Review: Stratford High School's Moana Jr is packed full of catchy songs and talented actors

She'll go far: Indi Single plays titular character Moana, and absolutely shines in the role. Photo / Christian Kundig

The Stratford High School production of Moana Jr opens this week at TET Kings Theatre and is definitely a show worth taking the kids to.

The 60-minute musical adaptation of the 2016 Disney animated film, is the perfect length for younger audiences and features all the beloved songs from the film, including How Far I'll Go, Shiny, and You're Welcome, all of which are given all the energy and tunefulness they deserve thanks to the enthusiastic cast.

The story follows the strong-willed Moana, played by Indi Single, as she sets sail across the Pacific to save her village. Moana and the legendary demigod Māui (Kauby Ngatai-Northcott) embark on a journey of self-discovery as both learn where their true power lies.

Indi and Kauby are well cast in this, and under the thoughtful direction of Heidi Seales, they both shine throughout the show. Indi undoubtedly has a powerful yet melodic voice well suited to big numbers such as How Far I'll Go just as much as the sweeter, more emotional moments such as Where You Are. She may well have landed the titular role on voice alone, but Indi is the whole package when it comes to stage presence. She moves confidently across the stage, and owns her character, using some great facial expressions and body language as she mocks and challenges Māui.

Kauby brings great energy to the stage, giving Māui plenty of the cockiness the role demands, but balancing it nicely with a softer side at times that gave a bit more depth to the character than others have before. Kauby fully comes into his own as the story progresses, and has the audience eating out of his hand at the end, in true demigod style.

Gramma Tala is brought to life by Charlotte Frazier who has fantastic stage presence and produces the best character acting of the show. She is a delight to watch, commanding the stage and showing a maturity in her acting throughout. Her physicality is excellent and balanced, keeping the character nicely in the real and relatable realm rather than allowing it to become a less meaningful caricature.

Elysse Kerr, supported by Neve Payne (left claw) and Libby Kowalewski (right claw) is great fun to watch, and their rendition of Shiny is a highlight, with the song well suited to their voices and performance style. This glittery trio also highlight the skill of the wardrobe team who have created some great costumes for the production.

Jack Linton (Hei Hei) is another actor with great physicality on stage, and he is well cast in this role, even at the risk of stealing scenes a few times with his perfectly timed comedic movements and facials. Jordyn Buckland (Pua) is a confident performer and provides a good foil for Jack.

Ephraim Ingram and Chrissy Manuel-Issacs as Moana's parents each have a maturity on stage that belies their age and it's a shame the script doesn't give them more time in the spotlight as both actors truly shone.

Ciara Staines-Hurley and Rouruina Gerrard play the ancestors, roles that don't just require strong voices but also clear diction and perfect timing, a challenge both actors meet throughout. One of the best moments of the production is early on, as the talented duo set the scene, helped by some great shadow puppet work which is nicely done.

With such a talented main cast, backed by the energetic ensemble of performers singing the catchy tunes of Lin Manuel Miranda, this is a show kids will love, and adults will find more entertaining than they might first expect. It's been a long time since a big production like this has been put on by Stratford High School, but it's to be hoped we won't have to wait so long for the next one, as there is clearly plenty of talent across the school years.

Need to know:
What: Moana Jr The Musical - A Stratford High School Production
Where: TET King's Theatre
When: Wednesday, August 3 - Saturday, August 6. All shows start 7pm. Doors open at 6.30pm.
Tickets: Can be purchased from: the Stratford High School office or the King's Theatre box office.