A winning take on schoolgirl passions

Crush Belgrade Theatre, Coventry Crush has a feisty, punchy book by Maureen Chadwick who, with composer/ lyricist Kath Gotts, delivered Bad Girls – the Musical. Their latest production looks like a classic touring show, with its topical themes (it’s set in Profumo-era 1963) of sneering, cold-shouldering and ardent schoolgirl infatuations resisting a new “fascist” regime.

The music is a medley of borrowed styles and the narrative verges on expressionist. A sharp band, directed by Helen Ireland, zips along, nursing a young, vocal team who are dead ringers for fifth-form belles.

Rosemary Ashe shines as the appalling “clean up” head. The support cast effortlessly match the leads, of whom Georgia Oldman (sneaky Brenda), Brianna Ogunbawo (lovesick Daimler), plus runaway teenage bleeding hearts Camilla (Charlotte MirandaSmith) and Susan (Stephanie Clift) excel.

Johanna Town lights with a fine instinct and Richard Roe choreographs with inspired, spot-on precision. To 19 September; then Theatre Royal, Brighton, 22-26 September; Richmond Theatre, 29 Sept-3 Oct (www.bigbroad.co.uk)