Review: The Parent Agency, Storyhouse

Words: Paul Crofts

It’s not every night you get invited to the gala night for the world premiere of a brand new musical right on your doorstep! We Are Chester’s Paul Crofts was privileged to attend a star-studded press night at Storyhouse to celebrate the launch of David Baddiel’s new family themed musical The Parent Agency.

I always get a touch of imposter syndrome when attending press nights but, yet, here I was mixing with Chester’s great and good, bloggers, local and national press, hardened theatre critics, agents and a smattering of celebs for something which is such a big deal for our small but perfectly-formed city and one of the jewels in its crown – Storyhouse. 

Based on David Baddiel’s 2014 children’s novel of the same name, The Parent Agency has been adapted into a colourful, fast paced and fun-filled musical romp aimed at kids of all ages with plenty of humour to keep adults entertained too. 

The show is directed by Tim Jackson with choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, costume design by Sarah Mercadé and set design by Jon Bausor. 

With music and additional lyrics by Dan Gillespie Sells of The Feeling and Everyone’s Talking about Jamie fame, the opening number Barry sets the tone with the hero of the story, 10-year-old Barry Bennett who is soon to be 11.

Barry bemoans his given name and how boring, poor and useless his parents are. At this performance, Barry was played faultlessly by Max Bispham, who commanded the stage from the outset with the kind of energetic and polished performance many a seasoned West End star could only dream of giving. Bravo Max!

Barry lives with his parents, Geoff (Rakesh Boury) and Susan (Rebecca McKinnis), two sisters, Ginny and Kay (Natasha Cayabyab and Kazmin Borrer) who he refuses to acknowledge, and his grandpa Barry (Alan Vicary) who he is named after.

After a row with his parents about his upcoming birthday, Barry takes off to this bedroom. When posters of his heroes magically come to life, he is whisked away to Youngdon in the United Kid-dom, a parallel universe where he arrives at The Parent Agency.

There he is met by its suited and booted CEO (who looks suspiciously like his beloved Grandpa) and two hoverboard riding assistants who just happen to look like his sisters. 

Barry is given his wish to be able to choose his own parents with four sets of suitable candidates (played with effortless versatility by Mckinnis and Boury).

Barry gets to select the type of parents he’d like to meet – rich, fit and so on – starting with the Rader-Wellorffs, a pair of filthy-rich multi-coloured tweed clad toffs with kids to match who love all things bloodsports.

Three other sets of parents follow – the energetic, fitness-obsessed Fwahms, the laid back, virtually horizontal, “no rules” Elliot and Mama Cool. complete with a wonderfully hippy vibe and psychedelic costumes to match, and the social media-obsessed influencer couple Vlad and Morrissina Vlassorina.

I have to say that of all the routines in the show, this one was my favourite, ticking more power-ballad clichés than even Westlife could ever dream of and reminding us all of the rising cult of influencers in everyday life. Just which set of parents would Barry choose?

The show makes full use of its imaginative sets and staging, colourful costumes and energetic choreography with the main characters more than ably supported by a fantastic supporting cast.

Hats off to the entire cast and crew for creating such a superb production which I’m sure will be a hit, if and when it takes its rightful place in the West End. 

It was superb to see David Baddiel and the show’s composer Dan Gillespie Sells and director Tim Jackson join the cast on stage at the end of the performance and to hear Baddiel’s fulsome praise of Storyhouse.

Congratulations to everyone at Storyhouse on achieving quite a coup and bringing the premiere of this vibrant, colourful show to the stage in Chester. A worldwide premiere in little old Chester and not for the first time either. Bravo Storyhouse!

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

The Parent Agency runs at Storyhouse until 2 March.