13 The Musical

As the title suggests, this relatively little-known show celebrates/commiserates that most painful rite of passage – turning 13. At the time of it's Off Off Broadway (Californian) Debut in 2007, 13 was the only musical ever to have a full cast and band made up of teenagers. Making it's Broadway debut over a year later – it closed after a less than a year – but remained a cult hit among die-hard fans and has been revised and 'revived' at various times in scattered capital cities ever since. Having now seen it for the first time – this reviewer cannot understand this relatively modest success. After all, the themes are supremely relate-able to anyone between the ages of 10 and 100.

The only conclusion to be drawn is that - on the surface – the concept of an 'all teen musical' sounds more than a little twee. But from start to finish this is a throughly engaging, funny (and more than a little politically-incorrect) cracker of a show - kind of like Grease meets Avenue Q. Apart from the prerequisite characters of 'cheerleaders and jocks' there's nary a cheesy 'Disneyfied' moment to be had.

The central character – and the show does revolve around him – is Evan Goldman, a Jewish boy whose parents have just split up, causing him to be ripped from his NYC home and dropped smack-bang in the middle of Hicksville where he is enrolled at the unsubtly-named Dan Quayle Junior High. He's about to have is Bar Mitzvah – and dreams of having the biggest and best party ever. Cue scenes and songs about the pain of being the new kid and the levels to which he stoops to gain instant popularity. The show's songs are anything but bland – and indeed traverse genres from lightweight pop to reggae, funk and heavy rock, with melody lines that would challenge singers of any age.

Consequently, director Joshua Maxwell doubled-up the cast and used the alternate cast to sing backstage. This ensured a dynamic sound for all the chorus numbers.

At this performance the part of Evan was played with a high-level of aplomb by Sebastion Thornton-Walker (who could easily pass as the love child of Matthew Broderick and Sean Hayes). He embodied the character in every way imaginable. The tell-tale 'puberty-affected edges' to his voice were the only reminder that the truly polished vocal stylings and acting were that of a genuine teenager. Everyone on stage had their moment to shine. Special mention to Jess Nader's beautifully sincere performance as geeky Patrice the girl next door (her songs were definitely not easy) and Ryan Knowles is an absolute scene stealer as Archie. All other supporting leads and ensemble are excellent. A big Shout out to Breanna Redhead as the villainous Lucy, who didn't miss a beat when her mic dropped out in Act II – showing just how disciplined these young performers are. Slick choreography, vivid lighting design and a very tight band added even more bonus points the show's overall appeal. '13' was the first musical and third production to be staged by fledgling independent theatre company Jopuka productions. Maxwell, a self-confessed geeky theatre kid, formed the NFP company to provide an alternative outlet for performers under 30. This musical was always number one on his to-do list ever since he discovered it as a teenager - and it's very easy to see why.

Rose Cooper