The SpongeBob Musical

CODYS Productions were back on stage with their production of ‘The SpongeBob Musical’, which was directed by Dan Grimes. The set looked great, transporting the audience to the underwater and fantastical world of Bikini Bottom with a huge playground-esque structure (with a slide included!) that dominated the stage. This allowed Dan to create exciting stage pictures, with different levels used throughout. An underwater backdrop was used as well, with a star backcloth behind it which was used for certain moments during the production. Dan’s vision was certainly realised in this production, and the cartoon certainly leapt from the television to the stage. The characters were clearly defined, and worked extremely well with each other. The different relationships in the production were nicely developed. The sense of fun was felt throughout in the performances and through Dan’s direction. The pace of the production was good throughout. It was great how Dan and the cast leant into the ridiculousness of the world of Bikini Bottom. The humour throughout was very good, and the audience left smiling from ear to ear. The costumes were inventive and fun, giving a sense of the variety of sea creatures and characters from the much-loved cartoon. They were bright and colourful, perfect for a cartoon musical.

The musical director for this production was Emily Woodward. The cast performed to backing tracks, and did very well with this. The vocals from this youth cast were fantastic from start to finish, from individual numbers to the big ensemble numbers. The harmonies in some of the songs were a delight to listen to. Absolutely fantastic work from the cast and Emily.

The choreographer for this production was Laura Cupit, with tap choreography from Emma Hampson. The choreography was fun and performed well by the cast. Standout numbers include ‘(Just a) Simple Sponge’, with neon sponges used to create different images, ‘Super Sea Star Saviour’, which was full of fun, and the tap routine in ‘I’m Not a Loser’.

Technical elements were good throughout this production. The lighting was particularly strong, with a great use of colours used throughout, such as the pink and yellow during ‘BFF’.  The sound balance between the backing tracks and cast mics was good on the whole. There were a few moments where mics weren’t turned on and sounded muffled. Other sound effects were cued well, especially when matching with SpongeBob’s movements. The video vignettes that appeared throughout were great, shown on two screens in the auditorium, and were cued on time.

Joseph Hampson was perfectly cast as SpongeBob. He was at ease on stage and had a fantastic stage presence. He totally embodied the cheeky character, and was full of humour. Joseph also showed a vulnerable side to the character, creating a three dimensional character. Joseph showed confidence beyond his years, and was a joy to watch onstage.

Alice Bromley played Patrick. Alice nailed Patrick’s childlike innocence, delivering a secure performance. Her line delivery was good, and Alice demonstrated a good sense of comedy. There was a believable friendship with Joseph and their friendship was endearing. Alice’s vocal were good, and she led her numbers well.

Lily Loftus was great as Sandy. Lily’s vocals were fantastic, and she sustained a believable Texan accent throughout. Lily reacted to other characters and their actions well throughout. She created a great bond with Joseph, as they journeyed together to save Bikini Bottom.

Jonas Rynn put in a great performance as Squidward. He was suitably cynical in his interactions with SpongeBob and Patrick, adding comedy to the production. Jonas led ‘I’m Not a Loser’ with skill and confidence. This was an assured performance from Jonas, who performed with an extra pair of legs with aplomb!

Juliette Gill played the comic villain, Plankton. Juliette showed great stage presence and commanded the stage whenever she was on it. Juliette showed some impressive rapping in ‘When the Going Gets Tough’, ensuring that every word could be heard. Playing opposite Juliette was Connie Pollard as Karen. Connie was suitably monotonous as Plankton’s computer wife, adding a great level of humour to the production. Juliette and Connie worked very well together, creating a great partnership.

Aimee Dixon did well as Mr Krabs. She created a good character that was obsessed with money. Unfortunately, the mic issues impacted Aimee during her number, ‘Daddy Knows Best’, which was a shame. Hettie Potter played Pearl, the daughter of Mr Krabs. Hettie did well as the Electric Skates obsessed teen. Aimee and Hettie created a good father-daughter relationship.

Archie Greenway was confident and over-the-top as Patchy. This was a difficult role, as it requires interacting with the audience, and Archie was more than capable doing this, creating a good relationship with the audience.

Izzy Corless did well as the Mayor. She was able to command the action through her use of voice and draw attention to herself when needed.

The ensemble did very well throughout. What makes it even more remarkable is that the ensemble learnt two tracks, as they were principal characters at other performances! There were some great individual performances from the ensemble. Aria Taylor’s newsreader Perch Perkins was confident and assured; Emily Burns was great as the French Narrator guiding the audience through the production; and Emilie Herridge conveyed a range of emotions using her voice as SpongeBob’s pet snail, Gary.

Overall, this was a great production. There were some fantastic performances, it was visually stunning, and the vocals were very good throughout.

A big thank you to everyone at CODYS Productions for their kind invite and their hospitality.

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