Gaiety Theatre audiences have recently been treated to a week-long run of the feel-good musical ‘School of Rock’.

The adaptation of the hit 2003 film was put together by Centre Stage Productions, and featured a total of 59 cast members comprising of 18 adult performers and 41 children, who split into two teams and performed on alternating nights.

As well as the original songs from the film, the musical features 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd-Webber.

Talking about how well received the show was, a spokesperson from Centre Stage Productions said: ‘The feedback for School of Rock has been overwhelmingly positive, with both adults and children absolutely loving the show.

‘It received an overwhelmingly positive response from audiences, with the final weekend performing to audiences of more than 500, and enthusiastic standing ovations throughout the run. We’re very grateful for the positive support from everyone involved behind the scenes who worked tirelessly to make this production such a hit.

‘People were especially blown away by the talent of the young performers, including the onstage band in the show who played their instruments live on stage with incredible skill and enthusiasm.

‘An unexpected but truly amazing outcome of the show has been hearing that some kids, after watching it, have been inspired to start playing instruments themselves.’

Auditions for the show were held in March, with 151 people auditioning for 59 roles. Rehearsals then lasted for six months prior to the first show on October 19.

Dewey Finn, the main character who was portrayed by Jack Black in the 2003 film, was played by Joey Wylde in the Gaiety show. Joey has been praised for acting as a ‘mentor’ to the primarily young cast during the show’s seven-day run.

The spokesperson added: ‘Joey delivered an absolutely incredible performance as Dewey Finn, embodying the character with unmatched energy, humour, and heart.

‘His natural charisma and rockstar presence brought Dewey to life in a way that captivated the audience from the very first scene, balancing the character’s larger-than-life persona with genuine moments of vulnerability that added depth to the role.

‘His interactions with the young cast members were particularly heart-warming, and just like the character he played, the children clearly adore him both on and off stage.

‘He’s truly been a mentor and role model to them, mirroring Dewey’s journey in the story, and it added an extra layer of authenticity to the show, making it feel like a real-life version of the story unfolding right before our eyes.’

Steve Daykin, musical director at Centre Stage Productions, said: ‘There are so many extremely talented musicians, actors and dancers in the island and we’ve been fortunate in working with many of them over the past few months.

‘We have watched many of the cast grow in confidence as they have negotiated the highs and lows of the rehearsal process and they should feel rightly proud of what they have achieved both as individuals and as a company.’

Details of the next Centre Stage show are yet to be announced, but you can keep updated by following its Facebook page.