The SpongeBob Musical

WHO LIVES IN A PINEAPPLE UNDER THE SEA… If you grew up in the late 90s-early 2000s, you are part of the generation that watched SpongeBob SquarePants. Albeit looking back it was a completely nonsensical show, it made many laugh and remained a cartoon favourite.

Now SpongeBob SquarePants has become one of the hottest stars on Broadway. SpongeBob The Musical has landed at The Grand Theatre Wolverhampton. It’s as if the pantomime and musical worlds have collided to bring us this larger-than-life production. This idea is furthered by the elaborate set and costume designs. Steve Howell manages to capture the essence of Bikini Bottom, and Sarah Mercade complements this with the costumes.

The plot centres around the citizens of Bikini Bottom discovering that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their humble home. SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save the fate of their undersea world!

If you look a little deeper beneath the surface of the show, beyond all the farcical antics there are some important messages. Such as the amount of plastic waste found in the sea, cleverly highlighted through set and costume design, with plastic bottles and rubber gloves incorporated brilliantly. This theme of socio-political messaging continues with events such as the coronavirus pandemic. There are also clear messages about friendship, prejudice, and xenophobia.

The names involved in this production are big, including Celebs Go Dating star Tom Read Wilson as Squidward and Ru-Paul’s Drag Race legend Divina De Campo as Plankton. Lewis Cornay takes on the titular role of SpongeBob, and does a terrific job, showcasing some powerful vocals whilst also capturing the humour. Irfan Damani plays the loveable yet lost Patrick whilst Chrissy Bhima plays Sandy the science lover. Everyone is perfectly cast, with all captivating their characters from the hit Nickelodeon show.

The musical is written by Kyle Jarrow and conceived by Tina Landau. It features a tidal wave of original songs by the world’s most iconic rock and pop artists, including Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler, and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Lady A, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, and songs by David Bowie, Tom Kenny, and Andy Paley. With additional lyrics by Jonathan Coulton and additional music by Tom Kitt. Fabian Aloise has done a brilliant job as the choreographer, I never knew that sponge-based choreography was something I was missing from a musical, but I’m so glad it exists. As someone who watched the show as a child, I can honestly say I loved it. The only critique I have is that the last 20 minutes felt a bit rushed in terms of the delivery of the storyline. It is everything you could want; it is pure joy. It’s set to make a splash with audiences, particularly for families of small children who will love the silly humour.

The Sponge Bob Musical continues until Saturday 1st July 2023 at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Tickets are available at the following link https://www.grandtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/the-spongebob-musical/