Nerds!

Nerds is a show with big ideas, clever staging, and some strong performances… but like an overloaded hard drive, it sometimes struggles to keep everything running smoothly.

The direction and choreography (Nick Winston) were solid—mostly sharp, occasionally a little odd, but always energetic. The choreography especially stood out, giving the piece some real flair.

Design-wise, the production was genuinely impressive. Sophie Pardon’s costumes struck a great balance: unified enough to feel cohesive, but distinct enough to give each character personality. And the set? A real highlight. The computer-inspired backdrop looked slick, but the genius touch was the trio of versatile racks, flipped and spun into endless locations. Even the backs were designed beautifully.

Lighting (Matt Hockley) was another standout. From flashy bursts to calm washes, the use of colour tied everything together and elevated the visual world. A real triumph.

Sound, however, was less consistent. Some mic issues crept in (that’s live theatre for you), but the real problem was the balance. The band, under Christopher Duffy, sounded great—but sometimes drowned out the actors. In a sung-through show, if the audience can’t hear the words, the story risks short-circuiting.

The book and lyrics (Jordan Allen-Dutton & Erik Weiner) showed real potential. The pacing, though, was all over the place: it began steadily, slowed to a crawl, then suddenly shot into double-speed—as if the show suddenly realised it had a train to catch. The lyrics were often witty and clever, though a few fell flat or contradicted themselves. The bones of something brilliant are here, but it felt undercooked.

Hal Goldberg’s score leaned into pop territory—catchy enough in the moment, but not especially memorable. Songs flowed into one another pleasantly, but without standout numbers, it all blended together. Even the pre-show music felt oddly overbearing, with a bass level that rattled the seats.

Performances were strong across the board. Kane Oliver Parry (Steve Jobs) and Dan Buckley (Bill Gates) both gave charismatic turns, but the real standout was Teleri Hughes (Myrtle), who delivered a captivating and moving performance. Sadly, Myrtle’s stage time was limited—her character felt underwritten, used more to drive the plot than as someone to invest in. In fact, most characters leaned towards two-dimensional, which made it harder to fully connect.

In summary: Nerds is an ambitious show with flashes of brilliance in its design, choreography, and performances. But uneven pacing, muddy sound, and a generic score kept it from reaching its full potential. There’s definitely magic in the machine—just a few bugs still need patching.