High School Musical at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

Forget AI and futuristic driverless cars for a moment: nostalgia may actually be the keyword of 2026. In a year of millennial pop culture comebacks and throwbacks, including former Disney star Hilary Duff’s global (re-)conquest, a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada and Camp Rock, amongst others, it’s now time for High School Musical’s return to the feel-good centre stage. East High’s Wildcats go back to school, a whopping 20 years after the original Disney Channel film, now loyally adapted at Wembley Park’s Troubadour Theatre following a summer run in Salford.

A departure from London’s usual West End allows the Troubadour to create a thoroughly impressive custom school gymnasium stage and space-maximising set with the inclusion of on-court audience seating, which is a fun touch. Attention to detail and immersion play big roles in this production from co-directors Joseph Houston and William Whelton: from crowd cams to a pre-show cheerleading tutorial and even a karaoke booth in the foyer, the cast freely roam throughout the crowd and for two hours, one might forget where they really are.

The show is ultimately a celebration and is therefore remarkably faithful to the source. Basketball jock Troy Bolton (Tobias Turley) meets maths genius Gabriella Montez (Leonor Correia), and both gradually fall in love over music, despite belonging to differing cliques, with added tension from a disapproving father and scheming siblings Sharpay (Caitlin Tipping) and Ryan Evans (Luke Bayer) who are rivalling for the top billing in the school’s musical. Cue cheese, catchy iconic numbers, competition and eventual camaraderie. The fan service rarely strays from the familiar and is both unapologetically camp and nostalgic, sometimes even delivering the same punchlines whilst still remaining relentlessly joyful and full of entertaining escapism. Some simplistic scene transitions are abrupt, and certain characters lack depth, but honestly this is much less a production for new students in town and the audience will have certainly done their homework (albeit 20 years ago).

High School Musical soars and flies, particularly with its ambitious choreography and ensemble pieces. Reimagined by Aaron Renfree, Get’Cha Head in the Game almost defies belief with the smart basketball choreography, whilst Stick to the Status Quo satisfies with staging detail and We’re All in This Together is infectiously energetic. One noticeable difference is the addition of several new songs, as well as duets like Start of Something New and Breaking Free becoming wider ensemble choruses, which makes sense given the stage format (even if it would have been nice to hear more from Correia and Turley’s harmonies). The entire cast are slick and convincing, with special recognition for Bayer and Tipping’s on-point double act and Turley’s commitment to the role. There is further star casting in the form of underused McFly member Harry Judd, who plays Coach Bolton, but the true captivating scene-stealer is KayCee Stroh of the original movie cast (Martha), now as the eccentric theatre teacher Ms Darbus in a brilliant move that more than pays off.

By the time the jam-packed curtain call rolls around, it’ll be impossible not to leave with the soundtrack blasting in one’s head like it’s 2006 again. Familiar but fresh, low stakes and high energy, this will bop to the top as exactly what fans have been looking for.

Bev Lung
Photo: Matt Crockett

High School Musical is at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre from 12^th October until 3^rd January 2027. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.

Watch the trailer for High School Musical at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre here: