Critics have given generally positive reviews to the London revival of the 2012 musical Bring It On, based on the 2000 film, which runs at Southbank Centre through January 22, before embarking on a UK tour. The creative team includes Jeff Whitty (book), Lin-Manuel Miranda (music, lyrics), Tom Kitt (music), Amanda Green (lyrics), Guy Unsworth (direction), Fabian Aloise (choreography), Libby Watson (sets), Susan Kulkarni (costumes), Matt Daw (lights), Ross Portway (sound), Mark Crossland (music supervision), Sarah Burrell (music direction), and Danny MacDonald (acrobatic direction).
The cast includes Amber Davies (Campbell), Louis Smith (Cameron), Vanessa Fisher (Danielle), Alicia Belgarde (Eva), Georgia Bradshaw (Nautica), Connor Carson (Randall), Marvyn Charles (Twig), Chelsea Hall (Bridget), Jal Joshua (La Cienega), Chloe Pole (Skylar), Biancha Szynal (Kylar), and Samuel Wilson-Freeman (Steven), with ensemble members Oliver Adam-Reynolds, Paris Green, Sergi Ibanez, Jordan Isaac, Bethany Kate, Gareth Moran, Ayden Morgan, Kenedy Small, and Zinzile Tshuma.
Evening Standard (Alice Saville): Spilling across the stage in an immaculately choreographed tumble of lithe limbs, blinding lights and bewildering plot twists, Bring It On is a wonder to behold. If musical theatre performers are normally triple threats, its cast are quadruple threats, capable of basket tosses and backflips alongside singing, dancing and acting. … Guy Unsworth excels at creating a pacy production that’s slick as a cheerleader’s ponytail, aided by Fabian Aloise’s brilliant choreography. … However hollow its story might feel, it’s hard to beat this musical for puppyish energy and teenage (high) kicks. 3 out of 5 stars.
Guardian (Chris Wiegand): The casting of Olympian Louis Smith in a supporting role highlights its particular combination of gymnastics, choreography and cheer-ography. … 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. … Making her professional debut, Hall has charisma to spare in a performance that really does makes you cheer. 3 out of 5 stars.
London Theatre (Sophie Thomas): When the whole cast is dancing in unison, there’s a palpable electricity around the auditorium. The Bring It On cast have drilled their routines within an inch of their life. … Having played the role during her professional training, Davies plays Campbell like seeing a homecoming queen return to her rightful position. There’s also an appearance from Olympian and Strictly winner Louis Smith, who delivers a solid musical theatre debut. … Forget festive cheer this winter, Bring It On puts cheer sport firmly on London’s map, and I defy anyone to leave Bring It On without a big smile. 5 out of 5 stars.
Telegraph (Clare Allfree): The original film, in which an all-white high school team nicks an all black squad’s hip-hop moves, wrapped a disarmingly breezy plot around an early if superficial look at cultural appropriation. … Yet the point of this musical is not the politics, but the routines … with Olympic gymnast turned performer Louis Smith adding some additional silver medal athleticism to the Jackson squad. It’s technically brilliant and effortlessly cool. And if the characters are largely two dimensional, the cast radiate plenty of compensating charisma. … There are better YA shows out there right now, but none provide such easy cheesy fun as this. 3 out of 5 stars.
WhatsOnStage (Alex Wood): For the most part, it’s bland, beat-for-beat high school musical fare, a more physical, less edgy Heathers with some fun one-liners and catchy tunes. … The production has a few tricks up its sleeve — namely choreographer Fabian Aloise. … [Davies] is a note-perfect Campbell (there’s even a fun Love Island gag there for the fans). Vanessa Fisher … provides drive and sits squarely at the emotional heart of the conflict. … There are enough high-octane experiences to keep the whole thing buzzing along with respectable pace. … If you let yourself go with the flow and hop onto the bandwagon, there’s definitely some festive cheer to be had. 3 out of 5 stars.