John Selby stars as his undead namesake Jonny “No-H” Warner, initially generating small waves at school due to his name’s unusual spelling, later radiating huge waves when he returns from the dead following his amusingly staged trip into a nuclear reactor. He wants to finish his senior year at high school – including going to the prom with his widowed girlfriend. This doesn’t go over at all well with the aptly named Principal Strict who doesn’t want to set a bad example by allowing dead people into the school, despite the fact that this dead person is clearly still kicking (and even doing unassisted backward flips!).

But her reluctance is not shared by the students who, after their initial surprise, quickly embrace zombie Jonny with newfound popularity. Especially Toffee (Jackee Bianchi) who is stunned and then intrigued to see her Blast from the Past after grieving for him a few scenes earlier as a Teenager in Mourning. Jackee is sensational throughout, whether belting out her big numbers or leading the show’s humor with her perfect feel for the cheesy melodrama. She and John make for a terrific team – especially in their duet The Voice in the Ocean replete with almost kisses, sung over a drainpipe filled with romantically glowing waste (one of the great set pieces by Junior Theatre alum Gordon McLachlan).

Performs through November 6, 2005.

Rob Hopper
National Youth Theatre