School of Rock The Musical Spoiler-Free Review

School of Rock The Musical - 3.5 stars out of 5
ZEST Theatre Group
TICKETS: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1576815

Braving the cold weather on Friday night, many families and supporters filled the Victor Harbor Town Hall for ZEST Theatre Group’s opening night of School of Rock.

This production is predominantly filled with young people who attend the weekly youth workshops, along with parents who have never been in a musical before. There are exceptions scattered throughout the cast, but the majority are newcomers, and it is refreshing to see them experience the other side of the stage lights.

Director Natalie Stevenson, alongside AD Yasha Button, pull together a cast of 42 and make it work in the performance venue. There are some minor issues noticeable on opening night, such as characters standing behind curtains for certain sightlines, but these are the sort of details the team can swiftly refine.

Tia’s first experience as Music Director is not a small musical to tackle. The ensemble numbers are coherent and clear, and it is evident that many hours in rehearsal (and hopefully out of rehearsal) have been invested by the cast to become the powerhouse they are in these moments. A couple of numbers miss their opening word or phrase, but the actors do what they can to lessen the noticeable impact.

Leila Britton returns as Choreographer after Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and R&H’s Cinderella in 2025. Fast becoming the resident choreographer of Victor Harbor, Britton delivers variety and passion in her movement, taking into consideration the varying abilities of the cast – keep an eye out for the backflip/cartwheel.

The use of backing tracks in lieu of an orchestra is a deliberate choice for this production, and it comes with its usual pros and cons. One particular issue is the consistent waiting for a cue within the track before beginning to sing, which leaves some dead air; additional movement or blocking could help mask this waiting time so it becomes less obvious.

As Dewey Finn, Brodie Stack-DeGroot infuses Jack Black’s Dewey into his own character choices and mannerisms to great comic effect. He works well opposite whoever shares the stage with him – teachers, students, principal, and housemates alike – and each relationship is distinctly defined.

Sophie Ducrou brings out the many shades of Rosalie Mullins, from the prim and proper principal to the woman softened by Finn at the roadhouse, and the educator who lets the children “run away”. The biggest challenge any Mullins faces is doing justice vocally to Stevie Nicks’ Edge of Seventeen and the Queen of the Night aria, and Ducrou delivers both stunningly, winning the audience’s hearts.

Angus Hislop tackles Ned Schneebly with ease, rocking out to Guitar Hero when he is not being pulled between longtime friend and girlfriend. When he finally stands up to Patty, he receives an impromptu round of applause from the audience, although his highlight is his appearance at the end, rekindling his inner rock demon, complete with face makeup.

Opposite Hislop, Marlies Nitschke’s Patty Di Marco plays the story’s antagonist with class and delight. Despite the role’s brevity, she remains critical to the narrative, and we see Nitschke’s vocal ability shine in the “Mount Rock (Reprise)”.

The musical opens with “No Vacancy,” Dewey’s original band that promptly kicks him out. El Flanagan-Sjoberg leads the band as Theo, delivering strongly both vocally and through their physical choices. They also appear as Gabe, a teacher complete with his own mug; both characters are played with thought, tact and precision.

Zack Mooneyham is played by Johnny Ducrou, who clearly puts in significant work learning how to handle an electric guitar. Although the music comes from the backing tracks, Ducrou’s finger work largely aligns with what the audience hears.

Harry Thompson’s Freddie Hamilton is like ADHD on drums, to great comic effect, while Zahria Broome covers Katie Travis on bass with confidence and expressiveness in both playing and character. Sophie Clapp’s Lawrence Turner on keys captures the shy, self-conscious child who gradually grows in confidence through performance.

Maddie MacIntyre’s Summer Hathaway hits the perfect level of bossy, making it clear early on that her gold stars matter deeply. MacIntyre’s reactions throughout are particularly noteworthy. Her Act 2 opening number was dampened by a non-functioning microphone, but sitting in the front row, I can still hear her rendition of “Time to Play” clearly and commend MacIntyre for recognising the technical issue and projecting over the backing track as much as she can.

Suzie Ducrou gives a standout performance as Tomika Spencer-Williams, charting a believable journey and growth across the story. Her breakout rendition of “Amazing Grace” leaves jaws dropped across the audience, and she continues to shine in “If Only You Would Listen (Reprise)”.

Parents, teachers and various other roles were covered by Nyree Davis, James Ducrou, Bec Thompson, Brittany Allen, Chris Stevenson, Josh Barkley, Amy Willcocks, Isabella Cheesman, Maggie Bartholomaeus, Sarah Tymko and William Galvin, while a further 18 children filled out the classroom ensemble.

The rotating flats upstage are an effective device for revealing/ concealing the school backdrop. They also serve as the entry and exit point for the students’ desks, which created clunky transitions, creating a bottleneck every time. While I acknowledge that Payton Stevenson stepped in as Macy, it is not unreasonable to expect that another member could assume their backstage track to streamline these moments and reduce interruptions.

There were consistent issues with microphones among the cast, with some cutting in and out and others dropping out completely, forcing performers to push themselves to be heard. One presumes adjustments are made during intermission, but that didn’t occur, and Act 2 suffered further. Similarly, several lighting cues lag in execution, and while an additional technical rehearsal might not solve everything, it likely wouldn’t hurt.

With so many new faces joining a musical production for the first time, Victor Harbor’s talent pool grows, and the arts on the Fleurieu look to have a bright future. Youth and adults alike refuse to let the cold weather, technical issues, or clunky set changes dampen their performances – and their performances alone are worth the ticket price.

- Andrew Broadbent