Bring It On The Musical review round-up starring Amber Davies and Louis Smith ★★★

"Cheerleading musical will put smiles on faces"

"Inspired by the film series of the same name, Bring It On here gets its first British professional production. And, especially in those moments where you sense most keenly Miranda’s mix of musical-theatre extravagance and hip-hop exuberance — he shares credits for all songs with the composer Tom Kitt and the lyricist Amanda Green — it can really connect. It’s the sort of self-aware froth that can wipe that Plan B frown right off your face, masked though that face may be/should be/must be."

"The former Olympic gymnast and Strictly winner Louis Smith (as Cameron) moves and raps well, although at 32 he looks the most senior of these high-school seniors. And Guy Unsworth’s pulsating but poised production looks the part on Libby Watson’s school gymnasium set. So when the cast are throwing themselves into Fabian Aloise’s choreography, when they are singing and rapping pumpingly Manuel-ish tunes such as It’s All Happening, Bring It On achieves true take-off. It’s fun."

"Lin-Manuel Miranda leads the cheer"

"Love Island’s Amber Davies tops a charismatic cast, including Olympic gymnast Louis Smith, in a spirited show co-created by the Hamilton man"

"Amber Davies plays chief cheerleader Campbell who is ready to lead her school’s squad into competition when she is transferred to Jackson High – rumoured to be rough and, disastrously, without a cheerleading team. The first act is vigorously put across with power-pop and hip-hop, plus a couple of bland ballads that lower the temperature, in a show co-written with Amanda Green (lyrics) and Tom Kitt (music) that is slickly delivered, if occasionally generic and too neat. But let it boil and wait until the top of the second act for the show-stopper It’s All Happening, which has Miranda’s unmistakable sense of the moment and rise-up attitude, complete with exhilarating harmonies and blissful raps (some delivered by Smith)."

"Davies, who has lines that chime with her Love Island success, gives Campbell a spirited sense of determination and gradual depth, though her romance with Randall (Connor Carson) never catches fire. Vanessa Fisher richly delivers Danielle’s songs, Chloe Pole impresses as a fabulously self-involved queen of snark and Chelsea Hall is a riot as Bridget, who dresses up as her team’s piratical parrot mascot. Making her professional debut, Hall has charisma to spare in a performance that really does makes you cheer."

"This Lin-Manuel Miranda musical doesn't dazzle like Hamilton, but the routines are great"

"If you can forgive the superficial politics, this production at the South Bank Centre is easy, cheesy fun"

"This cast are quadruple threats"

"There’s a puppyish energy to this early musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda, with a brilliant performance from Amber Davies"

"In between penning In The Heights and Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda co-wrote the music and lyrics to this show, and a lot of his hip hop-inflected musical trademarks are here. But they’re part of an impressive but slightly soulless package that’s worlds away from the warm, authentic worlds he creates."

"Still, however hollow its story might feel, it’s hard to beat this musical for puppyish energy and teenage (high) kicks. Fans of shows like Six and Heathers are bound to join its immaculately-choreographed army of cheerleaders."

"Flawless choreography"

"Lin-Manuel Miranda’s early high school cheerleading musical is enlivened by some superb choreography"

"Transgender performer Jal Joshua excels as the hip-swishing La Cienega, bending their body into eye-watering splits, sashaying across the stage in It Ain’t No Thing and performing what can only be described as incredible ‘hair gymnastics’ in the National finals."

"The production’s greatest asset is Fabian Aloise’s flawless choreography, and although all the big stunts are saved for the end, they are well worth the wait."