The Parent Agency – Storyhouse, Chester

Alan Vicary, Natasha Cayabyab, Kazmin Borrer and Max Bispham in The Parent Agency at Storyhouse, Chester

The Parent Agency continues at Storyhouse, Chester until 2 March 2025.

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Barry is fast approaching his 11th birthday, and he’s not convinced that his parents are going to deliver the James Bond themed party that he longs for. They are too hard up to ever afford a half decent present, let alone a party. They’re also boring, always tired and too strict, and to top it all they committed the very worst faux pas by calling him Barry!

The Parent Agency is a new family musical based on David Baddiel’s children’s book of the same name, with book and lyrics by Baddiel himself and music by Dan Gillespie Sells, and it enjoys its world premiere in a production directed by Tim Jackson at Chester’s Storyhouse, who co-produce alongside Scenario Two.

After a particularly frustrating time with his parents and his two annoying sisters, Barry heads off to bed where, in a dreamlike transformation sequence, the walls melt away and he is transported to Youngdon in the United Kid-dom, where he is introduced to The Parent Agency, or TPA.

In this topsy-turvy world, all kids have to choose a set of parents before they turn 11, and with time running out before he’s left parentless Barry is put on a fast-track programme, where he gets one day each to audition four sets of parents.

What could become a ‘careful what you wish for’ scenario actually turns into a delightfully heartwarming story about learning to appreciate what you already have. After spending time with the rich Rader-Wellorffs, the famous Vlassorinas, the energetic Fwahms and the chilled out Cools, Barry comes to see just how much he is attached to his existing parents, and he even finds that he’s pretty protective about his un-cool name too.

There’s a Wizard of Oz style mapping of characters in which Barry’s elderly granddad becomes the head of the TPA, his sisters turn into secretaries and his own parents also appear as all four sets of prospective parents. This places huge demands on the entire cast, all of whom are called upon to play multiple roles, but most of all it is a huge ask for the part of Barry.

Here Baddiel has penned a dream role for a young actor, and throughout the run four performers will rotate in the spotlight, playing a character who is almost never out of view except in a couple of brief costume changes. The four Barrys don’t get off that lightly though, and they also take the part of ‘Boy’, a character who appears for two beautifully wistful vocal numbers.

On press night Max Bispham is a commanding presence as Barry, absolutely owning the stage in every scene. Not only does he have a really strong voice, but he absolutely nails the pin-sharp delivery of the humour. This is very fine acting indeed. The part of Boy is taken here by Louis Wilkins, who brings real emotion to his cautionary songs.

Rebecca McKinnis and Rakesh Boury are extraordinary as all five sets of real and imagined parents, creating very unique personalities and singing styles for each. Meanwhile Natasha Cayabyab and Kazmin Borrer are drily witty as both the sisters Ginny and Kay and the ‘Secretary Entity’, Alan Vicary’s almost silent Grandpa gets a strong voice as head of TPA, and Elliot Broadfoot gives a very funny turn as the butler/henchman Peevish.

Sells’ music is infectiously packed with earworms, having grabbed the attention right at the outset as Barry laments the name he has grown up with. Accompaniment comes from a band which can be seen behind the upturned corner of the sculptured floor at the rear of Jon Bausor’s inventive and colourful set, which very slickly transforms from scene to scene.

Running at two hours plus an interval, The Parent Agency moves at an unstoppable pace and, unlike many a show, that interval comes at exactly the right moment to suspend the action without breaking the flow of energy. While there are occasional ‘wink-wink’ moments of dialogue (“That was a surprise… I thought it was just for weeing!”) the text is really family-friendly, and this genuinely is a show that is fun for all ages.

There’s a great sense of excitement and a lot of laughter amongst the audience, and a real buzz that carries out into the foyer. On press night Baddiel thanked his cast and co-creatives with a heartfelt and entirely justified sense of pride in what they have put together.

The Parent Agency is a triumphant adaptation of a story that feels as though it was made to be a musical, and here’s hoping that it lives on way beyond this premiere run at Storyhouse.

Nigel Smith