Seussical the Musical

Seussical the Musical is a big-hearted, colourful show that celebrates imagination, friendship, and believing in the impossible.

With the loss of The Forum as their main venue, Cast Theatre brought this production to life in the school hall at Furness Academy, with a cast made up mostly of children and young people, supported by a few adult performers. 

For those unfamiliar with Seussical, the show is a mash-up of many beloved Dr. Seuss characters and stories, woven into a single plot. At the heart of it is Horton the Elephant, who hears a tiny voice coming from a speck of dust — home to the microscopic world of Whoville. While Horton tries to protect the Whos (and an egg he unexpectedly ends up with), he's doubted and ridiculed by the jungle animals around him. 

Meanwhile, JoJo — a young Who with “thinks” too big for the world — finds himself struggling to fit in. It’s a story about loyalty, thinking differently, and standing up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.

The large ensemble was clearly excited to be on stage, and that energy carried many of the musical numbers. 

Some standout moments came from William Patrick, who played Horton with the warmth and sincerity needed for (what seemed to be a trunkless) elephant. 

Mary Patrick as the Cat in the Hat brought mischief and flair to the story. 

Lucas Johnson made for a charming and believable JoJo.

Hayley Fantom gave a solid performance as the overly self- conscious Gertrude Mcfuzz, whose single tail feather made her feel unworthy of attention, yet constantly seeking Horton's- taking her to seek advice from Mayzie La Bird , the selfish, self obsessed, well tail feathered bird who leaves her egg with Horton.

Mayzie was played well by Celia Reay, you could really tell that she relished the role.

Tilly Lawson, in the role of the arrogant busybody, Sour Kangaroo impressed the audience greatly with her vocally gymnastic  soulful voice.

Other notable performances came from Daniel Richardson and Marla Currie as Mr and Mrs Mayor, and Yertle the Turtle and the General played by Gray Sutherland and Corrine Dyer.

The cast and chorus tackled the fast-paced songs and scenes with commitment, and it was great to see younger performers growing in confidence as the show progressed.

For the performance we attended, the sound setup proved to be a bit of an obstacle. Some of the dialogue and lyrics were lost due to microphone inconsistencies, and volume imbalance coupled with a very Barrovian leaning on diction— made the story a little hard to follow, especially for those unfamiliar with the source material. In a show as lyrically dense and plot-packed as Seussical, clarity is everything.

Though there were challenges on the day, especially with sound and clarity, the cast’s enthusiasm and effort shone through.

The use of the school hall was thoughtful, with a simple set that created a flexible space for the many different settings in the show, from the Jungle of Nool to the tiny world of Whoville. 

Costumes were colourful and creative, helping bring Seuss’s whimsical world to life, and the choreography by Caroline Barker was lively, with many ensemble members involved throughout.

This said, these are common hurdles in school-hall performances, and many of the issues were technical rather than cast related. It’s clear the performers had worked hard on their roles — they just needed a little more technical support to let that shine through.

This was an ambitious production, directed by Graham Barker, bringing together a wide age range of performers and tackling a famously tricky show.

With a few technical adjustments and continued focus on storytelling, Cast Theatre has the potential to grow into something really special.

Thank you Cast, for your invite and hospitality 

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