Diary of a Wimpy Kid

The angst of surviving middle school was brilliantly brought to life by a large group of Year 9 and 10 students in Diary of a Wimpy Kid – The Musical, a hilarious and heartfelt adaptation of Jeff Kinney’s popular book series.

Director, Ginnie Thorner, says as soon as the creative team discovered the musical version with its "fantastic songs", they knew they had to bring it to the stage.

“I am so proud of our cast, band, and crew. This is a deceptively challenging show for this age group, and many of our cast hadn’t performed before, but they all rose to the task with dedication and spirit, pouring so much energy, humour, and heart into it.”

A special aspect of the show was its positive message about our shared humanity, and what truly matters in life, says Ginnie. Diary of a Wimpy Kid reminds us life is not about being the best or the most popular. It’s about finding your people through connection, kindness, and friendship.”

Ginnie is grateful to the large creative team and backstage helpers who helped bring the show from page to stage, including choreographer, Hana Pearce (OC 2019), costume designer, Sylvia Campbell, hair designer, Mel Howell, and set designer, Rosie Gilmore, who delivered lively choreography, vibrant costumes, and a clever set, which evoked the lead character’s cartoon diary.

“A special mention must go to our very young band of Year 9 students, whose hours of rehearsal and commitment, guided so skilfully by Musical Director, Duncan Ferguson, brought the music to life beautifully,” she says.

Together, the large cast, musicians, and crew, delivered a vibrant, laugh-out-loud show. “We hope audiences left the theatre with a smile on their faces, memories of their own middle school days, and perhaps a renewed appreciation for the friends who stood by them,” says Ginnie.

Stuck in the Middle

Where do I fit in? It’s a question most young people ask themselves at some point during their school years, and young Greg Heffley, the ‘wimpy kid’ at the centre of the story is no exception. Feeling stuck in the middle, Greg is determined not to be at the bottom of the popularity chart with his new middle school classmates, and conjures up several ill-advised schemes to help him on his quest.

With Greg on stage for almost every minute of the almost two-hour show, it was a huge role for Samuel Hu (Year 10) but he was brilliant, whether portraying Greg’s awkwardness, humour, ambition, or regrettable moments. Samuel is an exciting talent, displaying strong singing, dancing, and acting skills while making Greg totally relatable.

Another to shine was Alex Wilson (Year 9) as Greg’s best friend, Rowley, who Greg almost ditched in his bid for popularity. Alex was a delight in the role, perfectly capturing Rowley’s cheerful optimistic personality, even in spite of his friend’s actions. He and Samuel had great chemistry, which was essential given their characters’ friendship anchored the whole story.

There were lots of fun scenes with Greg’s mum played by Angela Yang (Year 10), his dad, played by Frederick Paterson (Year 10), who were both fantastic, with Boh Harris (Year 10) hilarious as Greg’s older head-banging brother, Roderick, and Aaron Yu (Year 8) perfectly capturing the mannerisms of a three-year-old as he played Greg’s little brother.

Among the others to make an impact were Charlotte Currie (Year 9) who was strong as Greg’s all-singing, all-dancing classroom nemesis Pattie; Alexander Riley (Year 9) who got many laughs for his excellent portrayal of Greg’s weird, awkward neighbour, Fregley; and the ‘Hooligans’ Mila Furniss (Year 9) and Hancheng (Harrison) Tang (Year 10), who were genuinely menacing as they tried to make Greg’s life a misery.

Several other students did well in minor speaking roles, and the large ensemble performed with high energy, enthusiasm, and great comic timing.

The songs were fun, with standouts being The Middle Of It All, which described the place in the popularity ladder Greg didn’t want to be, The Cheese Touch, Joshie Says, with a performance by Jesse Clifford (Year 9) which would fit into any boy band, and All the Mum Bucks.

In the end, the power of friendship won the day, when Greg realised having Rowley in his life was far more important than going up the popularity ranks.

The hilarious show moved at a rollicking pace, with the students’ wonderful performances successfully bringing the humour and themes from Jeff Kinney’s beloved books to the stage.