There is barely a child in the country who hasn't heard of Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay and the like.
High School Musical is a phenomenon that came out of nowhere in 2006. The original musical was a straight-to-TV Disney film that had no pretensions of greatness.
Yet, within hours of being aired in the US, it was being hailed a tweenie classic. Millions of CDs, DVDs, a film sequel (and a third in the offing), an ice tour and a stage show later, the world is gripped by the goings-on at East High, Albuquerque.
The story follows a familiar pattern: boy meets girl on holiday. Her family relocates to the town where he lives and they meet up at school. (Grease, anyone?)
It is an innocent love story of Troy and Gabriella, but the strong theme is that we should be true to ourselves and not be afraid to branch out from our familiar surroundings.
The polished stage show captures the essence of the original feel-good movie, with its unrelenting energy and youth.
The excellent cast is headed by Ashley Day, as the basketball team captain Troy, and Warwickshire actress Lorna Day, as newcomer Gabriella Montez.
They are supported ably by a cast of singers and dancers who belt out the tunes that made the film a massive hit, including Get'cha Head In The Game, Stick to the Status Quo, Bop to the Top and We're All In This Together.
A special mention has to go to Birmingham girl Helen George, who plays the unfeasibly-named Sharpay, the president of the drama club. More comedic and Cruella de Vil-like than the character made famous by Ashley Tisdale, she is, nevertheless, a larger than life character who adds great value to the show.
