The Old Joint Stock Theatre has carved out a niche for producing Birmingham premieres of some exciting new musicals which have yet to massively jump above the parapet. And this production of Be More Chill is arguably their most ambitious yet.

First staged in New Jersey ten years ago, the musical has experienced both Broadway and West End runs but has yet to tour the UK so full marks to the team at OJS for getting in there first.

Based on the novel by Ned Vizzini and with music and lyrics by Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz, Be More Chill is firmly in a familiar trope - nerdy teenager can’t get the girl he adores so finds an underhand way of becoming popular, ditching his loyal but equally nerdy best friend along the way and finally discovering that being true to yourself is the real answer.

But what gives Be More Chill its edge is the themes of technology and artificial intelligence. When lead character Jeremy discovers The Squip, a supercomputer which works within his own brain, he believes he has found the magic answer. But how much can he control The Squip and how much is it controlling him?

The show has a cast of ten and across the board they give wonderful performances full of energy and veracity while bringing bucketloads of dry humour to their roles.

Tom Dickerson gives us a likeable but hugely flawed Jeremy. Here is a boy who isn’t asking for the world, he just wants to get on with others, particularly his love interest Christine. Dickerson, who was recently seen in Birmingham as the geeky friend Jared in Dear Evan Hansen, gives every ounce of character to Jeremy so that we empathise with him, want him to do well and are secretly urging him not to do the wrong thing.

Jack Carr’s portrayal of best friend Michael is delightful - he looks so lost when Jeremy ditches him that you want to take him home and give him lots of love. Carr is also fortunate to have the best song in the show, Michael in the Bathroom, in which he depicts the loneliness felt by anyone who has ever been an outsider in a crowd, and he sings his heart out for it.

Shannon Bourne is Christine, the object of Jeremy’s affection. Bourne ensures we see the fragility behind the smile, here is a girl who wants to be true to herself but is constantly facing peer pressure to be something else.

Tommy Fouweather as a Matrix-inspired Squip is the controlling force who is carefully constructing his battle but his own lack of humanity means he cannot see that this is his greatest risk.

The show features some punchy songs given plenty of gusto by musical director Callum Thompson and his team of live musicians. William Spencer’s choreography keeps the cast on their toes while fitting into an incredibly tight space. Directed by OJS theatre manager James Edge, the show is constantly pushing forwards, looking fabulous with lots of imaginative touches.

Liam Alexandru’s video design brings a great deal to the show, helping narrate the action, constantly reminding us of the power of technology and flashing images at us from Elizabeth I to the notorious Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeting.

The show is a canny choice for OJS as it meets their audience head-on. It’s young and current, with themes which give us plenty to think about while still keeping a traditional story at its core. The production works brilliantly in the small and personal space of the OJS as it allows cast members to speak directly to the audience and for us all to be part of the story.

It is though almost too big for its space and it will be interesting to see what plans the OJS team have for the show going forwards as they could easily tour it to larger venues.

Five stars.

Reviewed by Diane Parkes at Birmingham's Old Joint Stock Theatre on Thursday 7 August. Be More Chill continues to show at the venue until Sunday 31 August.