By Caitlin Crowley
The team at Adelaide’s Windmill Theatre have served up one hell of a wild ride in the 70-minute theatrical award-winning production School Dance.
This is the story of three high school nobodies navigating the hell that is the Year 9 school dance. They’re officially losers but each in their own unique way: Jonathon (Jonathon Oxlade ) is a loser in denial, Luke (Luke Smiles) a loser with long hair and Matt (Matthew Whittet) is the worst kind of loser – an invisible one. The cast is rounded out by the hulking school bully Derek Sturgess (Jack Wetere) and Amber McMahon, who shines playing a variety of characters from all-knowing big sister Joanie, to the invisible Danica and the hot girl of every teenage boy’s dreams, Hannah.
There’s a cleverly written voice-over to introduce our characters and their stories. The cast are all gifted physical comedians and there are lots of randy teenage, gross out fart- joke, pick-a-nose sight gags. The narrative is a little slim, Matt’s starting to disappear and his mates have to save him, but the character comedy covers for it. There are moments of genuine pathos when we catch a glimpse of the boys’ home lives but the scenes of the world of invisible teens is a little obtuse and trippy and could do with a tighten up. However the ending is so fun and triumphant that it is impossible to leave the theatre feeling anything other than uplifted and humming Spandau Ballet tunes.
The finely choreographed BMX bike scene is a definite highlight and there’s an orgasm metaphor in there that rivals Meg Ryan’s efforts in When Harry Met Sally.
At a time when adults can’t keep their noses out of young adult novels and teenagers are donning side ponytails and channelling Molly Ringwald, School Dance seems to have driven a DeLorean directly into the zeitgeist. This is a show about 15 year-olds, so I made sure to take one with me, and she loved it.
Part coming-of-age tale, part children’s pantomime and part 80s daggy dance party this mash-up shouldn’t work playing to an audience to of grown-ups in the Arts Centre, but work it does – and so, so well. Take a teen and your dancing shoes for a super silly, fun night out.
School Dance is on at The Arts Centre – Playhouse
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2013/season/shows/school-dance