The Drowsy Chaperone

I absolutely loved this show and I’m so glad to have seen it. Easily the best show I’ve seen at the fringe so far so it’s an easy 5 stars from me. I was grinning like an idiot throughout the entire performance - especially during the song and dance routines in which the whole cast gave it their all, showing just how talented they are and creating something rather spectacular.

Leila Boiner portrayed the eponymous drowsy chaperone flawlessly, earning a lot of well-deserved applause and laughter from the audience. While I initially feared that man in chair’s (Tyler Guntenspergen) interruptions could get annoying, I was certainly proven wrong as he was a super relatable character with some pretty bloody decent comedic timing. The pastry chefs/gangsters (Emily Wong & Nathaniel Harms) were both hilarious and talented, with their song being one of my favourites of any musical. They were certainly some of my favourite characters, beaten only perhaps by Aldolpho (Micheal Saraos) who made me laugh harder than any other character and was portrayed brilliantly, really embodying the character fantastically. The lovers, Janet van de Graaf (Lily Carredano) and Robert Martin (Nicholas Castaño), we’re both extraordinarily talented, with Janet’s song about how she “don’t wanna show off no more” being one of the most impressive routines I’ve seen ever and Robert and George’s (Elijah Granucci) tap dance routine being just extraordinary. George was super important to the plot and I’m glad that I had such an amazing actor as Elijah to play him in front of me - he made me gasp, laugh and just generally be in awe. Tottendale (Madeleine Harp) and Underling (Lorenzo Villegas) were hilarious and very convincingly portrayed, and the way they interacted with man in chair’s stopping and starting of the record was brilliant. Feldzig (John Lavapie) and Kitty (Nicolette Owen) were similarly hilarious and the subplots they were in were some of the funniest in the show - both extraordinarily talented actors. The ensemble can make or break a show and in this case the ensemble brought the same level of energy and talent as the leads, really taking the show up a level; it’s rare to see a show where without exception, every single member of the cast performs brilliantly, but that is what I saw when I watched this show. Notable ensemble members were Hannah Chung and Juan Gonzalez, both of whom got smaller roles as the superintendent and Trix, performing incredibly.

It’s seriously hard to believe this is an ordinary high school - the show was hugely impressive. Every aspect of this show was incredible, and the talent was present throughout the entire cast. The casting, singing, dancing, acting, comedic timing were all phenomenal. I really loved this show and I would love to see more shows performed by this group.

Excellent performances - outstanding for high school students. Very funny, with some wonderful singing and choreography.

10/10 for everything. the casting choices were spot on as the acting was incredible. it was wildly entertaining, comical, and kept me engaged the entire time. its a show you don't want to miss!!

An absolutely 5 star show from a 5 star cast. Hard to believe that these are high school students. The show is brilliant and you should catch it while you can.

*****