'Bold, bonkers and wildy fun' - Our review of The SpongeBob Musical at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

For those of you – similar to my five-year-old daughter and I – who would love nothing more than to deep dive straight into two hours of musical theatre that's a perfect combination of all of the above then this underwater extravaganza is perfect for you.

That's not to forget to mention the extra boat load of sensory craziness, bonkers visuals and wild amounts of talent that comes with it.

If you've watched SpongeBob Squarepants on TV then you will know, it's not for the faint-hearted. The musical adaption is no different.

This theatrical display is two hours of sheer energy, it's brimming with charm and it's on stage at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre until this weekend.

The set look is ever-changing, it's bold and splendid and what makes it really special is the presence of the live band being embedded into the staging.

This show is not just for kids either – SpongeBob fans, old and new, pack out the audience and the plotline provides some real humour for the adults.

The world of Bikini Bottom is about to end when we discover a volcano will soon erupt. SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save their undersea home.

There's a subtle, but hilarious comparison to the world ending with the Coronavirus pandemic, with the eagle-eyed audience members even picking up on one character running off with a bundle of toilet roll.

The Mayor played by Rebecca Lisewski provides an amusing and accurate imitation of our feeble government trying to handle a crisis.

Stand out stars, other than Lewis Cornay as SpongeBob, are Celebs Go Dating favourite Tom Read Wilson as Squidward Q Tentacles and Ru-Paul’s Drag Race legend Divina De Campo as Sheldon. J Plankton. My daughter was captivated by Squidward and his extra legs.

The plot and perfomance is truly an hilarious splash of a show that resonates with audiences young and old. It's bright, loud and bold and most importantly it keeps you gripped throughout.

Lewis brings SpongeBob to life in a unique and lovely way and alongside his trusty sidekick Patrick Star, played by Irfan Damani, the pair showcase some stunning vocals.

A stand-out moment is SpongeBob's rendition of Simple Sponge, as dancers gather behind with sponges to provide some amazing visuals. It sounds bizarre, but I promise it was extraordinary to see and hear.

Mr Krabs' daughter Pearl, played by Sarah Freer, and Chrissie Bhima, who plays Sandy Cheeks, belt out some beautiful songs. The whole cast is a truly talented bunch of pitch perfect performers who simply don't miss a single beat or dance move – which in a wacky, fast-paced show like this is very impressive.

What sums up the night is my daughter saying at the end: "Can we go and see it again tomorrow?"!

The audience is age three plus, it has a running time of two hours and five minutes and tickets can be purchased here https://www.grandtheatre.co.uk/whats-on/the-spongebob-musical/

The show runs at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre through to and including Saturday.