Last week, we were invited by The Quay Players to their production of
The SpongeBob Musical. The Quay Players are a community London Musical and Amateur Theatre group based in South London. This performance occurred at the Greenwood Theatre, a stone's throw away from London Bridge station. Very convenient for me!
Like most millennials, I fondly remember watching SpongeBob and
his friends. Having missed the recent touring production, I was
excited to see these characters brought to life on stage.
Synopsis:
We join SpongeBob and their friends in Bikini Bottom, where a looming threat- Mount Humongous' imminent eruption - casts a shadow over the usually cheerful town. SpongeBob embarks on a quest to save his home, facing challenges and self-doubt.
The SpongeBob Musical brings together the beloved characters from the
Nickelodeon series with music from a wide range of familiar names
including John Legend, Cyndi Lauper and even David Bowie.
Sitting in the audience, I had time to appreciate the
stage. Interestingly, the sound technician was onstage, and beach huts inspired the setup. The set was kept relatively simple, but the
all-important pineapple was present. Hooray!
We first meet SpongeBob with "Bikini Bottom Day," a charming opening
song introducing us to the key characters. Amy Wenham (SpongeBob)
brings that perfect element of naivety, sweetness and optimism to the
role. With the set kept simple, the town of Bikini Bottom is brought
to life with Leah Holmes' costume design.
The story's pace moves quickly, and we find out about the
threat to the town early on. As the story unfolds, we meet many characters and see the importance of using one another's strengths
to work together.
The friendship between Patrick (Aimee Dickinson) and SpongeBob was
beautifully played. Their voices blended well, particularly during "(I
Guess I) Miss You". "BFF" was also another fun friendship song with
the surprising addition of the Minor Quays (child cast). I would have
liked to see the child cast incorporated into some of the more significant
ensemble scenes.
Scarlett Pannell (Sandy Cheeks) also shone throughout the show. She
packs a lot of power into an incredible belt. Her vocals were
particularly impressive during "Hero is My Middle Name".
There were strong links in the production. The supporting cast, made
up of Chris Drummond, Euan Brown and Katie Dart, also left their mark.
All the performers blended well; you could feel they
had a lot of fun bringing the story to life. Even those in more minor
roles took the opportunity to make their impact.
I was drawn to the sardines, led by Alice Bennett and Julia Józefowicz, several scenes before they took centre stage. Another minor role that deserves special mention is Dasha Nadina as Electric Skate 2. She had a lot of rock star power in her vocals and commanded the stage. There were, however, a few times in the ensemble numbers where vocals were quiet, given the number of performers on stage.
The villains of this story were Sheldon J. Plankton (Wesley Hudson)
and Karen the Computer (Joby Blair). From the book, I would prefer to
see SpongeBob and friends defeat the villains rather than an
accidental win from a malfunctioning weapon. However, the actors made the most of the plot limitations and made an impact every time
they entered the stage, with Hudson delivering a stylish performance
of "When the Going Gets Tough".
SpongeBob would only be SpongeBob with the French narrator. Before
checking the programme, I thought that these scenes were pre-recorded
as Gabriel Cradden so closely matched the voice of the TV series!
Tom Kershaw-Green's direction is slick; he keeps the story moving quickly and ensures that the scenes are presented in various ways. The choreography was by Emma Bowler, and tap choreography from Lissy Foyle. Due to the range of contributors to the music in the show,
each song is of a different style, which the choreographers utilised. I
particularly enjoyed the choreography in "(Just a) Simple Sponge," with
the ensemble using sponges as props! "Super Sea-Star Saviour" also
presented us with dance highlights and creative formations.
Ultimately, SpongeBob's The Musical is a sweet story about the power of
community and friendship and how we should not treat those from
different backgrounds negatively. The cast delivered a robust and fun
performance that appealed to audiences from children to adults.
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