Smike was written in 1973 by two young KGS teachers: Simon May and Clive Barnett, along with songwriter Roger Holman. Adapted from Charles Dickens’ 1839 novel Nicholas Nickleby, the pop musical is set in the 20th century and features flashbacks and comparisons between a classroom scene in both the Victorian times and the 1970s. The production took place in Simon May’s final year teaching at KGS before he left to pursue a further career in music, going on to write the notable theme tunes for EastEnders and Howards’ Way. 

Simon May taught at the school between 1966-1974 and Clive Barnett from 1971-1979.

The show was then picked up by the BBC in 1974 and televised. It was then re-imagined in 2005 for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to KGS to open the Michael Frayn Theatre.

On the 5th July 2023, the cast and crew from the original performance came together again to watch our First Year students perform an excerpt of songs from the 1973 production. Alumni were then invited for a reception following the show and old friends recollected over wonderful memories of rehearsing and performing Smike, and we were also joined by former staff who remember the original and revival performances at KGS. First Year students spent their evening talking to the alumni about their time at KGS, and even asking lots of them to sign their programmes!

It was a wonderful and very special evening filled with laughter and song, and we hope that it will not be another fifty years before we welcome back the original cast and crew once again.