Highs and sighs of life in new school musical

Crush is described as a coming-of-age romp

The new musical, entitled Crush, is being performed at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry.

The stage show is set in 1963 at Dame Dorothea Dosserdale School for Girls. It has a proud tradition of fostering free spirits from all walks of life, so it’s a crushing blow when the new headmistress turns out to be a tyrant with strict Victorian values.

A spokesman for the theatre said: “With lashings of charm and toe-tapping tunes, Crush is a coming-of-age romp that celebrates schoolgirl friendships and fighting for what you believe in.”

Prepare for riotous routines and hockey sticks to the fore as the girls battle to save their school - and find true love.

The production is created by the people behind hit stage and screen work, including Waterloo Road, Footballers’ Wives, Bad Girls: The Musical, The Sound of Music and La Cage Aux Folles.

Co-creator Kath Gotts said: “We were inspired by the girls’ stories that we enjoyed in our youth, and St Trinian’s films and the whole genre and we were looking for a romantic musical source material and it seemed like a perfect idea for a musical.”

Writing partner Maureen Chadwick added: “As far as we know it hasn’t properly been done before. People know about Daisy Pulls It Off – lots of people think it was a musical but it was actually a stage play and it’s just a perfect setting for a musical comedy.

Crush will be performed at the theatre in Coventry from Friday, September 4, to Saturday, September 19.

It starts Rosemary Ashe who has appeared in The Phantom of the Opera and Sara Crowe who appeared in the comedy hit Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Tickets cost from £18.50 to £30.75, with concessions costing £13.50 to £28.75.

Visit www.belgrade.co.uk/event/crush.