie, this version of Dewey isn’t too downbeat about losing the Battle of the Bands to his old group ‘No Vacancy’. In one of the subtlest changes from the movie, Dewey reassures the disappointed children that “no real rock stars ever won anything” realising the connections he has has formed are perhaps more rewarding than any prize. It is the point of the story where Dewey matures into a man, completing his growth and establishing himself as a major influence in the children’s lives. Throughout the production, the audience is taught to follow their dreams no matter what the cost and it is Dewey’s belief in defiance against authority that plays the greatest role in the character development of the children.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s updated take on School of Rock is a joyous ride that improves upon the film in various ways. The theatre production of the cult hit takes a rather one dimensional tale and introduces a number of original concepts which improve the overall story.
The nearly three-hour runtime could work against the show but instead allows the story to incorporate some original music and ideas that dramatically advance the experience. The energetic performances of all involved make it a must watch production that should not be missed. School of Rock runs in theatres in the West End until October 2019.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Comments