Be More Chill Hits Bognor Regis With Heart, Humour & A Whole Lot Of Squip
The University of Chichester Conservatoire’s MA Musical Theatre Company took on Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz’s Be More Chill for their inaugural Main Show, and what a way to mark the occasion.
At its heart, Be More Chill is about wanting to fit in. Jeremy Heere is offered the ultimate shortcut: swallow a pill containing a supercomputer, the SQUIP, and let it teach him how to be cool. What follows is funny, strange and increasingly dark, but underneath it all is a story about friendship, identity and discovering that becoming someone else isn’t necessarily the answer.
Dan Howe leads the company as Jeremy with real vulnerability and awkward charm. There is something of a young Evan Hansen about him, particularly in the honesty he brings to a complicated young man desperately trying to find his place. He carries the journey well and, even when Jeremy makes some fairly terrible decisions, Howe keeps us on his side.
As the SQUIP, Jenn Nicole Keanini is full of life, with brilliant comic timing and natural wit. She knows exactly how long to hold a look or a silence and has a real instinct for character comedy. A future Madame Thénardier perhaps? I can certainly see it.
Grace Moritz gives Michael Mell a lovely solidity and warmth. His love for Jeremy is palpable, making the breakdown of their friendship genuinely affecting. “Michael in the Bathroom” is beautifully judged, vulnerable and honest without ever being pushed too far.
Jamie Blake brings a wonderfully earnest quality to Christine. There is a freedom to her performance that makes her feel spontaneous and completely present. Jordan Grace, meanwhile, is a real chameleon, moving between multiple male and female roles with confidence and creating a distinct physicality and personality for each.
The rest of the company, Natiyaya Kongpoolperm, Tori Blake-Saker, Jessie Hamilton-Shaw, Anastasia Stergiopoulou, Alex Lauff and Ellie James, create a world populated by individuals rather than simply filling an ensemble. Everyone brings something different, and that becomes one of the production’s strengths.
Director Jamie Aspden keeps the whole thing moving while never losing the heart underneath the madness. The comedy is allowed to be ridiculous, while the quieter moments are given room to land. There are a couple of transitions where the pace dips slightly, but these are small moments in an otherwise confident production.
Hayley Grimm’s choreography fits the world brilliantly. It is energetic, playful and full of character, particularly in the larger company numbers. At times, not every performer is quite in sync and some of the busier sequences could benefit from a little more precision. But the commitment never drops, and the sheer energy and character the company brings to the movement carries it.
Musically, this is a demanding show and James Lelean, alongside Assistant Musical Director Harry Wells, leads an exceptionally tight band. Iconis’ score rarely lets up, but the playing is confident, responsive and full of energy. Lelean and Wells know when to drive the score forward and, importantly, when to give the performers space. The character work remains at the heart of the singing, with the company telling the story rather than simply delivering the songs.
Visually, simplicity works. The set is uncomplicated but very effective, allowing scenes to move quickly and leaving space for Chris Pratt’s fantastic lighting design to create the digital world around it. The illuminated frames, bold colour and sharp changes in atmosphere do a huge amount of storytelling and create some striking stage pictures.
Liam Jurgens’ sound design brings everything together. Balancing a powerful live band, dialogue and a large company is no small task, but the sound is clear, punchy and impressively controlled throughout.
Perhaps the best summing up came from the audience. Overheard in the room were comments including “Brilliant show… everyone was amazing!”, “a brill bunch to watch” and, perhaps most fittingly, “you all have your own qualities.”
That last comment really does capture this company.
Be More Chill is about trying to change yourself to fit in, yet one of the greatest strengths of this production is that nobody on that stage feels the same. Different voices, different strengths and very different personalities, all coming together as one company.
It isn’t without the odd rough edge, but the energy, character and commitment on stage, backed by a terrific band and strong creative and technical work, make those easy to forgive.
For the inaugural Main Show of the inaugural MA Musical Theatre cohort, that feels like something worth celebrating.
Thank you to University of Chichester for providing us with complimentary tickets in exchange for our honest review.
Photos courtesy of Andrew Worsfold.
