Erin Harrington reviews The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition, based on the series by Stephen Hillenburg, book by Kyle Jarrow, directed by Tim Bain, with musical direction by Caelen Thomas and choreography by Hillary Moulder, at the Court Theatre, Wednesday 2 July, 2025.
The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition is the Court Theatre’s first school holiday production in their new central city theatre. You can tell that the ethos behind its artistic direction was ‘go hard, or go home’. This big, glitzy production beautifully embodies the cartoon’s delightfully unhinged style as we follow SpongeBob Squarepants, his BFF Patrick Star, and his scientist squirrel buddy Sandy Cheeks in a race against time. A massive underwater volcano is rumbling away, threatening to destroy Bikini Bottom, and while some townsfolk (and the media, and the political establishment) look to capitalise on the impending disaster, SpongeBob and friends hope to get over their own personal hang ups and save the day.
My companion and I see the Green cast, 31 performers who appear to range in age from about ten to eighteen; the scheduling of the Green and Pink groups is available here. There is a huge amount of work, and talent, on show. Performances are confident, cartoony, physical, and charismatic. There’s some great vocal work, particularly from Cole Moffatt, as an impeccably enthusiastic and wide-eyed SpongeBob, and Olivia Skelton as Pearl. The cast move impressively through fast-paced staging and some challenging and well-considered choreography. Kudos to director Tim Bain and choreographer Hillary Moulder for wrangling it all, and clearly keeping the production full of joy, especially given they’ve worked with two casts.
The production design, too, is terrific. After the relatively restrained staging of End of the Golden Weather, this production is an exercise in brightly coloured and multitextured maximalism. There’s neon-coloured inflatables, metallic fabrics, bubbles, dynamic lighting changes, levels, fans, bikes… I couldn’t keep track of the number of ridiculous costumes, wigs and silly props, and felt like I was watching a kid-friendly Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
The show itself is a highly-condensed version of the full-length Broadway original. Like other comparable youth versions of musicals it races through exposition and character beats, instead foregrounding musical numbers, spectacle, and big scenes that show off the talents of the large cast. At times it’s a little hard to follow, and a touch more light and shade (as in a nicely-staged scene in the Jellyfish Fields) might give everyone a chance to breathe and sit with the show’s many gags.
There is also a bit of uncertainty in how to best balance the production’s demand for (very well done) American accents and bright, high-twang singing, with vocal and physical characterisations that sufficiently resemble the show’s well-loved characterisations. It’s a really hard ask. I particularly appreciate the sweet spot found by Oscar Stove, as Squidward. He expresses beautifully the character’s abrasive energy and mannerisms in the terrific number “I’m Not a Loser”, accompanied by a tap-dancing chorus. It’s a highlight of the show. Great tentacled trousers, too.
Perhaps these concerns are not too relevant though? Maybe a full sensory assault is the way to go. This a real sugar hit of a production – a glitter bomb, an explosion in a drag queen’s closet, like drawing on the walls with every highlighter in the set or accidentally laughing soda out your nose. It’s a great time. Just like with SpongeBob himself, you can’t help but be swept up in the energy and optimism.
The SpongeBob Musical: Youth Edition runs until Sunday 13 July.
Flat City Field Notes 