It was only a matter of time that the book/film famously set in UoB would be turned into a stage musical and have its premiere at the Old Vic. Or, I mean, not really, but still, you love to see it.
I cannot tell you whether this was ironic or sincere, but I was sold from the chorus of the first song where the backing vocals were just the lines “woah-oh-oh-oh University Challenge! Woah-oh-oh, which team’s gonna win?”. I defy you to not love that, I’m sorry. And it keeps coming back! Multiple times! Wonderful stuff.
It’s very scrappy. There’s some lovely stage design, the songs are good if not great or particularly catchy (save for the above exception). I do like it! But I can’t see it transferring to the West End.
Two stand outs for me are obviously Mel Geidroyc, who is exactly what this show needs, a certain amount of rolling up of sleeves and putting on a show. She throws herself into it and the manic energy just fits. But on the other end, Eubha Akilade is wonderfully understated as Rebecca, and I hope to see more of her on stage in the future.
I will throw this out there, and I can’t remember how much of this would have come from the book or film, but boy the writers have not done their research into UoB - no one calls students “gowns”, this isn’t Oxford.