Chichester students take The SpongeBob Musical to Worthing

The show was first performed on Broadway in 2016, following the success of the television series created by Stephen Hillenburg. Now it comes to Worthing on Thursday, April 3 at 7.30pm; Friday, April 4 at 7.30pm; and Saturday, April 5 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm – an all-singing, all-dancing production transporting you to the underwater world of Bikini Bottom, inhabited by the happy go lucky, ever positive SpongeBob SquarePants. Tickets from Worthing Theatres.

When it is discovered that Mount Humongous, a nearby volcano, is set to erupt and destroy Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob sets out to prove to his friends that he is more than just a Simple Sponge and that he is capable of saving the homes they love so dearly.

Flo Pilling, who plays Patrick in the show, said: “It’s based on the SpongeBob characters but tells a different story, and I think it's going to be great for all ages. It is geared towards our age and a bit older. It was the cartoon of our childhood and for generations a little bit older than us, but little children are going to love it as well, the colours and the vibrancy and the choreography which is all very physical.”

Cole Sheehan will be our SpongeBob: “He's a great character to play. He is always looking on the bright side. He is very optimistic. He sees the positivity in everyone and even if they don't reciprocate he is determined bring out the best in them. He's just like a ray of sunshine set within this story of the dark times they are going through.

“We are all third-years and I've absolutely loved my three years here. It has been a lovely experience. It's the training that we've had and it's the fact that it's Monday to Friday mostly 8am to 8pm. We've crammed in so much and the training has been so intense and now being in our third year I just appreciate so much what we've learned and I am so thankful to the tutors. Nostalgia-wise I don't think I'm ready to leave but I think it's really exciting to be going out and making a start on our careers soon.”

Flo has also loved her time at the university of Chichester: “I have really, really enjoyed it. I looked all over the UK at courses, but my uncle works here as one of the lecturers and he was talking to me about the courses. And it was just so appealing to me. The three years have been so enjoyable and the lectures have been great. They deserve so much credit for everything that they have done for us.”