Review: THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL at The Southbank Centre, London

Photo credit: Mark Senior

Tickets: Gifted

Date: 3rd August 2023 

Seat: H20 

Rating: 4 Stars

Trailer: https://youtu.be/lH7qiP4tDQY

Colourful costumes? Check. Bright set design? Check. Jokes for kids? Check. Jokes for adults? Check. Fantastically fun music, larger-than-life characters, a whimsical and wacky storyline, and cool camp charm? Check, check, check, and a very definite check. 

You could say that The SpongeBob Musical has it all. You could say that, and after having watched it at the gorgeous Queen Elizabeth Hall in London’s Southbank Centre, I am saying that. The SpongeBob Musical is a daft and delightful caper that you just know is going to have a happy ending, but that gives your heart a bit of a flutter along the way even so. 

The story is set in Bikini Bottom, home of SpongeBob Squarepants himself, where the titular sponge, along with his friend Patrick and an assorted cast of characters including Squidward, Sandy Cheeks (a squirrel – under the sea), and bad guy Plankton, have to save their home from a volcanic eruption (the volcano being made from discarded plastic bottles was a fantastic touch). It’s a simple story, just right for small children and those of us who don’t want complex plot lines when we head to the theatre, and it’s told in a fun, energetic, and engaging way so that by the time it’s two hours later, the run time doesn’t seem half as long. 

Photo credit: Mark Senior

The music is cleverly created by a plethora of different talents, including Panic! At The Disco, Cindy Lauper, John Legend, and They Might Be Giants, among others. This could have become a confusion of styles that made a nonsense of the nonsense, but instead, the artists manage to come together to create something that works – if you didn’t know different composers were involved, you’d never guess. 

The music is jaunty and boppy, with a couple of standout tunes, including ‘Just A Simple Sponge’ (which had some amazing sponge choreography – words I never thought would ever be said in the same sentence) and ‘Hero Is My Middle Name’, but the real stars of the show are the stars of the show – with Lewis Cornay as SpongeBob, Tom Read Wilson as Squidward, Divina de Campo as Plankton, Irfan Damani as Patrick, and Chrissie Bhima as Sandy Cheeks (the squirrel – under the sea), along with huge star talent from every other member of the cast, this was a treat. 

As SpongeBob, Lewis Cornay is sweet and kind, the type of friend we’d all like to have. His voice is exceptional, and he somehow manages to embody the essence of SpongeBob in all his goofy glory. Tom Read Wilson as poor, put-upon Squidward, who is so desperate to perform on stage, is a fantastic counterpoint to SpongeBob’s bouncy positivity, and his tap performance (don’t forget, he has extra legs – a very fun touch that was really played for laughs) was surprisingly good. 

Divina de Campo as less-than-cunning villain Sheldon J. Plankton, however, definitely stole scenes with her over the top (in a good way) scheming and plotting, along with computer wife Karen (played by Hannah Lowther, who took on a variety of roles in the show, including one of the highly amusing sardines). 

Photo credit: Mark Senior 

The characters were cartooned to the max, with bright wigs, neon costumes, and fourth-wall-breaking antics, and that’s fine by me. 

The SpongeBob Musical is adapted for the stage by Kyle Jarrow and directed by Tara Overfield Wilkinson, and the final result is absorbing silliness that’s designed to make you smile. 

You can get tickets to The SpongeBob Musical here.