We found the musical to be brilliant! Its suitability to a school was perfect. Great music, heaps of roles, a lively script and classic references to the 80's era. The students are still bouncing off the walls a week after the performance. With record crowds the anticipation was fulfilled to the max...The show flows well scene to scene and the audience are never left flat. Hit song after hit song, sung by "realistic" characters allows for top quality entertainment. The variety of the scenes and songs are also part of this show's magic. Neil Gooding has designed a winner here folks...
Andrew Higgins, Producer, Kirwan High School. Townsville, QLD, Australia
May 2002

I was in the World Premiere of Back To The ‘80s at Kirwan High School and I would just like to say that it was the time of my life. It was sooo much fun! Thanks for a fantastic play!
Shannon Becker, Cast Member, Kirwan High School, Townsville, QLD, Australia
May 2002

Your musical was such a success, people are still even now obsessively talking about it. It was purely brilliant and I enjoyed every second of it.
Corinna Saddler, Cast (Miss Brannigan), Kirwan High School, Townsville, QLD, Australia May 2002

We had a great season, the local people loved the show. It is a great show for schools, one of the best we've done and I am happy to recommend it to any school.
Norm McLean, Director, Dimboola Memorial Secondary College, VIC, Australia
August 2002

Just like to say the play went off in Dimboola over the weekend. All three shows were sold out, and for Saturday's show we had to put extra seats out. I think everybody related to it as the 80's can be cherished by those in their forties now as well as the young ones. Thanks again for the show, truly awesome script.
Matt Yau, English Techer, Dimboola Memorial Secondary School, VIC, Australia August 2002

"Back to the 80's" was a smash hit here in Alexandra – the cast had a ball and the audiences have been effusive in their praises… These were characters they could really breathe some life into, and it was great to have such an even spread of roles for them rather than just a couple of main stars.

I keep getting fantastic comments about the show..."the best one yet!"
Keith Fletcher, Producer/Director, Alexandra Secondary College, VIC, Australia
August 2002

The Cast involved in the Musical had a wonderful time. We have heaps of students saying that they want to be involved in Musicals in the next few years. From a teacher's perspective the real achievement is not just seeing the talented students perform, but after four months work seeing the unco-ordinated, shy, self-conscious kids have a good go at it.
Maria Heenan, Producer, St. Edmunds College, QLD, Australia July 2002

The show was fantastic, and all involved had an absolute ball. The reaction from the audience was tremendous with many claiming it was the best musical that the school has put on.
Kevin Murphy, Producer, Kooweerup Secondary College, Melbourne, VIC, Australia September 2002

Back To The 80's was such a great show! Not only did the students have an excellent time, but so did the all the teachers and audience members. It's amazing how little the students knew about such an awesome era. This show educated them at the same time as giving them "the time of their lives".
Katrina Mann, Choreographer, Gilroy College, Sydney, NSW, Australia
May 2002

The final night was fantastic!! The kids came off stage screaming with excitement and so did I in the wings. The energy on stage was electrifying and the responses from parents, governors of the school and local councilors was fabulous. Myself and the Music Department have had a ball! The response to your show has been by far the most positive we have had. We have already filled our two extra performances. It was a ticket frenzy when the tickets went on sale.
Lesley Jones, Producer/Director, The Alun School, Mold, Wales
July 2003

The cast, nearly fifty of them, ranging from 11-14 worked incredibly hard on the show and got a real sense of achievement. The response has been, without exception, positive and for the last few days it has been impossible to move in the school without someone humming or singing one of those damn tunes. They did, of course, have the time of their lives.
Ian Fairbrass, Head Of Drama, St Richard's Catholic College, East Sussex, England
July 2003

Everyone has been raving about it! We sold out for three weeks every night, so that can't be a bad thing. So thank you for writing such a great piece, it was fun and certainly took me back to the 80's.
Kate Ghent, Director, Porirua Little Theatre, New Zealand (NZ Amateur Premiere)
September 2003

Great success!! Standing ovations. Thanks for your help!
Lynette Bromage, Head Of Music, Hastingsbury Upper School, Bedford, England
October 2003

The show was a huge success. Our pupils loved the script & the music and have gained a great deal from the whole experience. Thanks for giving us a superb script and fantastic music to work with! Any more shows in the pipeline?
Heather Scott, Director, Lossiemouth High School, Moray, Scotland
November 2003

It has been a tremendous success- with everyone praising the show. Can I congratulate you once again on the wonderful and effective script and the way you managed to weave the storyline around the popular songs of the 80s The show is so colourful- the storyline so credible- the songs so unforgettable- the kids really enjoyed every minute. The comments we had were- "The best yet". Once again thank you- your show was a "find"
Garry Nicholas, Producer & Director, Ysgol Gyfun Y Strade, Wales, (Strand Theatre, West End)
Feb / July 2004

Many thanks for providing us with a fantastic show. The kids and audience thoroughly enjoyed it, and we now have the extremely difficult task of trying to find something to follow it up with next year!
Simon Adams, Director, Higham Lane Business College, Nuneaton, England
July 2004

The show was a roaring success, everyone loved it…most of all the kids! You've made our school musical cool.
Erica Howard, Director, St Clement Danes School, Herts, England
July 2004

The production was a resounding success – the kids loved the script and the music. Everyone agreed that it was the best we've ever done – the most challenging for such a young cast, but the most exciting and the most rewarding.
Lynwen Payne, Director, Argoed High School, Mold, Wales
May 2004

I wanted to let you know that everyone I know who saw your show thought it was absolutely fantastic. I have never enjoyed a show as much as I did 'Back to the 80's'.
Leah Thomas, Cast Member, Neil Gooding Productions, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Sept / Oct 2004

The show was a big hit here at York Mills. We enjoyed putting it on and the students had a great time with it.
Robert Culham, Producer, York Mills C.I., Toronto, Canada
December 2004

I have been at Seven Kings for 25 years so the parents of the cast were our pupils of the 1980's. It has been a tremendous success, and we sold out every night.
Tony Lord, Director, Seven Kings High School, Essex, England
December 2004

We celebrated with Back to the Eighties last weekend and it was the best performance we have done in my eighteen years of directing musicals at Nanango State High School. The audiences loved it and got dressed up for the occasion, and then joined in with some of the songs…the whole thing rocked from Wake Me Up Before You Go-go to the finale. They all had a ball! Thanks for all the fun.
Ian Fraser, Director, Nanango State High School, Qld, Australia
May 2005

Thanks again for the opportunity to perform Neil Gooding's "Back to the 80's" for our school Musical . The students loved it and we received rave reviews from our audiences. Thanks again, this was definitely the best Musical we have performed in many years.
Amelia Fletcher, Producer, Coorparoo Secondary College, Qld, Australia
May 2006

Just had to drop you a quick message. Had our final night of 'Back to the 80's' last night. What an awesome show. The kids absolutely loved it and had so much fun performing it. The whole community is abuzz about it. A number of people have contacted the school to say it is the best show they have ever seen.
Dave Ellena, Director, Opihi College, New Zealand
July 2006