I ENTERED a world of electrifying rock music as pupils from Haberdashers’ Monmouth School delivered an outstanding performance of the ‘School of Rock’.

On Wednesday March 18 I went to watch Haberdashers’ Monmouth School’s production of the ‘School of Rock’ at The Blake Theatre performed by a variety of year groups.

The ‘School of Rock’ follows Dewey Finn, a passionate rockstar enthusiast who poses as a substitute teacher at a private elite school. He turns the class into a talented rock band so they can participate in ‘The Battle of the Bands’, a local rock music competition which he so desperately wants to win to fulfill his dreams of being a rockstar.

The hall was full of supportive friends, family and residents of Monmouth town, who sat back and enjoyed the comedic show.

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘The School of Rock’, and having never seen it before I was captivated the entire way through. All of the pupils performed amazingly, showcasing a variety of theatrical skills including strong facial expressions, body language, levels and proximity.

I really liked the opening scene where we were introduced to Patty and Ned played by Tabby Peers-Smith and Sean McNally. I thought they both did an amazing job when presenting juxtaposing characters of Patty’s bossy demeanour and Ned’s relaxed, obedient characteristics.

Tabby’s confidence and use of strong facial expressions were unveiled with a sense of authority as she made use of the entire stage.

One of my favourite scenes in the show was in Act one when we were introduced to the school. Parents were dropping their children off, Miss Mullins played by Rosalie Girones was in the middle using strong authority to say “no running” to the children. It kept the heightened upbeat atmosphere of the show and children were almost circulating around each other, walking in different directions.

Another scene which stood out to me was when each pupil stood with their parents, and a spotlight lit up on each family during the musical number. It highlighted the importance of lighting and how it can be shown so creatively.

Rueben Taylor, who played Dewey Finn, delivered an outstanding performance. His witty, comedic demeanour rippled throughout the audience, putting smiles on everyone's faces as his character held high energy through the entire show.

The show was quite literally brought to life, as there was a live orchestra playing. The music was upbeat and energetic and I thought this was a great idea because it made the audience feel as though they were immersed in the performance.

As the show progressed and they needed a band name, I liked when the two pupils in synchronised actions said, “The School of Rock” and then Dewey pushed through the middle of them. As well as this adding humour it also resembled confidence and certainty.

At the end of the show, I enjoyed the lighting change. Beaming lights shot across the hall in different directions and colours, adding to the lively dynamic of what the show is all about.