Review: THE SECRET DIARY OF ADRIAN MOLE AGED 13 3/4 THE MUSICAL, Queens Theatre Hornchurch

Photo credit: Mark Sepple

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Age 13 3/4 The Musical is now not so secret as it plays out at the Queen's Theatre Hornchurch in a brand new actor-muso production that delights audiences of all ages, particularly those older members of the audience, with a hilariously outrageous book and delightfully catchy songs.

Before we talk more about the show, we'd love to compliment the Queen's Theatre on its incredible atmosphere, friendly staff and accessible nature, with tickets for shows at £8 for under 26 year olds! And the most expensive ticket for this particular show being £30. What a wonderful way to see such high standards of performance and get a breath of fresh air from the big city. Bravo for proving theatre truly can be open to anyone.

As we turn our attention back to the production of Adrian Mole, we must express how many times this show left us lost for words in the most amazing way possible. Its book by Jake Brunger has perfected the hyperbole of adolescent life and holds back on absolutely nothing, providing jokes for young children and jokes that will soar far above their heads, meaning this truly is a show that will give a brilliant night out for the *entire* family. It's almost as if this is a family appropriate Book Of Mormon (yes, it really is that funny! There's even heavy references to The Book of Mormon in the form of a fabulously inaccurate Nativity production that serves as the finale of the show),

While the show is a comedy, there are also moments of surprising emotion as the narrative follows Adrian through his parents' (quite messy) divorce. We don't quite know how, but somehow the production manages to balance this effortlessly as the show flows from scene to scene.

The songs by Pippa Cleary and Jake Brunger are an extension of this beyond expectation. While some tunes when looked at with a critical eye can appear basic and cliché, they fit their purpose excellently, with melodies we were humming all the way home and lyrics that, again, hold nothing back. Combining an upbeat nature, contrasting shocking and sometimes even political ideas, in a masterclass of comedic juxtaposition and oxymoron.

While children led the original Curve production and subsequently the London run, a full cast of adults perform on the Queens Theatre stage. Honestly, the production loses absolutely nothing because of this and, at times, even adds a further layer of comedy. James Hameed (Adrian Mole), Sally Cheng (Pandora) and Luke Thornton (Nigel) capture the nature of teenagers brilliantly, laughing with each other the whole way through. The suspension of disbelief is made more than easy thanks to their effortless chemistry with one another as children. Everything from their cadence, posture and facial expressions are instantly recognisable to us all who were once that age and can look back on that time and laugh at how we viewed the world through the lens of both embarrassment and nostalgia.

There are nothing but brilliant vibes at the Queen's Theatre right now, an excellent atmosphere all round thanks to Adrian Mole. We can't recommend this to families, especially those with children aged 13 3/4 enough! In a world where we need an escape more than anything, this show is a blinding light.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Callum Wallace

The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 The Musical plays at the Queens Theatre Hornchurch until 21 May, with tickets available here.