The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition Review

The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition - 4 out of 5 stars
Adelaide Youth Theatre
TICKETS: End of Season

Adelaide Youth Theatre’s season of The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition was a bright, energetic and polished production. Under Riley Mobbs’ direction, Alyssa Faranda’s musical direction and Bailey Wilkinson’s and Portia Gardiner’s choreography, the company brought Bikini Bottom to life with clarity, confidence and fun.

Mobbs drew disciplined performances from the young cast, with dialogue and lyrics enunciated clearly despite the show’s varied character voices. The storytelling remained clear throughout, allowing the humour and heart of the musical to land effectively.

Faranda’s musical direction was equally assured. The cast sang with confidence, strong pitch and clear diction, while well-balanced backing tracks supported the performers without overpowering them.

Wilkinson and Gardiner’s choreography was lively and purposeful, with several standout moments. The dancers effectively explained Sandy’s scientific solution, while their formation work creating the volcano added theatrical imagination.

Cast 1 – Saturday 10^th October, 10am

Meri Wagland led the production with enthusiasm as SpongeBob SquarePants, capturing the character’s relentless optimism, boundless energy and unwavering belief in those around him. Wagland maintained a strong presence throughout, making SpongeBob endearing and easy to rally behind.

Carter Penley was warm and endearing as Patrick Star, embracing the character’s lovable simplicity with committed comic timing. His performance had a natural charm, making the most of Patrick’s slower-witted but fiercely loyal nature, creating several of the production’s enjoyable moments.

Gemma Moran-Machen brought a suitably dry, sardonic edge to Squidward. Her performance provided a pleasing contrast to the more exuberant neighbours, and she handled the character’s frustration and reluctance with a strong sense of comic control.

Ivy Tunnah was amazing as Sandy Cheeks, bringing intelligence, warmth and a commanding stage presence to the role. Tunnah’s performance was one of the production’s clear highlights, combining strong vocals with a well-rounded portrayal of Sandy’s determination, scientific curiosity and heartfelt connection to SpongeBob.

Melanie Filmer made a confident Mr Krabs, capturing the character’s business-minded bluster while ensuring he remained entertaining rather than one-dimensional. Filmer’s committed characterisation helped anchor his more comedic scenes.

Ramon Alejo was amazing as Sheldon J. Plankton, delivering a mischievous, highly watchable performance full of character and comic intent. Alejo embraced Plankton’s theatrical villainy with relish, creating a memorable antagonist whose schemes and frustrations were consistently entertaining.

Eliza Jackson gave a solid turn as Karen Plankton, working well alongside Alejo to create an entertaining villainous duo with her computer voice. Jackson brought a dry, knowing quality to Karen, providing an effective foil to Plankton’s over-the-top ambitions while holding her own in their shared scenes.

Annamaria Di Costanzo brought youthful energy to Pearl Krabs, making the most of the character’s personality. Di Costanzo’s performance added further depth to the production, and she demonstrates a confident stage presence in both her individual moments and ensemble work.

Mattae Furnari, as the French Narrator, sustained a consistent French accent while remaining entirely clear and easy to understand. Furnari’s narration gave the production an extra layer of charm, guiding the audience through the story with confidence and personality.

The dance troupe were an asset to this production, bringing precision, energy and visual interest to the show’s biggest numbers. The troupe perform with focus and enthusiasm, adding an extra layer of polish to Wilkinson and Gardiner’s choreography.

The colourful, excitable minor characters and ensemble filled the stage with life throughout, creating the bustling underwater world of Bikini Bottom with evident enjoyment. Their reactions, movement and vocal contributions help sustained the production’s momentum, ensuring the audience remained engaged.

Director Mobbs’ projection design and execution were impressive, adding depth, colour and visual storytelling while supporting the action without overwhelming it. Cloudy Davey’s scenic art is equally striking, bringing Bikini Bottom to life with vibrant detail and imagination. Together, they created a cohesive, visually engaging world that enhanced the production beautifully.

CAST 2 – Saturday 10^th October, 12:30pm

Maisie Lewis was superb as SpongeBob SquarePants, bringing warmth, optimism and an infectious energy to the role. Lewis captured SpongeBob’s energy while maintaining a strong vocal and physical presence.

Joshua Curtis delivered a charming performance as Patrick Star, embracing the character’s lovable simplicity and loyal nature. Curtis has a natural comic instinct, finding humour in Patrick’s reactions while ensuring the character remains endearing and heartfelt throughout.

Kyle Mobbs brought a wonderful performance to Squidward, making excellent use of his dancing ability in Squidward’s tap number. The routine is a genuine highlight, showcasing impressive technical skill while remaining firmly rooted in Squidward’s frustrated, reluctant personality.

Reese Holt was a strong Sandy Cheeks, bringing aptitude, fortitude and warmth to the role. While the Texan accent wavered a little, Holt more than skilfully presented Sandy as a capable scientist and loyal friend, delivering a performance that gave the character real heart.

Oakley Hyland brought a commanding stage presence to Mr Krabs, anchoring the character with a rich, assured vocal performance and clear characterisation. Hyland’s portrayal was grounded and expressive, giving Mr Krabs a strong sense of authority while allowing the character’s humour and personality to shine in every scene.

CJ Parkinson made an entertaining Sheldon, leaning into the character’s theatrical villainy with comic flair. Parkinson’s performance was full of mischief and intent, making Plankton’s schemes and frustrations consistently enjoyable to watch.

Elena Pico worked well as Karen Plankton, holding the audience’s attention with confidence and giving Karen a strong presence of her own. Kudos to covering a scene where an absent Sheldon meant that Pico’s improvisational skills made a feature with confidence.

Annabelle Coulson blew the minds of the audience as Pearl Krabs, delivering a bold, confident and highly memorable performance through her vocal work and dance abilities. Coulson commanded the stage with impressive vocal personality, making Pearl one of the production’s standout characters.

With its enthusiastic cast, strong musical values and inventive choreographic moments, The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition was joyful and polished. It is a production that celebrates the company’s young performers while demonstrating the care and craft behind the scenes, leaving audiences with plenty of smiles and a renewed appreciation for the world beneath the sea.

- Andrew Broadbent