Detention

Schoolboy pranks are taken to a whole new level in this slapstick show from Tang Shu-wing's Hong Kong based Theatre Studio. Two naughty boys kept back for detention reluctantly copy out lines from the blackboard before the teacher unwisely leaves them alone and a steady trickle of mayhem begins to erupt.

A battle of the iPods cedes into hammy Michael Jackson impersonations before the boys are joined by a couple of other rogue students, and all focus turns to trying to win the attention of the only girl in the group, Liu Hong Wah – who, in between fending off her suitors, gives us some impressive Chinese opera dancing. The chaos is compounded by teacher Lisa Cheng, a split-personalitied larger-than-life villain who we go on to discover has a hidden wild side. Punkish schoolboy Franky McNugget is a natural comic and draws the biggest laughs, manically serenading Hong Wah before attempting to woo her with a bag of crisps.

The piece is driven by a bright Saturday morning cartoon vibe, and the routines are well choreographed; perhaps a little too well choreographed, for at times it feels as though the cast isn't quite letting go enough. But it is both joyously silly and extremely enjoyable, and will probably make most teachers breathe a sigh of relief they don't have students as wild as these.