Review: LUNA THE MUSICAL, Spinning Rock Productions - Online

Spinning Rock Productions have streamed the world premiere of Luna the Musical over the last three days. Written and composed by James Hales, with arrangements by Barnaby Southgate, the musical follows the journey of Luna, a pregnant teen in North Dakota as her and the characters in her life explore their identity in uncertain times.

The musical is simply staged and brilliantly captured through each and every camera angle to make sure no details are missed. With only one act, it’s a fast paced coming-of-age tale with a cast full of new and upcoming talent which is refreshing to see.

The pop-rock score is full of energy and detail, with overlapping vocals and beautiful harmonies. The song ‘This Is What You Get’ feels very reminiscent of musicals such as Heathers and Carrie, and is sure to be a hit if the show progresses to a wider audience. We think the show would be elevated with audience reactions to jokes and applause.

As previously mentioned, the show is full of new young talent, many of whom are still in training. Their ability as a cast is incredible and the talent is of a high level - we’re excited to see where their future will take them. Standout performances include Jhanaica Mook who plays the title character, Luna. She plays a well-rounded character who has us rooting for her throughout the entire show. Alongside this, another standout is James Sillman as Eugene, with ‘New Recording 37’ being a personal favourite of ours.

We feel as if some of the writing and characters stories are a little rushed but it’s to be expected from a one-act musical. We would love to see this musical progress and expand beyond one act to develop the characters stories further with a more detailed plot.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Maya Bateman