Jam packed full of talent from the opening bars to the final bows, LEAF Studio School have proven year after year that their talented students can put on an unforgettable show. 2026 is no different, and the pleasure was entirely ours to see what they had on offer in their 2026 show, Roaring On. 

Opening the show is our fantastic title section, Roaring On. Sixth Form students take to the stage in a whirlwind of sequins and beads for a truly Gatsby inspired opener that captivated the audience and left us ready for what else was to come. 

Sections throughout the show allow students from all years in the school (Y9-13) to showcase their skills and talents they have nurtured and developed throughout the year. Coming together collaboratively or standing strong as a year team, it's incredible to see how much hard work and determination these young people have by fitting all this training amongst their academic studies. This collaboration was shown in what is always one of my favourite sections, the boys number. This year they gave us a heart wrenching and inspiring version of Corner Of The Sky from Pippin. Each boy involved in the song came together with a fantastic blend of harmonies to showcase their talents in a truly touching number. 

Sixth Form and Y11 came together for brilliant rendition of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious with Lilia Catford as the eloquent Mary and Nathan Brennan as the loveable rogue Bert. The energy on this stage was buzzing as they performed the intricate choreography we all know and love. Bonnie and Clyde were brought back to life by Sixth Formers Sam Duddington and Summer Woodifield and they truly embodied the characters they played with soaring vocals and tight harmonies. 

Dance plays a huge part in LEAF's curriculum and their Legends sections allowed the school to pay homage to three artists within this section. Sixth Form stormed the stage with a fantastic Michael Jackson tribute whilst the lower school gave a nod to Whitney Houston before allowing Sixth Form to come back to the stage to pay tribute to the legendary Queen. Each section was packed with energy and I couldn't keep my eyes off the stage, wishing I could take in every part and truly relive it over again. 

The first act drew to a close with a retelling of Shrek the musical. Alfie Fitzpatrick took to the lead role with ease, giving us West End ready vocals with Big Bright Beautiful World. Hermione Bowman played a fantastic Fiona with a truly animated rendition of Morning Person that was full of life and animation. Tom Carr played Pinocchio and led the gang of fairy tale creatures through a brilliant rendition of Story Of My Life. Nathan Brennan's performance as Donkey showed us that comedic performances in shows can truly tie them together whilst Lola Cadby's vocals soared throughout the theatre in her performance as the Dragon. Each performer within this section showed that hard work truly pays off to give us a fantastic end to act 1. 

No sooner had we settled into our seats for act 2, the iconic pop songs from &Juliet the music rang through the theatre ready for Year 10 to give a performance that brought the house down. Powering through songs including Larger Than Life, Domino, and It's My Life, Y10 students showcased not only solo talents (Josiah Bridle, Victoria Love, Mia Koumbas, Max Castle, Dylan Carver, Charlie-Rae Owens, Sophia McNally, and Paige Anderson), but also the cohesiveness of working together as a year group. 

From pop hits to glitz and glam. The next section of act 2 sent us on a journey through the world of sharp and stylistic dance moves with incredible vocals from Lilly-Mae Legg woven throughout. Bridgerton was a truly unexpected moment with a regal moment mixed with something all too different that left the audience whooping and cheering. Glam allowed the lower school to shine with their dance skills whilst Sixth Form dived right into one of my favourite dances of the night, Spiderman. Finishing up with Lilly-Mae's incredible vocals atop of the dancing of her fellow Sixth Formers in Where I Wanna Be, it showed us that there is truly no end to the talent that this school nurtures. 

The creative team within this show impress me year on year with allowing us audience members to see a wealth of variety from their talented students. Whether it's a perfectly harmonised group, to an intricate dance number, this bunch of creatives not only teach these students but nurture their talents to prepare them for what's to come wherever their next step may be. With Y13 receiving over 100 offers for next steps, it's a testament to not only the work the students have put in, but also the skills they have been taught along the way. 

Closing the show was one of the most loved musicals on the planet, Wicked. Taking us on a whirlwind adventure, Sixth Form gave us performances of numbers that included One Short Day, Dancing Through Life, and Defying Gravity. Stepping into the role of Glinda was Amy Williamson and her poise and perfection was right on point to give her that Glinda charm. Tom Sutton paid homage to The Wizard and gave us a fun performance of Wonderful with Williamson. Alfie Fitzpatrick showed us that no role is too difficult for him as he jumped into the role of Fiyero allowing the whole of Sixth Form to dance through life whilst Lilly-Mae Legg stunned audiences with her role as Elphaba. A difficult role to begin with, but she did it with ease and the audience were left in awe of her rendition of Defying Gravity as the audience gave her a truly deserving standing ovation. 

Each student on the stage embodied the schools mantra - Perform To Your Potential, showing that hard work truly does pay off. These young people may only be at the start of their professional journeys, but with such talent seen on stage, it's not hard to picture so many of them on a professional West End stage in the near future. It's clear to see that every single student loved every moment of performing this show and as audience members you could hear the cast celebrating before the curtain even came down. LEAF, you have truly outdone yourself this year, a huge well done.

 Photos by Deborah Hurst Photography