There are many reasons for adults to hate the High School Musical franchise (most of these reasons flower like a particularly spiky cactus in the first five minutes of this stage version of the second film). However, if your stomach is strong then the kids will probably love you for taking them.

The action is set during the school holidays. Troy (Liam Doyle) needs to find a summer job, in order to help fund his university education, which is just over a year from beginning. When enquiring at a local country club run by a morose, ageing cynic (Les Dennis), he also manages to recruit some school friends for employment there too.

But it’s a place that is owned by the father of the high school she-devil Sharpay (Lauren Hall). Being there all summer, she sets her sights on Troy. She didn’t think her love rival Gabriella (Nikki Mae) would be there, however.

It’s a fairly benign struggle between good and (a fairly safe) evil, in which there is barely a mention of acne, let alone premarital sexual relations. The musical exists in a world where the only worry is teenage insecurity; the thought of apportioning blame in ‘tween’ America being too strong a notion. It’s not exactly Grange Hill. The main cause of tension, a love triangle, also quickly resolves itself.

The primary draws here are the songs and the optimism. Everything is slick, sharp and colourful. The songs are catchy, if instantly forgettable. The show’s pace rarely lags, despite several ballads. And the staging is fun, even if Jeff Calhoun’s direction occasionally means the (very good) actors stand around stiffly. The sets also look a little worn and grubby. However, its upbeat, unpretentious nature is perfect for kids.

It takes a bitter parent not to be won over by elements of High School Musical 2. But it also takes a naive heart to see the show as an entirely positive experience. It does feel a little slapdash in parts, and giving children such a sugar-coated view of adolescence is a troubling decision. However, it’s as wholesome a two hours as you could wish to get.

Until Saturday. Box office tel: 0844 847 1585 and 1588.