Theatre Review: Bring It On (The Alexandra Stage Experience)

AD: This Press Night Review refers to the August 2023 Stage Experience Production of Bring It On at the Alexandra Theatre*

Each year, the Alexandra Theatre invites young talent to participate in their annual Stage Experience. Hundreds of applicants were whittled down to 150 auditionees, for positions both onstage and behind the scenes. A cohort of 80 made it through to 13 days of intense preparation before the gaze of the theatre audience is on them for four performances. Bring It On is the eighteenth Stage Experience production, and the fourth that I have been lucky enough to review.

You can read about the 2022 Stage Experience Show Fame here!

Written by Jeff Whitty, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manual Miranda (heard of him? Not sure he’ll ever amount to much…), Bring It On is loosely based on the 00’s film series which brought cheerleading to the screen long before the Netflix series Cheer. Like the film, the stage production centres around the rivalry between two high school cheerleading squads, with one from the wrong side of the tracks.

There’s a strong opening from the cast before a spell of scene-setting. The first act really gets going when peppy cheerleader captain Campbell (Laura Bryan) is forced to move from white suburban Truman High to inner-city Jackson High thanks to school redistricting. To Campbell’s dismay, Jackson doesn’t even have a cheer squad. But dance exists, in the form of a hip-hop and street dance crew, championed by the tough but talented Danielle (Brittany Jarman-Watson).

Once again, the Stage Experience gives us a glimpse of the stars of tomorrow. All of the cast perform with energy, commitment and passion, gaining confidence throughout and engaging this opening night audience. As well as being Press Night, there were a lot of family members in the theatre, frantically pointing and waving whenever their offspring appeared.

Laura Bryan puts in an impressive and sassy performance as Campbell, with great vocals. It would be easy for the character to come across as entitled but Laura makes her likeable. It is her second year playing a principle character after playing Carmen in Fame. There’s a believable camaraderie between Laura and Brittany as the feisty Danielle.

Alexia Mouzakitis looks particularly at home on the stage as Truman High’s Skylar, oozing the self-confidence required for this vain and vapid cheerleader. Eden Wedgbrow steals the show as awkward Bridget, redistricted to Jackson along with Campbell. Bridget finally gets her chance to shine after years of being stuck in a parrot suit as the Truman team mascot, . I was fully invested in her subplot as her self-esteem grows. Eden was fully believable in the role and her comedy timing was perfect. Act Two’s “It Ain’t No Thing” is definitely a highlight of the show with Eden performing alongside Demi Mitchell as Nautica and Molly Ann Bache as La Cienega.

Sidebar: La Cienaga character is traditionally a transgender teen, although this is portrayed without any fanfare and does not form any part of the storyline. There are a few subtle allusions in the scene with Bridget and Nautica which don’t quite fit with a female performer, although Molly Ann plays the part wonderfully (another alumni from last year’s production of Fame).

“Love who you are
And the world will adore you –
And the couple that don’t
At least they can’t ignore you!”

Bessy Hingley excels in her role as villain Eva. She’s fully committed to the character from the moment she steps onto the stage as an adorable sophomore, secretly intent on taking over the cheer captaincy. Her solo number “Killer Instinct” is a definite crowd-pleaser.

The songs are upbeat, and Lin Manuel Miranda’s contributions are easily identifiable once we meet the Jackson High crew. Huge kudos to K’Vae Brown as Twig for that rap in Act Two opener “It’s All Happening”. He exhibited an impressive talent for the tongue-twisting wordplay that LMM is well know for. And dare I say that Brittany Jarman-Watson would make an excellent Angelica Schuyler in future?

Cheerleading’s not all about chanting and pompom shaking. There’s flipping and tossing and tumbling, making the choreography a tad more complex that your usual musical. The cast take on the challenge admirably, rarely missing their mark. The intense, high-energy dance routines, choreographed by Pollyann Tanner and Olivia Wicks, are performed with vigour and impressive gymnastic ability. The “Legendary” and “Cross The Line” numbers are quite exhausting to watch.

The set design is defined largely by lockers and bleachers – the ultimate American high school aesthetic. The dynamic lighting by Alex Johnson sets the tone and differentiates the settings, creating drama. It’s a high quality production from all involved. Don’t be fooled by the young cast and crew; the whole team are fully supported by a bunch of dedicated professionals. If I put my “theatre critic” hat on, the sound is a little off, with vocals and dialogue sometimes unintelligible and reaching a pitch that had a few people around me popping their fingers in their ears. Hopefully this is something that can be adjusted throughout the show’s run.

It’s a fun-filled show that never takes itself too seriously. The show is all about unity, spirit, taking on new challenges and opening yourself up to new friendships. A perfect description of the Stage Experience itself.

Bring It On (Stage Experience 2023) is at the Alexandra Theatre on a limited run only. You can book tickets here – but be quick as the final show is Saturday 19th August!

*Why is this post marked AD? I was invited to attend Press Night in exchange for an honest review. You can trust that I will always be honest and truthful on A Brummie Home and Abroad, and being an invited guest will not influence my opinion in any way.