Zanna Don’t is the latest in-house Musical Theatre production at Birmingham’s Old Joint Stock Theatre. Based on a 2003 musical by Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris, the show is bright and hopeful, with catchy tunes and a very talented company. It’s the perfect escape for anyone sick of the wintery real world, with a heartfelt story to tell. 

The play is set in one of those preppy American high schools that’s both familiar and completely alien to a UK audience, with popular kids and outcasts, high octane sports and teenage love stories. However, in the world of Heartsville High, everything is a bit different. Chess is the popular sport, and football (American) causes bemused glances. Everyone waits with baited breath to hear about the school’s latest Drama project. Oh yes - and everyone is gay.

In the midst of this is Zanna - the local magical match-maker. With the assistance of a magic wand and a Disney-style songbird, Zanna seeks out anyone with extra love to give, and makes sure they’re in the right place at the right time to meet the same-sex-someone of their dreams.

The show is tightly produced, with direction from Scott Le Crass, with a whole company of triple-threat performers. In the venue’s intimate theatre space, it’s a treat to see high-caliber performances in close proximity - it’s a theatrical experience like no other. The set is simple but very effective, and everyone is dressed in baby-pink and white, to match the lovesick temperaments of the characters. 

Zanna is kitted out in a gorgeous, preppy, bright pink outfit, from hair clips to knee-high boots, and played by Jack Gittins, who has a natural presence on stage, and moves beautifully, combined with a great vocal performance.

The rest of the company consists of chess-playing heartthrob Mike (Adam Makepeace), who Zanna pairs with outcast footballer Steve (Oliver White). There’s also overachiever Kate (Sam Brasenell) and tempestuous Roberta played by Lou Destanque, who offers some seriously impressive vocal moments. Doo-gooder Candi (Caprice Lane) is always accompanied by bumbling Arvin (Marcus Collick), and the school radio station is run by the irrepressible Tank, played by Josephina Ortiz Lewis, who also provides one of the show’s funniest moments, playing an elderly deep-south American on a tirade against heterosexuality.

The whole cast are brilliant, and completely invested in telling the story, and David Winters' choreography is the icing on the cake. It’s one of the strengths of The Old Joint Stock’s programme - bringing together a strong company into the unique venue, to perform less well-known but high quality theatre.

The script is wry, witty and very self-aware, inviting the audience on a magical journey into the topsy-turvy world of Heartsville High. You might well feel bittersweet, when it comes time to return to reality. If so, to paraphrase Zanna - you can’t change people, but you can change the world.

Reviewed by Jessica Clixby