Review | High School Musical | Lowry | 27 August 2026
- 10 hours ago
- 3 min read
Twenty years ago, High School Musical arrived on the Disney Channel and became an unexpected phenomenon. It’s stars became household names overnight and you couldn’t escape the music if you tried. Hope Mill Theatre’s Joseph Houston and William Whelton are the creative forces behind this new non-replica production, marking the films anniversary with their most ambitious show to date. More accustomed to creating work on a more intimate scale at their 145 seat theatre, the pair have delivered an unforgettable production on a scale that needs to be seen to be believed.
For those less familiar with the story, we follow East High basketball captain Troy Bolton (Tobias Turley) and academically gifted Gabriella Montez (Leonor Correia), who meet by chance on a ski trip over New Year. When Gabriella moves, she finds herself at the same school as Troy and the pair begin to challenge the expectations placed upon them as they develop a shared love of singing. However, their ambitions are put to the test against drama club president Sharpay Evans (Caitlin Tipping) and her twin brother Ryan (Luke Bayer), as they compete for the leading roles in the school’s musical.
It’s safe to say no expense has been spared. The theatre is unrecognisable and feels as though you’ve stepped straight through the doors of East High with Andrew Exeter’s incredible stage design. Several rows of stalls seats have been removed to make way for two wide staircases which frame a small catwalk adorned with the East High logo. The playing space itself is a large basketball court, complete with a huge jumbotron, used effectively throughout with video design from Tony award winner George Reeve. With on stage bleacher seating either side of the stage, audience members wanting to feel part of the action can be fully immersed. The on stage seating, combined with characters appearing in both the stalls and circle, creates a genuine sense of intimacy which is no small feat in a such a huge theatre.
All the songs audiences know and love are present, while additional numbers help move the story along more seamlessly on stage. The transition from screen to stage is also aided by the addition of Jack Scott (Curtis Patrick), who helps bridge the narrative as a commentator on life at East High, and is hilarious in doing so. These additions not only ensure it works on stage, but also help ensure this adaptation has its own identity whilst staying faithful to the story.
Tobias Turley is superb as Troy, bringing incredibly rich vocals and a genuine warmth to the role. Importantly, neither Turley nor Correia attempt to imitate Zac Efron or Vanessa Hudgens, instead creating versions of these characters that feel fresh while retaining everything audiences loved about them in the first place. They are both so incredibly likeable that it is impossible not to root for them.
Caitlin Tipping and Luke Bayer are perfectly cast as Sharpay and Ryan Evans . Having previously shared the stage in Titanique, the pair’s chemistry is unmistakable, providing much of the show’s comedy and more costumes than I could keep up with, each more fabulous than the last. Jason Donovan meanwhile stars as Coach Bolton, who goes on his own journey as he begins to realise that his son’s ambitions don’t necessarily have to match his own.
Perhaps the most exciting casting is that of High School Musical royalty, KayCee Stroh. Having originally starred as Martha Cox in the film trilogy, she returns to East High in this production as Ms Darbus. Stroh is deliciously camp as the school’s eccentric drama teacher, milking every moment with impeccable comic timing.
The real star of the show, however, is Aaron Renfree’s choreography, brought to life by the immensely talented ensemble. From basketball-ography to huge, high energy ensemble numbers, the choreography is electrifying. Seeing such a large company dance with such charisma is rarely seen on this scale these days, and it is an absolute joy to experience live. Never is Renfree’s choreography better than in the reprise of ‘We’re All in This Together’, which absolutely blows the roof off the Lowry as it closes the show… well prior to the megamix which had the entire Lowry audience up dancing.
For devoted Wildcats, expectations are inevitably going to be high. With the seemingly endless wave of screen to stage adaptations in recent years not always living up to the hype, High School Musical raises the bar for other shows to aspire to. It doesn’t simply trade on nostalgia. Instead, it bursts with a fresh energy as a genuinely spectacular stage musical. One that, dare I say it, works even better live on stage than on screen.
High School Musical plays at Lowry until Saturday 19 September 2026.
Note: My ticket was gifted in exchange for a review. This review is based on my honest opinion alone and is without influence.
