★★★

If you believe “drama changes lives”, and find yourself using phrases like “Coffee, coffee, coffee before we teachy, teachy!” or “It’s G time, not free time!”, then The Mr. G Summer Heights High Singalong was made for you.

Almost ten years on from the series premiere of Summer Heights High, this award-winning mockumentary about Australian high school life continues to delight audiences around the world, while creator, comedian Chris Lilley, has become a household name. Not bad for a kid from Turramurra.

Hosted by triple j’s Alex Dyson, this 80-minute show was a non-stop stream of hilarity created for all the Mr. G junkies out there to relive the original series on the big screen, sing along to their favourite songs from Mr. G: The Musical, and simply bask in Lilley’s comedic genius.

Generally home to more conservative productions, the Sydney Opera House’s Drama Theatre was a surprising choice of venue for this loud and thoroughly interactive spectacle, but those who have seen one of Helen ‘Greg’ Gregson’s musicals will know that only the most impressive performance venues would meet his high standards when staging one of his ‘arena spectaculars’.

Although disappointingly neither Mr. G nor Lilley were in attendance on the night, the evening did start with a guest appearance from Celine (Mr. G’s pet pooch and loyal companion) performing a game of ‘hoopies’ with a lucky audience member. Throughout the show, punters dressed as their favourite Summer Heights High characters were called onstage to recite lines and dance along, and the occasional witty banter from Dyson kept things light and fun.

All in all, the Mr. G Singalong was a success, and something tells me we haven’t seen the last of Summer Heights High’s favourite drama teacher. Who knows, we may even see one of Mr. G’s other projects like Tsunamarama – a production based on the events of the 2004 Asian tsunami set to the music of Bananarama – brought to life on the very same stage. It feels good to dream.

The Mr. G Summer Heights High Singalong was reviewed at the Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House on Saturday January 30.

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