High School Musical - Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

High School Musical, the Disney Channel phenomenon that raised a whole generation of theatre kids, has come back into our lives. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the musical has landed on stage at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.

Like much of the audience, I live and breathe this series. It has been such a massive part of my life that my expectations were naturally high. How does a 90-minute film translate to a 135-minute stage show? The answer, perhaps surprisingly, is very well!

Photography by Matt Crockett

Though heavily reliant on the nostalgia of the audience, the cast's energy is so infectious that you can't help but look past the moments that do slightly drag. The songs are almost entirely those from the movie, some with multiple reprises that change the lyrics slightly, so the nostalgia factor is incredibly strong throughout. A great example is the audition scene we all know and love, which merges A Chorus Line style staging and choreography with the tune of "Bop to the Top." The choreography imagined by Aaron Renfree is simply thrilling.

There is also a new character, Jack Scott (Curtis Patrick), East High's AV Club president, who smooths the transitions between scenes by presenting news stories in comedic ways. His work is mostly crowd work and camera work, as his news reels are presented on the basketball screens above the stage. It's a clever way of differentiating the stage show from the movie, and he quickly became my favourite character. These subtle differences make it clear that this is an adaptation rather than an exact replica, whilst allowing both to stand alone.

The show is set on a basketball court, with screens running around the top that immerse us instantly in the world. There are even seats on stage, which I was lucky enough to try at the first preview. There is always a risk that the sides get forgotten by the staging, but that is not the case here. The choreography is highly inclusive of every seat, and none of us were made to feel excluded. What I found particularly fun was the dance tutorial we were given before the show started. Tamsin January and the cheerleaders led the whole theatre through an energetic extract of the Wildcat chant. We were told we would need it later so we could join in with the chanting and choreography, and so we did, though briefly. Either way, a fun tutorial with the cast is always appreciated!

The performances are amazing, from the leads Tobias Turley, Leonor Correia, Caitlin Tipping and Luke Bayer to the core ensemble of incredible dancers. They all bring something fresh to the table, leaving room for the nostalgia to breathe and for their work to flourish outside its shadow. The cast does share one link with the movie in Kaycee Stroh (famous for her role as Martha Cox in the original trilogy), who now takes on the iconic role of Ms Darbus.

Stroh was a trailblazing figure for her generation, one of the first characters to represent body positivity and self-acceptance. In a world full of identical teenage cheerleaders, Stroh (through Martha) allowed all of us who were different to push barriers and create a whole new community where just being yourself is enough. To see her on stage, even if her performance is not the best I have seen, is a dream come true.

The magic of High School Musical is well and truly alive. It is funny, catchy and still as thrilling as it was 20 years ago!

Production Value: 70%

Value for Money: 70%

Personal Enjoyment: 90%

Overall Score: 77% - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4*)

(AD | Ticket gifted in exchange for an honest review)

Show Information

Venue: Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London

Running Until: 3rd January 2027

Run Time: Approximately 2h15 - with an interval of 20 minutes

Tickets can be purchased at this link