School of Rock

On Saturday 26th October, I was delighted to take my first trip across the water and visit some of our District 2 friends on the Isle of Man, to see Centre Stage Productions’ version of the smash hit musical, ‘School of Rock’.

‘School of Rock’ is a high-energy stage musical based on the hit 2003 film. It follows Dewey Finn, a down-and-out rock musician who, after being kicked out of his band, poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. Lacking any teaching credentials, Dewey soon discovers his students' hidden musical talents and forms a band with them to compete in an upcoming Battle of the Bands. Through music, the students find confidence, teamwork, and self-expression, while Dewey learns valuable lessons about responsibility and friendship. Featuring an original score by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the show blends rock anthems and heartfelt ballads, delivering a powerful message about the transformative power of music and staying true to oneself.

Whilst I arrived at the beautiful Gaiety Theatre in Douglas both later than planned and decidedly green around the gills, thanks to some choppy weather on the ferry trip, the warm welcome and chance to freshen up in a dressing room were hugely appreciated, and allowed me to quickly settle and get my NODA face on!

The auditorium was packed and buzzing with excitement and anticipation, and when the curtain rose, it was game on. This show was electric, from first moment to last. My mind absolutely boggles at how intricate and detailed it was, how many hugely complicated moving parts there were, how incredible the performances were and how proud I was that this was the type of show that was going on in the District that I’m fortunate to represent. It was, in short, incredible.

As the show began, the first element of the production which stopped me in my tracks was the set itself. Utilising an enormous digital screen, which filled the entirety of the upstage section of the performance space, paired with flats coming in from all angles and large, immaculately designed and produced set pieces, it was an unmitigated triumph. On occasion, I have found digital backdrops to be a little soulless and lacking in imagination but the way in which it was put to work in this show was pitch perfect. The designs used to set the scene were outstanding, seamlessly integrated and slick. This, paired with the efficiency of the stage management team, meant the production was a joy to behold. Even when an old-fashioned chalkboard on wheels attempted to topple over onto some of the younger cast members (whose professionalism in the moment was staggering), the stage management team were on in a flash to subtly solve the problem, and the show didn’t falter in the least.

Direction from David Dawson was as good as anyone could possibly hope to see at this level. Every ‘T’ crossed, every ‘I’ dotted. Creative flair. Bold choices. Humour. Knowledge. Insight. The work he’d done in leading the production team to bring this show to life was staggering and he is to be congratulated as loudly as possible. Dawson’s work was more than ably supported by Gem Last, as Assistant Director and her connection to the cast was clear to see backstage after the show. Thanks also to Gem for volunteering to be my chauffeur on the island, and moving heaven and Earth to make sure I was at the theatre on time!

Musical Director duties were undertaken by Steve Daykin, supported by Assistant Musical Director, Heather Daykin, and their meticulous work was breath-taking. Barely a note out of place all night, a powerful example of ensemble singing and a band who were on fire. Further credit to them for actually managing TWO bands in the show - the one in the pit and the one made up of young musicians on the stage. I can barely begin to imagine the level of challenge that this will have presented but whatever they did worked a charm. Phenomenal.

Finally on the production team, choreography by Alice Smith, whose work was exceptional. I’ve directed rock musicals myself and I know that they often present a challenge to the choreographer because of the non-traditional music in the shows. In choreographing a rock musical, the person in charge of dance has to be something of a visionary, able to find new ways to adapt what they do to a wildly different style of music. Smith’s choreography was sharp, smart, fun and funny, and the cast executed it magnificently. Top, top, top tier work.

The team of people working behind the scenes to bring ‘School of Rock’ to life was enormous, and filled two pages of the programme, so in the interest of an attempt at brevity, it’s impossible to name them all individually in this show report. Thankfully, I can offer a blanket piece of feedback for sound, lighting, props, costume, backstage team, hair and make-up….. Impeccable. Every person’s contribution added value to this show and there wasn’t a single thing out of place throughout. Mind-blowing levels of detail and effort from every last one of them. Speechless.

Now, the cast. There seemed to be hundreds of them! Their energy on stage wore me out, which I mean as nothing but a compliment. I met them all backstage after the show and they were exhausted, emotional and elated. Given what they had just produced on stage, it was easy to understand why.

The central role of Dewey Finn was played by Joey Wylde, which is arguably an EVEN better rock and roll name! From Wylde’s first appearance on stage, it was absolutely clear that he was the man for the job and that he didn’t come here to play around. Almost perpetually-present in front of the audience, his energy and enthusiasm for the role were first-rate. He shepherded the young cast through this pacy show with an expert touch and it was immediately apparent that he was going to leave everything on the stage that night. In short, he was extraordinary and performed as though the role had been specifically written for him. Bravo, Joey.

As Dewey’s long-suffering and ever-loyal best friend and roommate, Ned Schneebly (it’s actually pronounced ‘Shnay-Blay’...), Alex Duncan was a revelation. His experience on stage was apparent throughout and his master-stroke on the night was taking a character who can feel somewhat two dimensional and turning him into someone we were desperate to see on stage as much as possible. Duncan’s comic timing was impeccable and the way in which he threw his entire being into the character’s big moments was outstanding.

Ned’s insufferable and domineering girlfriend, Patty DiMarco, was played by the exceptional Lauren Newson, who managed to ensure that the bossy, irritable and borderline neurotic character never became a caricature, by capturing her basic humanity with effortless grace. I actually sympathised with her on a few occasions! Sterling work.

Rosalie Mullins, Principal of Horace Green Prep, was brought to life by Lauren Molyneux, and her work on stage was truly impressive. Rosalie has to be the counterpoint to Dewey in this show, and their complex relationship is an intrinsic element of why the narrative works so well. Those of us who know the show and original film, are all waiting for her Stevie Nicks moment, and it didn’t disappoint at the Gaiety! Molyneux is in possession of a truly exceptional singing voice and she put it to expert use in this show. The moments in which she let her inner opera singer out were jaw-dropping and her contribution to the show was near-impossible to measure.

‘School of Rock’ lives or dies on the strength of its young performers and in this version by Centre Stage Productions, it didn’t just live, it thrived. The children on stage were uniformly outstanding (a word which I’m not getting tired of using in relation to this show).

Zack Mooneyham was played with style by Mason Matthews, who has never acted before. He was brought into the production primarily as a lead guitar player but he quickly carved a niche and created a fun and energetic character. I spoke to him very briefly after the show and found him to be exceptionally friendly and polite, to boot. Huge congratulations on your first show, Mason!

Drummer Freddie Hamilton was played by Will Gerrard, and his performance was fun, lively and wildly entertaining. Also, what a drummer! Not a beat missed all night and he played with an energy and flair that would put many older, more experienced drummers to shame.

Bassist Katie Travis was played by the fantastic Eloise Barnes, who beamed with joy throughout the evening. I truly got the sense that she was having the time of her life on stage, and this translated into an exceptional performance in the role. As a bass player myself, I know the importance of having a good ‘bass face’ (!) and Eloise was top tier in this respect, too. Fantastic work.

Lauren Turner, who plays keys in the band, was brought to life by Chloe Corkhill, who did an admirable job. Lauren is supposed to be a quieter, more shy member of the class, whose inner rock-god is inspired by Dewey Finn’s enthusiasm, and Chloe played her beautifully. Sharp, sassy and no slouch on the keys - what a performance!

Shy and retiring Tomika, the member of the class who barely speaks before finding her voice in an extraordinary manner, was played by the incredible Rosie Bullough. When her moment to shine arrived, Rosie’s voice cut through the auditorium like a razorblade and as she finished her first solo song, the audience almost took the roof off. A terrifyingly impressive talent!

Every good rock band needs a ruthless manager to take care of them, and School of Rock are blessed with the formidable Summer. In this production, she was played by Cristl Stitt, who was a force of nature on the stage. Her performance was sharp, smart and sassy to the max. A mature young actor and one to watch.

The band’s flamboyant stylist, Billy, is responsible for a number of the show’s funniest moments and he was played to near-perfection by the outrageously good Sean Cannan, who clearly had the time of his life on stage. Hugely entertaining from the outset.

The remainder of the class were made up of the backing singers, security team and technicals, all of whom were played to the highest order by Lowenna Joughin, Onora Barron, Charlie Fitzpatrick, Shannon Skillen, Georgia Maher and Alice Hemensley, who were uniformly excellent in all aspects. They provided the beating heart of the group pieces and their skill on stage was undeniable.

Supporting the principal cast was an enormous ensemble of both adult and youth performers, who are unfortunately too numerous to mention individually (I’m sorry!). There was barely a movement, line or note out of place all evening from any of them, and their stellar work brought the world of the show to life. Exceptional, every last one of them, and probably never more so than as the performance reached its conclusion and the ensemble flooded out into the audience and filled the auditorium with life and joy. Leaving the stage and entering the audience’s realm can sometimes feel gimmicky but on this occasion, it was absolutely the right choice from the creative team. It created the feeling that we were all at School of Rock’s first ever gig and it wasn’t long until the audience was upstanding. 

I could write about this show for hours. Energetic, uplifting, inspirational, joyful and unashamedly silly at times. The audience loved it, and the standing ovation went on forever, it seemed. A line from the show itself sums up how I feel that Centre Stage Productions approached the task of producing ‘School of Rock’....... “We will rock and we’ll roll, with our heart and our soul!”

A towering achievement in amateur musical theatre production, and something that everyone involved should be immensely proud of. ‘School of Rock’ was a perfect storm of the right people, the right show, the right venue and the right attitude.

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