GROSSBUSTERS: The Monster Musical

Prologue

The show opens with a comic-spooky parody of bedtime fears in two worlds at once. A Normal Child is warned about terrifying monsters under the bed, while a Monster Child is frightened by tales of horrifyingly normal humans. As both scenes build towards a scream, the action is suddenly interrupted when the real stars of the show burst in - the Grossbusters. They introduce themselves to the audience, shatter the spooky atmosphere, and then launch into their high-energy, eighties-style, synth-fuelled opening number, 'Grossbusters', proudly presenting themselves as the city's monster-catching team.

Scene One

In Normsville, everything is neat, tidy and exactly as it should be. Through a series of comic vignettes, the Normaltons proudly parade their predictably perfect lives, celebrating sameness, routine and all things reassuringly ordinary. We meet Norman Normal, introduced to the audience by his enthusiastic best friend Nibs, who hints that Norman may be hiding a secret that isn't quite so normal after all.

When a packet of spicy crisps causes chaos, the P.A.N.T.S. Squad (Protection And Normalisation Taskforce Squad) swoop in to deal with the highly dangerous emergency, showing their usual overreaction to anything even slightly unusual.

Finally, Nibs reveals Norman's secret directly to the audience – he's a monster! Norman explains that he has an upcoming interview to join P.A.N.T.S., believing that becoming part of the organisation will be the perfect way to hide in plain sight. What could possibly go wrong?

Scene Two

Norman attends an interview, at P.A.N.T.S. HQ, to join the Protection And Normalisation Taskforce Squad, - the over-dramatic organisation responsible for keeping Normsville 'normal'. The agents introduce themselves using confusing lettered codenames, turning the interview into a mess of misunderstandings and comic chaos. Despite the odds, Norman is accepted into the squad as Agent P, placing him right inside the very organisation obsessed with hunting anything unusual.

Scene Three

Mayor Dudley Dullsworth, assisted by his deputy, Middling, tries to reassure the Normaltons that there are no monsters in the city; but his speech is repeatedly undermined when monsters, known as The Gloopers, are spotted causing chaos. Panic erupts as the Gloopers launch a full slime attack, overwhelming both the citizens and the P.A.N.T.S. Squad, and Normsville descends into monster mayhem.

At the height of the chaos, help arrives from the sky in the form of glamorous influencer-turned-expert, Fifi Fanackapan, accompanied by her grovelling assistants Quibble and Tweak. She dazzles the city with her confident showpiece 'Fanackapan Can', promising to make the city a monster-free zone.

Through a split dialogue scene, we learn about the great wall separating Inner and Outer Normsville, and the Rubbish Chute of Doom, used to remove anything abnormal and unwanted.

Excited by the sudden appearance of fellow monsters in the city, Norman activates his Monster Detector to try and find them — but accidentally sets it off himself. With his secret exposed, Norman is seized and sent screaming down the dreaded Rubbish Chute of Doom, disappearing beyond the wall and out of Inner Normsville.

Scene Four

DJ Ooze, broadcasting on Monster FM, welcomes us to Monster Street in Outer Normsville — a monster neighbourhood where outcasts have made a home. We meet a colourful cast of locals, including Monica McMonster, her bickering burger buns, Muffin and Bagel; flamboyant, dustbin-dwelling diva, Elton Monster; the Nitro Twins, Boomer and Blitz; Gen-Z teens, Jenzy and Sigma; and accident-prone Slamazon delivery monster, Fred Ex.

Suddenly, the chute alarm blares and the monsters scatter as Norman crashes out of the Rubbish Chute of Doom, landing on Monster Street. As the panic fades, Norman realises he's surrounded by monsters just like him — singled out, pushed aside, never quite fitting in. For the first time, he belongs. The monsters celebrate their community in the joyful ensemble number 'Monster Street', where everyone fits in because everyone is different!

Scene Five

In their secret HQ, the Grossbusters are on standby and ready for action — which is just as well, because Fifi Fanackapan calls to hire them to help rid the city of monsters. With the job confirmed, Felix, Igor, Bungle and Skid grab their gear and leap into the Grossmobile.

Arriving in Inner Normsville, the Grossbusters prepare for battle — just as Nibs runs on, dressed as a giant piece of cheese, attempting to lure the runaway Gloopers. The Grossbusters whip out their Monster Detector, scanning the area and declaring an emergency when they discover the audience is contaminated with slime. The audience is promptly hosed down with Slimeade, and the team confidently announce that the situation is under control. Suddenly, the Grossbusters spot Nibs surrounded by hungry Gloopers, all ravenous for a nibble of his cheddar. With no time to lose, they turn their squirters on the monsters and bring the chaos to an abrupt end.

Scene Six

On Monster Street, the proudly, protest-happy B.U.M. Brigade (Bureaucratic Union Of Monsters) march in under the leadership of the pompous Maximus Gluteus, loudly rallying monster pride and unity. The Brigade introduce themselves and whip the monsters into a frenzy with their cheeky protest anthem, 'The B.U.M. Song'.

As Monster Street buzzes with activity, familiar faces, including explosive duo, Boomer and Blitz, and chaotic courier, Fred Ex, add to the chaos and comedy. Amid the madness, Norman begins to feel that Monster Street might finally be the place where he belongs.

The scene softens as Norman reflects on the possibility of a better future in the heartfelt song 'When Tomorrow Comes'. On the other side of the wall, Nibs shares the same hopes, and the song becomes a warm duet between them, ending with a chorus of monsters joining in, dreaming of the day when everyone can be together and be themselves.

Scene Seven

In Inner Normsville Town Square, Mayor Dudley Dullsworth and his deputy, Middling, attempt to recover and debrief PANTS after the slime chaos. Their efforts are cut short by the dramatic arrival of glamorous influencer, Fifi Fanackapan, flanked by her assistants, Quibble and Tweak, who announce that the monsters have been captured and present the Grossbusters and Nibs as heroes.

Revealing her true colours, Fifi uses hypnotic powers to take control of the Mayor and Middling, forces them to hand over authority, and has them tied up and removed by her Normtroopers. With the city now firmly under her control, Fifi unveils her terrifying invention — the Normaliser.

Captured Gloopers are forced into the machine and emerge transformed into dull, obedient Normaltons, proving that Fifi can erase difference completely. She declares that by midnight, the Normaliser will reach full power and destroy Outer Normsville, converting any remaining monsters into perfectly normal citizens.

When Nibs and the Grossbusters object, Fifi brands them traitors and sends them screaming down the Rubbish Chute of Doom into Outer Normsville. As the citizens are ordered home to prepare for a 'glorious' new day, Fifi remains alone on stage, revealing her final plan in an evil reprise of 'When Tomorrow Comes', determined to take total control of the city.

Scene Eight

Back on Monster Street, Norman begins to find confidence in who he really is as Monica McMonster encourages him to stop hiding and be proud of his differences. The calm is shattered when the Rubbish Chute of Doom activates once more. Nibs and the Grossbusters crash-land onto Monster Street with alarming news: Fifi Fanackapan has seized control of Inner Normsville, hypnotised the Mayor, and unleashed her evil invention — the Normaliser. They reveal that by midnight, Fifi plans to destroy Outer Normsville and transform every monster into a perfectly obedient Normalton. Shock ripples through the monster community. Elton Monster, Monica, the bickering buns, Muffin and Bagel, and the B.U.M. Brigade, led by Maximus Gluteus, unite in defiance. Realising they've been used, the Grossbusters switch sides and agree to help stop Fifi.

A daring plan is formed. With Boomer and Blitz ready to deal with the wall dividing the two worlds (and a timely Slamazon delivery arriving courtesy of Fred Ex), monsters, misfits and former monster-hunters stand together — united, determined, and ready to strike back before time runs out.

Scene Nine

In Inner Normsville, the Grossbusters give the audience a word of warning as they introduce the final scene. Fifi Fanackapan prepares to activate the Normaliser and destroy Outer Normsville forever. Norman and Nibs burst in to challenge her, and as monsters and Normaltons take opposing sides, Norman finally stands proud of who he is.

The confrontation erupts into 'The Monsters Are Revolting', a powerful, rousing anthem of rebellion, as monsters rise up and the divide between the two worlds reaches breaking point. During the song, Boomer and Blitz destroy the wall, tearing down the barrier between Inner and Outer Normsville as monsters, Normaltons and the Grossbusters unite.

When Fifi threatens Monica McMonster with the Normaliser, Maximus Gluteus enters to save the day and wipes out Fifi with the B.U.M. Blaster. The Grossbusters arrest Fifi, Quibble and Tweak, and the Gloopers return having freed Mayor Dullsworth and Middling, who finally admit that monsters and Normaltons are better together.

As midnight approaches, 'When Tomorrow Comes (Finale Reprise)' brings the company together in unity and celebration. The show ends with a joyful medley of all the show's songs as 'The Monster Megamix' opens with one final cry: Who you gonna call? GROSSBUSTERS!