Review of The SpongeBob Musical at Norwich Theatre Royal: Musical based on children’s favourite cartoon is energetic and enthusiastic show

The SpongeBob Musical – Theatre Royal, Norwich

Alongside the likes of Bob The Builder, Postman Pat and the Tweenies, SpongeBob Squarepants is a great favourite with many of us.

He and his Bikini Bottom friends were on our tellies from 1999 and we grew to love their crazy adventures.

This new musical, on tour in Britain for the first time, has them all in and more and is, quite simply, a very madcap couple of hours.

There are super bright costumes and over-the-top make up - kudos to those teams - and the underwater setting is just as psychedelic!

There is a plot - a volcano is about to erupt and destroy their homes - and an amazing playlist, with songs by the likes of Cyndi Lauper and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith!

The show is aimed at adults as much as children and there are plenty of laugh out moments, many provided by Divina De Campo, star of Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK, as the scheming Plankton.

Look out for Pop Idol’s Gareth Gates as Squidward and Lewis Cornay is a very charming SpongeBob who holds the whole piece together.

It’s an energetic and enthusiastic show, with solid messages for young ones - the value of friendship, courage in the face of adversity and importance of community spirit.

The show continues until Saturday. Visit www.norwichtheatre.org

Review by Sarah Hardy