Theatre Reviews 2019

Grease
CTC
Loughborough Town Hall
January 29th 2019

Grease was certainly the word tonight, as CTC presented their first performance of this popular musical. It is indeed an “Electrifying” production from a very talented and hard working production team and cast.

Since its inception in 1971, Grease has been a favourite on Broadway, in the West End and with youth and adult musical theatre groups. Tonight CTC’s production was dynamic and exciting and simply thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. The Directors/Choreographers, Michael Gamble and Julie Easter, capture the essence of the original, but in a fresh and exciting way with stunning dancing, great singing and a lot of fun.

Grease is set in 1959 in the fictional Rydell High School. At the heart of the story is the romance between Cool Dude, Danny Zuko and the sweet new girl in town, Sandy Dumbrowski. They had a secret romance in the summer, but now back in the context of school, peer-pressure and cliques make their love a bit more complicated. Basically the question is ‘Can Danny maintain his cool dude status and still get make demure Sandy his girl?’ The story is told through hit songs such as "Greased Lightnin'", "We Go Together”, and “Mooning”, recalling the music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Elvis Presley that became the soundtrack of a generation. It so hit the right note that it ran on Broadway for 8 years!

From the soaring and tuneful opening number, “Rydell Alma Mater” it was obvious that the standard of music in this production was going to be very high. It is matched by breathtaking set piece choreography that lights the stage up. At times one doesn’t know where to look, as there is so much going on, all of it beautifully executed by everyone involved. There have been huge challenges issued to this cast, especially in complex song and dance terms: they have risen to them and produced something very special.

There are incredibly strong and professional performances from the principal actors. Ashley Bright as Danny, Anja Palmer as Sandy, Holly Easter as Rizzo, Hannah Osgood as Frenchie, Hannah Parker as Jan, Lucy Brown as Marty, Aaron Murray as Kenickie, Ollie Lewin as Roger, George Stackhouse as Doody and Jordan Cope as Sonny. Every performer who has a solo or duet steals the stage and makes their own moment a highlight: Danny, Sandy, Rizzo, Kenickie and Doody all excel in theirs and Roger and Jan have a lovely comic piece in ‘Mooning’. The Pink Ladies and the Burger Palace Boys are carefully cast and work together with an obvious love of this joyous production.

There are also very good performances from Alix Johnstone as Patty, Alex Hudson as Eugene, Anita Benson as Miss Lynch, Duncan Gadsby as Vince, David Burton as Johnny, Frankie Johnson as Cha Cha and Craig Butterworth as Teen Angel. All thoroughly convincing with some lovely moments of their own and vital to the overall success.

The equally vital and incredibly energetic ensemble, who move, dance and sing with such skill are Bobbie Da’Bell, Sophie Draycott, Jack Hardy, Jerry Gaillard, Sarah Lorimer, Amy McMurray, Vicky Mee, Julie Robinson, Jayne Sanderson, Mel Swift, Alex Trott and Ben Trott.

I was particularly impressed by the excellence of the big whole cast numbers, such as “Summer Nights”, “We Go Together”, “Shakin” and “You’re the one that I Want.” Getting the hand jive right is quite a skill and they manage it with perfect timing. Michael Gamble and Julie Easter obviously have considerable talent as both choreographers and directors; the placement of the cast in these big numbers in what is a relatively small space is outstanding. Attention to detail is also in evidence with individuals and groups always staying in character and props which are very realistic – I like to see liquids in bottles and real food on plates!

The Musical Director, Vicki Hing, leads an excellent band that sounds great and supports the performers well. The standard of singing from the whole cast is of a very high and pleasing standard, with a lovely authentic sound for the era: they certainly know how to wop-bop-a-loo-bop!

I like the set which is bright, adaptable, colourful and well used by the cast. Scene changes are swift and well managed and on a few occasions some of the cast members stay in role while changing the set, bringing an immersive feel to the production.

The lighting design by Robert Bridges complements the set and creates the mood, while the sound by Rob Templeman and Harry Bridge is spot on: I could hear every word. Costume wise the show looks pleasingly authentic to the times with an interestingly fresh take on the pink ladies’ jackets. Authenticity is also true of the set and props: attention to those details that enhance the whole experience.

I have seen Grease a number of times before but I think this production showed me just how great it can be. A real wow of a show from a very hardworking and talented company; CTC have yet another big hit on their record.

I understand that the show is pretty much fully booked for the rest of the week, but if you can get a ticket you will have an absolute ball.

Aladdin
KTYco
Duchess Theatre
January 31st 2019

The story of Aladdin and his lamp is well known, but usually as a Christmas Pantomime. The production tonight at the Duchess Theatre was the Disney musical version, that was originally an animated film and more recently a stage show. It has a good pedigree, being written by Chad Beguelin (Book+lyrics), Alan Menken (Music), Howard Ashman and Tim Rice (Lyrics).

The story is more or less the same as the original and tells the story of Aladdin and his three friends, Babkak, Omar, and Kassim. They are down on their luck until Aladdin discovers a magic lamp and a Genie who has the power to grant three wishes. Wanting to earn the respect of the Princess Jasmine, Aladdin embarks on an adventure that will test his will and his moral character. Along the way he comes across the wicked Jafar, who tries to take the lamp and genie away from Aladdin and take over the Kingdom.

This stage adaptation of the popular Disney hit is filled with magic and adventure and includes catchy songs including “Friend Like Me," "Prince Ali" and "A Whole New World.”

Playing the role of Aladdin was the very talented Aiden Carson, who performed confidently throughout, bringing a convincing earnestness to the role and an endearing charm. His solos and duets with Jasmine showcased his lovely voice.

Olivia Weaver was a wonderful Genie. She dominated the stage whenever she appeared and showed, through her wonderfully expressive acting, lovely singing and fabulous dancing, that she is a great talent. She was very confident throughout and her comedy timing is excellent, especially for such a young performer.

Nadia Potter as Jasmine gave a charmingly feisty portrayal of the highly principled and modern minded Princess. Nadia understands this character and carefully showed her vulnerability as well as her strength. Another lovely voice which, along with the others, must surely be guaranteed to delight audiences for years to come.

Bailey West was the compellingly evil Jafar, giving a very solid, mature performance with a steely nastiness and wonderfully gruff delivery.

The role of Iago should have been played by Harrison Ince, but unfortunately he was unwell, so Bridie Mae O’Donnell stepped in at the last minute. She was excellent, giving a very funny performance with lovely expression, well timed physical comedy and an engaging enthusiasm.

Ollie Davidson played the role of the Sultan, impressively taking on the voice and mannerisms of an older person and successfully mixing gravitas with warmth.

There were some lovely performances from Aladdin’s friends, Daya Khosse as Babkak, Paige Sisson as Omar and Daniel Lane as Kassim, all making the most of their particular character’s traits.

The Princess’ friends were an amusingly excitable coterie, who provided some comic moments: Luiseach McAleese as Isir, Orlagh McAleese as Manal, Emily Bridge as Rajah and Chloe Elsom as Afreya.

Playing important cameo roles in the production were Hana Bendiba (Spooky Voice) who displayed some nice movement, Ellie Byard-Bennet (Razoul), Grace Collishaw, Lilia Scattergood, Isabelle Massie (Guards), Edie Peace (Beggar), Olivia Thomas, Maisie Denney, Reina Wafang, Pip Blackman, Holly Brownhill (beggars), Ellis Rushton (Apple Vendor), Rene Stanley (Fortune Teller), Lucy Marshall & Suzannah Gilding (Attendants), Abe Collishaw (Prince Abdullah).

The all-singing, all-dancing ensemble was delightful; they performed some very energetic routines that took my breath away. The speed and complexity of the dancing was incredible, and the large cast was always well placed on the stage. The choreographer, Helen Perry, is to be congratulated for achieving such a high standard with the whole cast: using their strengths, but challenging them to really show what they can do.

Well done to:

Abe Collishaw, Amy Brownhill, Bridie Mae O’Donnell, Chloe Elsom, Daniel Lane, Daya Khosse, Edie Peace, Ellie Byard-Bennet, Ellis Rushton, Emily Bridge, Eve Lumley, Freya Thomas, Grace Collishaw, Hana Bendiba, Harrison Ince, Holly Brownhill, Isabelle Massive, Lilia Ludlow, Lucy Marshall, Luiseach McAleese, Maddie Atkin, Maisie Denney, Oliver Davidson, Olivia Thomas,Orlagh McAleese, Page Sisson, Pip Blackman, Reina Wafang, Rene Stanley, Suzannah Gilding.

The costumes by Tracy Scattergood were very Arabian Nights, with lovely flowing lines, great headwear and an appropriate mixture of jewel and drab colours, depending on status. The set was bright and well designed, a central revolve made scene changes very swift and the Magic Carpet sequence was simple, but effective. The props (Claire Collishaw) were convincing, especially the lovely shiny lamp!

The lighting by Matt Cook and sound by Hannah Griffiths were well designed and effective, adding immeasurably to the audience’s enjoyment of the show.

I certainly enjoyed the show, which was an outstanding production: the cast and production team of Katy Maclaughlin (Director), Shannon O’Donnell (Coordinator), Musical Director (Tom Bond) and Helen Perry (Choreographer) and Kristian Thomas (Producer) should be very proud of what they and the young cast have achieved.

There was a well-deserved standing ovation at the end and I agree with a comment overheard from a member of the audience who said on the way out “It was great to see such enthusiasm and talent on stage tonight.”

Great show – well done all.

Calamity Jane
West Bridgford Operatic Society
The Space
February 20th 2019

The story of Calamity Jane is set in the wild-west outpost of Deadwood City, 1876. Here we find the fearsome, sharpshooting Calamity Jane, surrounded by cowboys, townsfolk, and the famous Wild Bill Hickok. After a mix-up over a singer at Deadwood's saloon-theatre, Calamity goes to Chicago to import the glamorous actress, Adelaide Adams, but returns by mistake with her maid, Katie Brown. Katie's inability to perform is overcome as she wins the heart of the young Lieutenant Danny Gilmartin; when Calamity sheds some of her tomboy persona at a ball at the local Fort, she realises that she loves Wild Bill Hickok.

The story is simple and littered with some outdated stereotypes, but the catchy songs are very good to listen to and the happy ending is joyous enough to bring smiles all round.

Tonight, The West Bridgford Operatic Society showed their ability to provide a great evening’s entertainment and what strength they have in vocal and acting performance. The whole company chorus numbers sounded very good and the harmonies were clear and well sung. They look very good too, everyone on the stage looks like a real character, in their colourful and evocative costumes.

The use of projections is effective and enhanced by good, time appropriate props (Maureen Knight) including an impressive bar in the saloon with bottles and glasses filled with real liquids. The Director obviously has an eye for detail: I like that, as it is sometimes not present and detracts from the audience experience.

Playing the part of Calamity is Paige Shaw, who certainly makes this strongly written character her own. She is a very talented performer, both from an acting and singing perspective; she throws every part of herself into an electrifying and beautifully accented characterisation. Calamity changes her clothes and ‘fixings’, but Paige makes sure she remains a feisty gun toting woman, who has little regard for the traditional restraints of gender and never crosses her legs! She has a great voice: her powerful and heartfelt rendition of Secret Love is a highlight of the show.

Her co-star Ian Pottage as Wild Bill Hickok, is also an excellent performer, who works very well with Paige to make their relationship believable. I particularly like their wonderful duet “I Can Do Without You.” Ian is a good character actor and he also sings well; his solo “Higher than a Hawk” was a particular high spot for me.

Clare Boxer as Katie Brown gives a very engaging performance, bringing a lovely naivety to the character, with a sweetly trilling delivery and a knowing touch of fun. Delightful to watch. Her excellent performances of “Keep it under your hat” and “A Woman’s Touch”, show her versatility as a performer.

David Gyles as the Saloon Boss, Henry Miller, has just the right amount of bumbling good nature while Richard Ives’ performance as Francis Fryer is a lovely comic cameo. A high spot is when he is pretending to be a woman and sings “Everyone Complains about the Weather”.

Louise Grantham is charming in the role of Susan and Lauren Gill as Adelaide Adams has a lovely voice, singing the very entertaining “It’s Harry I’m Planning to Marry.”

Alasdair Maughan gives a convincing and well acted performance as the soldier, Danny Gilmartin, who falls in love with Katie. His duet with her “Love You Dearly” is lovely.

There is very good support from Bill Cooper (Doc Pierce), Alex Grosse (Joe), Martin Thomas (Colonel), Ken Kirk (Rattlesnake), Danielle Rodgers (Hank) and Joanne Hooper (Pete).

There is a very large and enthusiastic ensemble, which at times was perhaps a little too large for the stage, but they sounded great and moved well. Their gentle amble while singing the lovely “The Black Hills of Dakota”, was very pleasant to watch.

They are: Diana Ives, Judy Atkin, Orla O'Reilly, Rosie Pools, Sarah Harley, Sarah Shields (Dancers)

Anne Carroll, Biba Tribune, Claire Jenkins, Lisa Key, Lee Horne, Lynn Baldrick, Lindsey Parr, Penny Gale, Prue Brindle, Helen Heely, Jill Hammington, Anne Armstrong, Wendy Silver, Judy Atkin, Becky Birth, Courtney Kellam-Giddy (Female Ensemble)

Adrian Baldrick, Chris Heely, Chris Hollins, Malcolm Cocking, Gareth Morris, Sean Collins (Male Ensemble)

The set from Blind Eye Productions is attractive and the lighting and sound is well engineered. Scene changes were swift and invisible under the direction of the Stage Manager Chris Collins and his assistant Nigel Newton.

The large Orchestra directed by the Musical Director Meng Khaw sounds extremely good and accompanies the performers very well. The overture is a wonderful opening to the show.

This production of what is a show of its time, is very enjoyable. It should not only please those who remember the film, but a new audience, who will surely be captivated by the fun and colour, and by the talent and enthusiasm of the cast.

The Director Meng Khaw and the Choreographer Maxine Loydall are to be congratulated for another excellent production from this long-established local group. It was also enhanced by being at this excellent new venue in the heart of Nottingham.

 

Chicago
Cabaret Theatre Company
Brewhouse
Burton
March 9th 2019

Chicago is a story of murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery and treachery – in fact it has it all! It is an iconic musical which takes us into the world of Jazz and liquor in the 1920’s with fame hungry Roxie, her cellblock rival and fellow murderess, Velma and smooth-talking lawyer, Billy Flynn. The story is told mainly through the songs and dances, plus narrations from members of the cast.

As such it is in a vaudeville style which does not require much in the way of scenery or props. What it does require is high quality acting, dancing and singing and the creation of a vibrant atmosphere - this production certainly had all those things in abundance.The principals, Sian Scattergood (Roxie), Sara Evans-Bolger (Velma), Hilary Leam (Matron), Duncan Leech (Billy), Dan Webber (Amos) and D Carter (Mary Sunshine) were all breathtakingly good. They are all very accomplished actors, singers and dancers with standards of performance that put them squarely in the realms of professionalism.

Sian and Sara made the most of their starring roles, giving us uncompromising, thoroughly convincing portrayals of hard hearted divas: thrillingly entertaining and simply wonderful to watch. Their duets of My Own Best Friend and Nowadays were perfect and their solos of Funny Honey (Roxie) and I Can’t Do it Alone (Velma), were real treats.

Duncan’s Billy was coolly assured and swaggeringly nonchalant; his stage presence in all his scenes was commanding. The incredibly detailed and beautifully choreographed We Both Reach for the Gun with Roxie and Billy, was a real comic highlight. Lovely characterisations of Mama Morton and Mary Sunshine added so much to the fun, with their solos of When You’re Good to Mama and A Little Bit of Good, both performed fabulously.

In support roles were Ashleigh Dudson (June), Maisie Ellis (Liz), Elena Foster (Mona), Stephanie Leeson (Annie), Andrea Osbourne (Hunyak), Nick Holburn (Fred) and Amy Milner (Go-to-Hell Kitty). The wonderful Cell Block Tango allowed the cell mates to shine: it was performed beautifully and much appreciated by the audience

There was also a very strong ensemble which did a wonderful job, not only singing and dancing brilliantly, but looking so good, too. The dances in particular, choreographed by Sally Everson, were fantastic. I was in awe of the very high standard of performance from everyone throughout. Very well done to Lauren Bishop, Lorien Conti, Chris Moss, Aimee Shelton, Harry Whetton and Hannah Wright.

There was an excellent 8-piece band led by the Musical Director, Charlotte Daniels. They accompanied the cast sympathetically and the sound balance was perfect. There are such great songs in this show: All That Jazz, Me and My Baby, Razzle Dazzle and All I Care About to mention but a few. They all sounded great!

The production team of Chris Moss (Director), Sally Everson (Producer/ Choreographer), Andrea Osborne (Choreographer) and Charlotte Daniels (Musical Director) are to be congratulated for producing a show of such class, with high standards in all areas.

The atmosphere I mentioned earlier was beautifully created by pace, lighting, clever staging and costumes- and performances which engaged thoroughly from start to finish. The amount of work which must have gone into realising this vision was phenomenal, but the Company should be thrilled and very proud of what they achieved.

The packed theatre and myself were treated to a great night’s entertainment and the hugely positive comments I heard on the way out of the theatre confirmed this.

The Cabaret Theatre Company prove that you don’t need to go far in the East Midlands to find incredibly creative and talented people, who compare very favourably with the best in the country.

This was in all respects, a professional level production. Very well done; I can’t wait for the next one.

 

Avenue Q
Derby Theatre
Monday March 18th 2019

Avenue Q is a musical comedy featuring puppets and human actors with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and book by Jeff Whitty. The show won Best Musical, Book, and Score at the 2004 Tony Awards. It has received many favourable reviews for its approach on topics like racism.
The national tour of the show is produced by Sellinor Productions who are responsible for a number of successful tours of popular shows such as Spamalot.
I have wanted to see the show for a very long time and I enjoyed it although it was perhaps not quite as funny as I expected. The show itself was probably more “shocking” 16 years ago when it first appeared but although attitudes have changed it still packs a bit of a punch and still has a number of important things to say about society today.
The Principal Cast of Lawrence Smith. (Princeton / Rod.), Cecily Redman. (Kate Monster / Lucy the Slut),
Tom Steedon (Nicky / Trekkie Monster / Bad Idea Bear), Megan Armstrong (Mrs T / Bad Idea Bear / 2nd Arm), Oliver Stanley (Brian), Saori Oda (Christmas Eve) is excellent. After only a short while the puppets take over and their operators became part of them and vice versa. The puppets and the actors are very engaging.
All of the actor/puppeteers portray their puppet selves with amazing skill and there are also many amusing performances from the human characters. Lawrence Smith’s bubbly bright-eyed energy works perfectly for Princeton and, though she is the only cast member without a solo, Megan Armstrong is outstanding; with her puppet and voice work consistently entertaining and very funny. The singing and dancing is first class as you would expect from a professional company. I liked many of the songs and the band was excellent.
The bright and colourful set is very good to look at and is cleverly used and lit well. The sound quality was very good and I could hear every word that was sung or spoken.
While everyone in the cast is very good, Cecily Redman is brilliant as Kate Monster; her singing of ‘There’s A Fine, Fine Line’ is a definite highlight of the show for me.
There is also a very hard working ensemble of Nicholas Mclean, Gary Coleman, Jasmine Beel, Ellis Dackombe and Robbie Noonan.
This is a very entertaining production and I can certainly now see “what all the fuzz is about.” If, like me, you have never seen the show do not miss the opportunity at Derby Theatre this week.
This is a fabulous production which continues until Saturday.
The shows Creatives were:
Cressida Carre: Director & Choreographer - Richard Evans: Designer - Charlie Morgan Jones: Lighting Designer
Chris Bogg: Sound Designer - Paul Jomain: Puppet Designer - Nigel Plaskitt: Puppet Coach
 

Rent
CTC Presents
May 1st 2019
Loughborough Town Hall Theatre

Rent has finished here in Loughborough and once again CTC are proving that they are a very talented and professional company.

Rent is a rock musical with music, lyrics, and book by Jonathan Larson and is very loosely based on Puccini's opera La Bohème. It tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive and create a life in Lower Manhattan's East Village in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

There are superb performances from Tom Pinny as Mark, Ash Bright as Roger, Michael Gamble as Tom (standing in for Craig Butterworth), Kristian Cunningham as Angel, Lucy Brown as Mimi, Holly Easter as Maureen, Eve Taylor as Joanne and Aaron Murray as Benny.

They are very well supported by a large energetic and powerful ensemble. The vocal performances are of a very high standard and songs like “Rent” “Seasons Of Love” “I Should Tell You”, “One Song Glory”, “Cover You”, “Without You”, “Maureen’s Tango” and “Take Me Or Leave Me” were great to listen to. The five piece band conducted by the MD Vicki Hing (assisted by Abi Parker) made a great sound and was very well balanced with the performers. The singing of Seasons of Love was beautifully performed by the whole cast.

The Lighting Design by Robert Bridges is excellent as is the sound by Rob Temperton, Harry Bridge and Rob Ketteridge.

The set is simple and used well by the cast and two moveable staircases are brilliant. The stage itself looks startling with painted designs which fit well with the period of the show.

The Stage Manager, Adrian Wray and his stage team kept everything moving smoothly and at a good pace.

As usual Director and choreographer Michael Gamble certainly made sure that everyone had plenty to do and the dancing was exciting and dynamic. He has obviously worked hard with the cast to ensure they were all heavily immersed in the action. In tonight’s performance he also played Tom proving he can direct and perform. A great asset to the company.

The show ended with a whole theatre standing ovation which was very well deserved.

To be honest I have to say that Rent has not been one of my favourite shows but each time I see it I seem enjoy it a little more. CTC’s production has given me more of an understanding of what it is about and tonight I really enjoyed it. I feel now I can happily see it again! I Loved the music too. Thank you CTC - could I be turning into a “Rent-head?” Who knows?

Once again CTC have produced a show of immense quality and I would recommend you seeing it before it closes at Loughborough Town Hall on Saturday.

Mack and Mabel
The Carlton Operatic Society
Theatre Royal Nottingham
May 9th 2019

Carlton Operatic have tonight again shown what an excellent society they are. Mack and Mabel is a big musical to perform: it requires excellent acting, singing and dancing, a lot of technical expertise and a clear vision of how to recreate a special era. Tonight’s performance had all of these in abundance.

The story is based on the real-life romance between legendary filmmaker Mack Sennett and his beautiful and lively rising star, Mabel Normand.

There are excellent performances from Graham Ward as a grouchy but brilliant Mack Sennett, Sarah Millington as a hugely talented Mabel Normand and Abby Wells as a simply magnificent Lottie Ames. Ross Lowe is wonderfully sleazy as William Desmond Taylor and Patrick McChrystal is impressive as an earnest Frank Capra. There are many other super performances from the principal and ensemble cast, showing huge energy and commitment to creating character and some lovely dance and movement scenes.

One of the strengths of this company is the way they work together and support each other. Many of the principals are also in the ensemble for the big musical numbers. These are of a very high standard - routines such as Hundreds of Girls, Movies were Movies, When Mabel Comes in the Room are superb and Tap Your Troubles Away is a brilliant spectacle. Well done to the dancers and the choreographer, Rachael Rees whose choreography is superb.

Director Sarah Walker-Smith brings this production alive in so many ways and never loses sight of the story that is being told. I particularly like the use of black and white film – a unique and cleverly created segment - and the custard pie scene is beautifully executed. The Keystone Cops routine is also exciting, amusing and well produced. Her vision – and that of those who worked with her - has been fully realised and the work to achieve this must have been immense.

The orchestra under the baton of Christopher Rees is excellent and the sound balance between it and the performers is just right. In addition to this the sound design by Rob Ketteridge was crisp and clear throughout and the Lighting Design by Tom Mowat greatly enhanced the production. There are some pretty quick and precise lighting changes which are spot on.

The sets and props are very appropriate and scene changes are swift and well executed by the Stage Manager Amy Rogers-Gee, her crew and members of the cast. This means the production moves quickly and smoothly and the attention of the audience is maintained throughout. The costumes and hairstyles are very evocative of the era; it is impressive that many of the cast very closely resemble their real life characters!

Once again the Carlton Operatic Society have produced a show of high quality and all concerned can be justifiably proud of what they have achieved. There was an enthusiastic and prolonged ovation at the end.

 

The Bodyguard
Theatre Royal Nottingham
June 12th 2019

The show ended with a standing ovation and I am sure fans of Alexandra Burke will really enjoy her performance. She belts out the songs as you would expect and, I thought, acted the part well.

Another great performance came from Micha Richardson who has a fabulous voice.

There was a strong principal line up featuring Benoit Marechall (Frank), Peter landi (Bill), Craig Berry (Tony Scibelli), Phil Atkinson (Stalker), Gary Turner (Sy), Simon Cotton (Ray).

The Son of Rachel Marron (Alexandra Burke) is played by a number of young boys and the one we saw tonight I think was Noah Burnett who was excellent. (Sorry if I got the wrong one.)

There were some high energy dance routines throughout and the dancers were excellent.

The main performers and the ensemble were very good as was the lighting and special effects.

The sound however continued to concern me with the band often being far too loud and dominant. The opening number in Act 1 was extremely loud and for me, very uncomfortable. I could not hear the vocals in some of the very loud songs. At times there was some distortion both from the band and solo singers. This did get better through the show, especially with the quieter ballads.

The show itself is really a vehicle for the songs and Alexandra Burke's character. The story is not that well developed. It is part Musical, part concert and part thriller. Not sure all three always fitted well together.

There is no doubt that tonight’s audience on the whole enjoyed themselves. It was unfortunate though, that some in the audience decided to laugh, talk, eat, cheer, use mobile phones and generally lack attention during the show and at the most inappropriate times. I am afraid that there seems to be an increasing number of theatre goers who have little understanding of “theatre etiquette” these days. This, I know, spoilt the show for some.

The reaction of most in the audience at the end showed that this show is well liked by so very many. After all, it was very successful in the West End and on tour. For me, however, it seemed rather flat and did not particularly engage me, although I enjoyed hearing some of the songs. That is probably more about me than the show and as I always say, go and see it as you may well love it.

The Ripley and Alfreton Musical Theatre Company
9 to 5
Mansfield Palace Theatre
Wednesday July 3rd 2019

Think 9 to 5 and you think Dolly Parton – the two go hand in hand, so it is great to hear the country music icon introducing the musical at Mansfield’s Palace Theatre tonight.

This production from RAMTC, a dynamic version of the popular musical - which began as a film starring Dolly Parton - was much enjoyed by the enthusiastic audience tonight.

Pushed to boiling point, three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the ‘sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot’ they call their boss. In a hilarious turn of events, Violet, Judy and Doralee live out their wildest fantasy – giving their boss the boot! While Hart remains "otherwise engaged," the women give their workplace a dream makeover, taking control of the company that has always kept them down.

There were some excellent, hugely entertaining performances from the principals, supported by a lively ensemble, many of whom had lovely cameo roles.

Georgie Bond is Doralee, the part played by Dolly in the 1980 film, and powers out her vocals, really standing out on stage. She has obviously worked very hard, not just on an authentic Tennessee drawl, but on a bubbly delivery. She ably projects the sheer fun and sassy physicality of the character.

Helen Perry plays Judy, the office newbee, with just the right amount of troubled vulnerability; a really impressive characterisation, which is superbly acted. She has a lovely voice and gave a fantastic performance of the cathartic “Get Out and Stay Out”, which brought the house down.

Amy Wicks, who leads the office in the role of Violet, gave an excellent all round performance, encapsulating the warm motherliness of the character, coupled with her astuteness and strength. She excels in the dance number “One of the Boys.”

I enjoyed Adela Green’s very amusing portrayal of the lovesick Roz and her racy dance number “Heart to Hart “, was quite something, fantastic!

There is a nicely observed performance from Sinead Parkin as the tottering office lush, Margaret. There were also confident performances from Charlie Torry (Joe), Reema Udeshi (Maria), Jess Kenton (Kathy), Gary Rowley (Dwayne), Lucas Young (Josh), Gary Heap (Dick), Ross Trail (Bob), Marie Madej (Miss Hart) and Steve Dunning (Russell).

This musical is mainly about the women, but Cameron Trail has an important part to play as the lazy, lying boss, Franklin Hart. Cameron manages to express all of the character’s negative traits in an entertaining way, brash and sleazy, but ultimately very weak!

The musicianship from the band and cast was high and the dancing and movement was well planned and beautifully executed, showcasing skill and excellent timing. Staging was very professionally done with bright and colourful scenery and beautiful costumes. The first scene in the office, when Judy arrives in her blue suit, set against the monochrome of her co workers, is stunning.

Scene changes were in the main swift and efficiently done and the use of the fly tower at this theatre helped very much to keep the show moving. There was, unfortunately, a brief pause in the show when there was nothing happening on the stage and voices from backstage could be heard. Once this was sorted everything continued slickly.

However, I was concerned about the sound which was somewhat distorted at times: the balance between the band and the performers was sometimes compromised, so it was difficult to hear the vocals. Sadly, some of the dialogue and lyrics were then missed too, either because of problems with the mics or excessive music volume. Also, there were some moments when the lights were not illuminating some performers properly. I am sure that these problems will be quickly sorted, so that the impact of these great performances can be fully appreciated.

The Production team of Kristian Cunningham (Director and Choreographer), June Oates (Assistant Producer), Charlotte Bond (Assistant choreographer) and Tom Bond(Musical Director), have done a great job, setting a fast pace and pulling every bit of humour out of the characters and story. Enthusiasm and joy of performing was very evident on stage tonight.

Overall, the production was very accomplished, leaving aside the technical problems, and it was nice to see a big, bright and colourful musical at the Palace Theatre. There was no doubting the skill and commitment of the cast and the audience response to it, which led to a sustained ovation (with some standing), at the end. I am a great believer that finales and bows are as important as any part of a show. Tonight both of these were excellent, well produced and performed.

9 to 5 The Musical continues at the Mansfield Palace until Saturday. Go and see it and enjoy this high-energy show with a mostly female cast, a jubilant score and an amusing and uplifting story.

CATS
LEOs Youth Group
July 11th 2019
Duchess Theatre

Cats, based on T.S. Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s longest running musicals. It has no plot to speak of, is sung-through (so no dialogue either), has some incredibly difficult lyrics and music for the cast to master. It also needs great costumes, great lighting and clear sound. Consequently, it can be a challenge for adult performers let along youngsters. However, tonight, LEOs Youth showed how good they are and they smashed it, emerging triumphant in so many ways.

The whole cast pulled out all the stops for creating huge energy production which was evident from the opening “Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats” and never let up throughout.

The direction and choreography by Karen Woodhead and Siobhan Parker was outstanding with the entire cast all involved in most of the dance numbers. To sum it up I can only use the word stunning.

There were some truly excellent solo performances, yet the hard work and gusto of the ensemble numbers also shone, engaging the audience and bringing a smile or a tear and lots of applause.

It would be impossible to comment on all the characters, apart from saying there were many superb performances. Also, everyone on stage had their own interpretations of the “Cats”. All were very individual and this came over strongly throughout the performance. They were all totally involved in their roles and had clearly developed their own individual cat like features.

They actors moved on, around and off the stage so naturally and with great confidence and they were a joy to watch. The multi-level set was very well used and the tight and creative direction was well suited to it.

I will simply mention them all by name and in no particular order. Hannah Glossop (Victor), Megan Trindell (Etcetera), Amy Young (Bailey), Darcy Boyd (Tantomile), Sophie Youngs (Quaxo), Findlay Parker (Alonzo), Anna Green (Coricopat), Ella Charlesworth (Electra), Evie Midgley (Carbuckety), Lucy Coulson-Jones (George), Roisin Parker (Bill), Bella Syson (Admetus), Emilia Pettit (Bustopher Jones}, Lilly Simons-Clark (Gus), Rob McAuley (Rum Tum Tugger), Matt McAuley (Skimbleshanks), Issy Smales (Grizabella), Oliver Ridgway (Deuteronomy). Max Fuller (Mr Mistoffeless), Phoebe Mellor (Victoria), Martha Bertram (Jemima), Chloe Brooks (Jennyanydots), Emma Lowe (Macavity), Hayley Watson (Jellylorum), Grace Collishaw (Demeter), Hannah Pettit (Bombalurina), Jude Yellop (Mungojerrie), Emma Abel (Rumpleteazer), Lottie Ludlow (Griddlebone), Oscar Hugenholtz (Growltiger) and Naomi Thomas (Siamese).

All these young people showed great confidence and talent throughout, many of them performing beyond their years.

In addition to the excellent performances there was fantastic lighting (Laura and Tom Olding), illuminating every movement, which enhances the superb costumes and make-up. It also contributes to the atmosphere, which is sometimes mysterious, sometimes happy and sometimes threatening.

The quality of the sound was excellent - crisp and clear throughout. (Dave Dallard)

Lloyd Webber’s songs are not easy to sing; he is a master of his art and expects his performers to be the masters of theirs. Tonight, this young cast did extraordinarily well. It was amazingly good.

I was very impressed by the tremendous energy, vitality and enthusiasm of the cast that just flowed from the stage to the audience, who responded with a fantastic ovation at the end of this most impressive production.

The production team led by Directors Karen Woodhead and Siobhan Parker really brought the show to life, kept it moving quickly and enabled these young performers to excel. Stage management was great led by Rob Corner and the wonderful set was designed and built by Roydon Charlesworth.

I think listening to audience members afterwards that all will take something of special home, be it a particular song or the beauty and grace of the dancing, the fabulous costumes, the set that supported the action so well or the enthusiasm and dedication to detail by each cast member. I am sure that Leos Youth’s production of CATS will stay in many memories for a very long time. It certainly will in mine.

This was not one of my favourite shows before tonight, but LEOs Youth did such a good job that I really enjoyed it and have changed my opinion of it. Thank you everyone!

Tonight, at the Duchess Theatre we saw a catalogue of talent, no catastrophes, but rather a feline festival of fantastical performances. Well done to all concerned. It was a feline phenomenon of the highest order.

 

Sister Act
Spotlight Theatre Company
Nottingham Playhouse
July 12th 2019

Based on the film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith, Sister Act is a zany, joyful musical comedy in which two very different worlds collide!

When nightclub diva Deloris Van Cartier witnesses a crime, the cops hide her in the last place anyone would think to look – a convent! Renamed ‘Sister Mary Clarence’, Deloris faces the fearsome Mother Superior – and the excruciating nuns’ choir. But she inspires her fellow sisters to find their voices - with a lot of sparkle and pizazz!

Tonight at Nottingham Playhouse, Spotlight theatre had sparkle and pizazz in abundance and delighted a full theatre with excellent singing, dancing, and comedy, plus a heartwarming story, well told. Directed by accomplished local actor Matt Wesson, in his first directorial role, this production was high spirited, fast moving and thoroughly entertaining. A huge success.

There was an excellent principal cast led by Grace Hodgett-Young as Deloris. She is the whole package: she has an incredible voice and is a gifted actor. Her accent, diction and comic timing were spot on and the warmth and personality of her Deloris lit up the stage. This super, sassy and wholly engaging performance wowed the audience from the start. She was also the perfect foil to Lizzie Fenner, who played the Mother Superior.

I last saw Lizzie a week before as a very impressive Roxie in ‘Chicago’. Quite hard to believe that this was the same person, from one wonderful characterisation to another, completely different one! Chanelling the prim sternness and stiffness of a young Margaret Thatcher, plus some beautifully observed pithy comments and lovely singing, Lizzie nailed the part.

They were very well supported by Holly Neil as Sister Mary Robert, the enthusiastic but naive postulant- who has a moment of self revelation in the wonderful ‘The Life I Never Led’- and wow, what a voice Holly has.

Two other great performers were Laura Thurman as the warm and highly amusing Sister Mary Patrick and Kimberley Allsopp as the deadpan but lively Sister Mary Lazarus. Both sparkled on stage in their respective roles.

Mike Pearson was engaging as the often manic Priest, Monsignor O'Hara. Another beautifully delivered part with the perfect timing and diction that ensures absolutely nothing is lost.

Adam Collishaw as the nightclub boss Curtis, acted the part with just the right amount of nasty swagger and gave a heartfelt rendition of ‘When I Find my Baby’.

Ray Samuel McLeod as TJ, Liam Petruccio-Hall as Joey and Patrick McChrystal as Pablo, provided one of the highlights of the night for me when they explained their various methods of seduction in the hilarious song “Lady in the Long Black Dress.” Three lovely and very well delivered character roles, that must have been as much fun to play as they were to watch.

Stan Cook, as Eddie the policeman, quickly became a favourite of the audience with his earnest quest to acquire both the courage to wield a gun and to woo Deloris. A nice character portrayal and lovely delivery of the song ‘I Could Be That Guy’.

The supporting ensemble comprised of, in the main, a wonderful group of young nuns, whose infectious antics are impossible to resist throughout. They become joyous- after Deloris teaches them how to sing gospel- and they sounded magnificent. Well done to the director and choreographer for careful placement of this large ensemble that ensured an attractive tableau.

They were Harriet Hopkins (Sister Mary Martin of Tours), Laura Ellis (Sister Mary Teresa),Ellie Monterosso (Michelle), Beth Wear (Tina), Daisy Donoghue, Charlie Evans, Lucy Greig, Emma Gregory, Erin Hanby, Maddie Keown, Madelyn Pritchard, Lily Proudlove, Rachel Smith, Kemi Stewart, Zoe Turton, Tilly Wishart, plus Louis Barnes-Cupit, Jonah Williams, and Joseph Smith.

The dancing was very well choreographed by Sophie Petruccio-Hall. It was both exciting and precise and perfectly complemented some of comic set pieces, such as in the rhythmic routines with Curtis and his henchmen.

The band sounded very good under the baton of Musical Director Geoff Burnhill. Such a great range of styles to practice and perfect, from the rousing gospel of ‘Raise Your Voice’ to the plaintive solo of ‘I Haven’t Got a Prayer’. A great musical achievement.

The Lighting Design by Tom Mowat was effective, with good use of overhead spots. Sound by Rob Kettridge was excellent: every word could be heard and the orchestra was very well balanced with the performers.

The set was impressively ecclesiastical and, considering the large number of slightly cumbersome scene changes, was well managed by the back stage crew.

I have been fortunate lately to see more than one amateur show where I have had no option but to give the most fulsome praise. This was one such: the liveliest and most beguiling production of this show I have seen. The whole theatre standing ovation confirmed that Matt and his team achieved something that was, well… simply Fabulous, Baby!

Much Ado About Nothing
Bear Left Theatre
Bonnington Theatre
July 19th 2019

This was another excellent production from this Theatre Company led by Sally Nix, who also directed the play, assisted by Richard Teasdale.
She had assembled an excellent professional and amateur cast who amazingly put this production together in only 6 days.
Ian Archdeacon was a lively and appealing Benedick who ably showed the transition from dedicated bachelor to ardent suitor in a most expressive and amusing performance. Rosanne Priest was a wonderful Beatrice, a beautiful delivery of lines in such a fluent and natural way that the character was completely engaging. The verbal sparring between the two was splendid and the physical comedy when they were hiding in the arbour was very well done.
Other excellent performances from Rachel Barry (Margaret/ Conrad), Charlie Clarke (Ursula/ Dogberry/ Francis), Philip Deakin (Borachio/Soldier), Garvin Gordon (Claudio/ Sexton), Adam Hodgson (Don Pedro/Watchman), Emma Palett (Hero/Watchman), Allan Rafferty (Don John/Watchman), Tom Silverton (Balthasar/Verges) and Richard Teasdale (Leonato/Watchman). The doubling up of parts was so well managed that it was never confusing, with some lovely changes of accent and delivery and effective costume tweaks.
The lighting was well designed and the use of sound effects and delightful background music was appropriate. The set was simple, but in combination with props was well used, especially when Beatrice and Benedick were hiding. The use of different entrances added interest and everything worked together to create far more in the audience’s mind than they could actually see; the magic of good theatre.
I particularly liked the good pace that this production moved at and there were no pauses between the scenes. Imaginative use of props added interest and personality – such as Benedick sporting a gaily coloured lollipop and Don John expressing his frustration via a cigarette that stubbornly refused to light.
The clever idea of a chaotic hen night to convey the confusion when the deception involving Hero takes place, worked well, as did including the audience in the wedding with an Order of Service. The comic relief of Dogberry and his watch was a highlight of the play; a beautifully observed group, who made the most of Shakespeare’s character comedy.
The fight routines (Action Combat) were also well arranged and performed. There were some very realistic punches and reactions to them: not as easy as it looked to make it convincing.
I think it’s worth repeating here that a great strength of this production was that it was very accessible for people like me, who often find Shakespeare difficult. I actually understood and enjoyed what was going on during those few days in a Cornish summer. The actors delivered their lines in a naturalistic way that makes sense to modern ears, and I believe some judicious pruning may have also aided clarity. The physicality of their performances helped enormously too, as the action was often explanatory and always engaging.
Bear Left Theatre has produced another memorable production and I look forward to their next one.
 

Saturday Night Fever
Theatre Royal
September 3rd 2019

This national tour exploded onto the stage of the Royal with great music, lighting, sound and a very powerful cast. The show is based on the 1997 film, which starred John Travolta, but is a newly conceived production, directed by Bill Kenwright.

It is about a 19 year old who wants to dance in the discos of the 1970’s, and has a great soundtrack of Bee Gee hits. This was very well delivered by the cast and a trio of talented singers who sang as Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, perched high on the metallic set. Their singing was excellent and sounded authentic.

I enjoyed listening to the many Bee Gee hits such as Stayin’Alive, Night Fever, Words, You Should Be Dancing, Jive Talkin’, More than a Woman, How Deep is Your Love and You Should be Dancing, to name just a few.

The show does suffer a little from a rather disjointed story, which was not very well developed. I understand that much of the back story in the film has not transferred to this stage version, so some detail is missing. However, this was compensated for by great singing, excellent dancing, fabulous Bee Gee songs and a great sounding band.

There were powerful performances from Richard Winsor as the dancing boy Tony, Olivia Fines as his love interest Stephanie and Natasha Firth as her rival, Annette.

The rest of the cast are also highly skilled and considering some tightness of space in the centre of the set, dance with exuberance. Although the story is set in the disco world of the 1970’s, there are a number of dance styles by choreographer Bill Deamer, including some balletic moves. This makes for a very exciting and enjoyable series of ensemble and whole cast dance numbers.

The composite set, along with some flying flats is very well used and scenes were changed quickly, enabling the show to keep a fast pace. The lighting is cleverly used to create a sense of place and mood and enhances the action.

The audience was very enthusiastic throughout the show and there was a standing (and dancing!) ovation that led into a megamix of songs at the end.

Fans of the Bee Gees will love this show, as will fans of great tunes, excellent singing and exciting dancing.

 

Carrie the Musical
Duchess Theatre
September 5th 2019

This production is a revamped contemporary version of the famous (and infamous) 1988 production, Carrie: The Musical. It follows a young woman with telekinetic powers who is an outcast at school, where she is bullied viciously for her differences, she is also lost at home, with a fervently religious mother whose love entraps and stifles her. When PE teacher Miss Gardner, kind classmate Sue Snell, and boyfriend Tommy Ross reach out to try and help Carrie, it seems that for once, Carrie might have a shot at being accepted. But Chris Hargensen, the class’s most vicious bully, has other ideas. Pushed to the brink, Carrie’s powers threaten to overwhelm her, and devour everyone around her in flames.

It sounds very heavy and dark, but in fact as a musical it works on a number of levels. Yes, it is spooky and mysterious at times but it is also has some very good songs which lift the mood as well as emotional ballads that add to the reflective atmosphere of the show. Thankfully, the story is less about the supernatural and more about the bullying and the religious fanaticism that leads to the horrific ending. The music and dancing smoothes out the rough edges a bit, making the subject matter more acceptable.

There are some excellent performances from the principal cast, particularly Anna McAuley(Carrie White) and Kathryn McAuley (Margaret White) who are outstanding. Anna has a lovely voice and effectively portrays Carrie as a lost soul throughout the show. Her duet with her mother ‘Eve was weak’ was amazing as was her solo ‘Carrie.’ Kathryn’s rendition of ‘When there’s no one’ was particularly moving. The relationship between the two of them is gripping and compelling.

There are also strong and convincing performances from Ruth Kniveton(Sue Snell), Andrew Bould (Tommy Ross), Lucy Castle(Chris Hargensen), Keenan Jones(Billy Nolan), Emma Collins (Miss Gardner), Adam Guest (Mr. Stephens).

In addition to the above there is a very hard working and dynamic ensemble (some with minor roles), who have a very important part in the story telling. They are Evie Burke, Sky Marsden, Emily Rebecca Owen, Jack Readyhoof, Matt McAuley, Rob McAuley, Rob Charles, Joe Loverock, Joe Morley. Their energy and involvement on stage is very impressive.

The choreography and movement by Matt Powell is excellent, with carefully plotted group and individual moves. The full cast dance numbers featuring the high school students provide some dazzling dancing of very high quality. The full ensemble scenes are filled with intensity and the confrontational bullying scenes are superb: they had the audience on the edge of their seats.

Lighting effects coordinated by Maureen Tierney are very effective and the use of colours such as shades of red added to the terror in some of the creepy scenes. The sound coordinated by Sean Renshaw was good throughout but the timing (twice) of the non existent door bell needs attention!!

The band conducted by the Musical Director, Charlotte Daniels sounds great and is just the right size and composition for the show and is very well balanced with the performers.

This is a very interesting and thought provoking piece of contemporary musical theatre which I really enjoyed. It is certainly not an easy piece of to produce and at times, to watch. It deals with bullying, the inability to accept people who are different, equality and love and concern; as such it is very relevant to today.

The Director/ Producer Ollie Turner has assembled a very talented cast and has succeeded in making what was once described as the worst musical ever on Broadway in to a very interesting, thought provoking and enjoyable production. It was no doubt a challenge for him and the cast but one they have taken on with commitment and enthusiasm, which is why I think it succeeds where it could have so easily failed.

 

Romeo and Juliet
Mathhew Bourne's New Directions
Theatre Royal, Nottingham.
October 2nd 2019

This re-telling of the well known story of frustrated young love from Matthew Bourne is, not surprisingly, very different. As a non ballet person I can quite honestly say this was a stunning version of a story that I have often found frustrating and boring. At no time this evening was I bored or frustrated. Instead I was thrilled by what was happening on stage.

To start with we were presented with a scintillating scene of white tiles and dancers also dressed in white. The cast were predominately youthful and there were powerful and athletic dancing in abundance. Often the the movements were rigid and staccato, fitting very well with the stirring music of Prokofiev.

I was mesmerised by the talented dancers on stage. There was never a moment when they were not choreographed.

I was not always quite sure what was happening in terms of the story, but nevertheless I was totally immersed in it. This is a very common thing with Bourne’s productions. He certainly pushed the artistic boundaries with this one. There were some erotic moments, but these were all done to quote Kenny Everett, “In the best possible taste.”

The Principal dancers were superb, as was the ensemble, both New Directions and local young dancers. Standing out for me were Paris Fitzpatrick as Romeo, Cordelia Braithwaite as Juliet, Dan Wright as The Guard and Harrison Dowzell as Benvolio (at some performances he takes the role of Romeo.) I was a great fan of Harrison's years ago, when he played Billy Elliot in London. He is also from Nottinghamshire and only joined New Directions this year.

Paris and Cordelia danced beautifully together and their duets were very emotional and full of love between the characters. Dan Wright was very menacing in his role as the Guard and even got some panto style boos during the bows at the end- which were accompanied by a standing ovation from many in in the packed theatre. Worthy of note as well were Danny Collins as Mercutio, Jackson Fisch as Balthasar and Daisy May Kemp who was superb as the visiting vicar, The Rev Bernadette Laurence. She was very excitable, manic and funny.

The live orchestra was superb conducted by Dan Jackson. Great to hear such a large and powerful orchestra.

The composite set was stunning and used frequently to enable the dancers to climb, leap and dance all over it. There are a number of entrances at stage level and higher. It was amazing how the cast sped around it, often at break neck speed. Honestly, the movement was breathtaking at times.

The production has a very short act 2, with what many may see as a rather unexpected ending (no spoiler here though).

The production also features a young cast taken from the local area. It was impossible to identify them from the New Directions cast as they were so good.

Tonight in Nottingham they were Megan Ferguson, Alistair Ferniew, Seirian Griffiths, Victoria Keal, Jaime Tank and Sea Tsubokura-Aguiriano.

The piece was beautifully danced, with vigour and youthful passion. It was full of insight and invention: a thrilling reworking of this tale of disappointment and sadness.

A Chorus of Disapproval
The Heanor Musical Theatre Company
The Woodlands School Theatre
October 10th, 2019

Alan Ayckbourn wrote this comedy for the 1984 summer season at his Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, where it opened on 2nd May. It was later given a National Theatre outing in 1985 starring Michael Gambon, then revived in the West End in 2012, starring Rob Brydon.

This is a cleverly plotted piece which combines an amateur performance of The Beggars Opera with the backstage shenanigans of the performers. Paul Mills played the main protagonist Guy Jones - who joins the Pendon Amateur Light Operatic Society to ease his loneliness - with just the right amount of bemused diffidence and a pleasantly cheerful willingness to please everyone he meets. He is unwittingly advanced through various roles in the Opera until he becomes the leading man, while somewhat accidentally conducting affairs with both the producer’s wife Hannah, and Fay, the village swinger. They were played delightfully and with contrast by Adela Green and Suzy Meeson.

Adela gave an intense and thoughtful performance with some pathos, but also lovely comedic touches; she has a beautiful voice, too. Suzy was a confident and sophisticated Fay, who made the absolute most of her comic highlights, especially when her offer of sex is mistaken by Guy as an offer of food. Both these female parts are written in a rather stereotyped way, especially viewed from a modern standpoint more than 30 years later, but Adela and Suzy worked hard to make them three dimensional and convincing.

Kyle Fearn’s performance as Daffyd Ap Llewellyn, the director, was a tour de force, an impressive Welsh accent combined with excellent comic timing and the sort of confident delivery and crisp diction that commands the stage. It’s a huge part and Kyle more than rose to the challenge, giving us an amusingly bombastic egotist who has a stream of caustic one liners, yet also a rather sad portrayal of an emotionally empty life.

All this group should be congratulated on their apparently word perfect delivery and clear diction, which coupled with some imaginative direction, made the production immersive and engaging. Using the whole theatre as the group’s rehearsal space made us feel we were there with them, yet changes of scene that took us to other locations were convincingly achieved, with clever set conversions and some very realistic sounds and props.

Ayckbourn loves his characters and gives them interesting personalities with marked foibles that must make them a delight to play. There was a splendidly judged performance from Alana Moran as the leery and intimidating Stage Manager Bridget, who delights in causing trouble, particularly with her nemesis Linda, played with studied angst by Katy Gaskin.

Other great characters are the surly but long suffering Ian Hubbard (Kheenan Jones) the tough two timer Crispin Usher (Jack Readyhoof), the bluff Northerner Jarvis Huntley Pike, his scheming wife Rebecca (Alan Lowe & Julia Harris) and the beleaguered Washbrooks, Linda’s parents (Roger Bode & Trish Church). All these parts include some lovely comic set pieces and were beautifully played and brought to life by the actors. Other parts were played by Dorothy Platts, Brett Waller, Lucy Stokes and Charlotte Swindells.

The incidental music from The Beggars Opera was very enjoyable and skilfully done, with a great performance on the piano from Musical Director Lisa Mills, in her cameo role as Mrs Ames. The final performance of the Opera gives the opportunity to draw parallels with the lives of the actors and was played straight, which was an admirable decision.

Although I found the play a little dated, I really enjoyed this production, which is a credit to HMTC, the director Ben Sherwin and the stage team of Chris Grantham (lighting), Lucy Young and Tom Lucking. The huge amount of work they must have put into perfecting the piece paid off; the audience laughter during the play and the appreciative comments afterwards, were well deserved.

A View from the Bridge
Four Blokes Theatre Company
Repton School Theatre
October 16th, 2019

A View from the Bridge by American playwright Arthur Miller opened in this version in the New Watergate theatre club in London's West End on October 11, 1956.

It is set in 1950s America, in an Italian American neighbourhood near the Brooklyn Bridge in New York and uses a narrator in the character of Alfieri, a New York Lawyer. It tells the story of Eddie, a tragic character who has an obsession with the life of Catherine, his wife Beatrice's orphaned niece, When they take in two Italian illegal immigrants he does not approve of her growing love for one of them, Rodolpho, who is also Beatrice’s cousin. As the drama proceeds towards an inevitable disaster for the family the relationships in the house break down and a number of feelings are unleashed.

The Fourblokes Company is a multi-Eagle Award winning theatre company in the East Midlands, putting on cutting edge drama, of which this play is a very good example. It’s a gripping and tightly written play that was so well performed last night it was always engrossing and fully engaging. I wasn’t in a theatre watching actors, I was witnessing the lives of the characters unfolding as they headed inexorably towards tragedy.

The dialogue is fast paced and events move quickly, but weighty pauses, potent background music and eventually, oppressive drumbeats, slow the action on stage down, almost unbearably. The atmosphere in the simple set, which has one central entry point, is claustrophobic: the parallel girders of the Bridge containing the action, the menace of the overhead Red Hook and the swirling mists of the dock, set a disturbing tone.

Feet are bare, maybe to show how the characters need to tread carefully, either within their relationships or in their community, and certainly adding to their vulnerability.

Excellent performances from all the cast, who simply lived their parts - hence my complete suspension of disbelief - plus great projection and clear diction, despite the strong native accents required.

Eddie Carbone (Toby Bradford) is the central protagonist, opinionated, prejudiced and obsessive, who is unable to stop himself pursuing a course of action that will lead to his downfall. My companion confessed to wanting to hit him, which is a tribute to Toby’s intense and visceral portrayal. The character has no redeeming features, but Toby’s interpretation of his inability to articulate or even understand his own motivations, is simply captivating.

Beatrice (Sandy Lane), Eddie’s wife, is careworn, faded and feeling unloved and this shows in her appearance: hair pulled back, drab olive and black clothes. Sandy’s excellent depiction also brilliantly captures Bea’s spirit and shrewd understanding of what drives Eddie, even though she is unable to change him.

Catherine (Lisa Ambalavanar), Eddie & Beatrice’s niece, is vibrant and carefree, although as the action progresses and she is forced to face up to what is happening, she becomes literally less colourful, careful and more distant. Lisa plays it perfectly, from the innocence of the unwittingly sexually charged exchanges with Eddie to the more mature and self aware scenes with both him and Rodolpho.

Marco (Adam Guest) and Rodolpho (Joshua C Sly) are the catalysts for the tragic action of the play and the contrast between the two is well drawn. Adam’s Marco is solid and dependable, shown in his measured delivery and deliberate movements. This makes his steely show of strength, followed by a fiery defence of his family’s honour, even more shocking.

Rodolpho is a somewhat underwritten and ambiguous character, leaving the actor to make choices about his motivations. Joshua plays him as endearingly enthusiastic, warm and friendly, with a youthful inability to commit properly to anything but staying in America. He provides light relief, not just for his fellow dock workers, but for the audience: Joshua’s portrayal adds some light to the shade of the tragedy.

The ‘fourth wall’ is frequently broken in this play, by Alfieri (Mik Horvath), a lawyer who acts as a narrator, introducing each scene and attempting to explain, with anguish, why things are happening. It’s a testament to both the playwright and the talent of Mik that this adds to the realism rather than detracting from it. Mik has an impressive Brooklyn accent and keeps the audience gripped by both his expositions of Italian mores and his occasional barefoot appearances in the action on stage, attempting to stall Eddie’s destruction.

Other parts are played by Jason Parker as the lively and observant longshoreman Louis and Lou Jenkins as a steely and uncompromising Immigration Officer.

This was a brilliant production of a professional standard that I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated. Great praise goes to the vision of the director, Barry Taylor, especially for the riveting denouement, Jamie Vella for his atmospheric sound and clever lighting, Joe Bancroft for the most effective set, and to the rest of the creative team.

 

Oh What a Lovely War
Ilkeston Studio Players
Kirk Hallam Community Academy
November 3rd 2019

Oh What a Lovely War is a musical developed by Joan Littlewood at the Theatre Workshop in 1963. It is a satire on World War I, and by extension on war in general. The title is derived from the satirical Music Hall song "Oh! It's a Lovely War!", which is one of the major numbers in the production.

This was the first time I have seen this local Theatre Group, which is actually 73 years old this month. I have to say that I was very impressed.

Congratulations to the large and mostly young cast, who provided a very entertaining and thought provoking evening. At the beginning they invited the audience to become part of the proceedings: it’s brave to address an audience at the very start of a play, lights up, no place to hide, telling us that our reaction to ‘songs, a few battles and some jokes’ is required. But it made us sit up and take notice and become fully immersed in what followed, even joining in enthusiastically with responses and songs. It reminded us that this is our story too and that we could all identify with what was happening in the drama.

The striking red and white striped costumes worn by all the cast were evocative of long summer days of Edwardian boating, a romanticised image that was to be quickly shattered by the horrors of the war that started on a hot day in August, 1914. The red became that of bloodshed, as the stark and shocking military statistics projected on a screen reminded us: 300,000 killed in one month, 850,000 killed by the end of 1914, an overall total of 10 million dead.

This production wasn’t just about the appalling facts though, it was about everyday life, thoughts and feelings, all so well portrayed by the cast, through a series of sketches and the catchy musical hall songs of the time. Very much an ensemble piece, they gave us groups of ordinary people, politicians and soldiers who were initially optimistic about the war and fully confident of victory. Some lovely set pieces told the story and these were perfectly performed: not a word wrong or a step out of place, they looked and sounded great. Clever direction sometimes split the action between home and away, which was very powerful.

Individuals were given a chance to shine: there were some lovely characterisations of foreign leaders (great accents!), bluff army commanders, bemused factory workers and embattled soldiers, as well as beautifully performed solo recitations and songs. The MC did a splendid job in both involving the audience and narrating some of the action. It was particularly touching to see young people so immersed in the history, telling it so well and with such feeling. A finely played scene between the Tommies and the Jerries in the trenches at Christmas, was both amusing and poignant.

The jaunty optimism and innocence of the songs becomes less as the reality of the war becomes clearer and the losses even more incomprehensible. It was noticeable that applause after these later, more wistful pieces, dropped away: simply because it no longer felt appropriate. The show’s programme reminds us of local losses during 1914-18 and that, although the piece satirically highlights the tragedy of war, it doesn’t diminish the bravery and sacrifice of individuals.

A huge well done to all involved in this production, I was truly moved and very impressed with the quality of the performances. The music was first class and a joy to listen to, even in such a sobering context. The lighting really enhanced the action, changed the mood when required and added to the overall impact. A lot of research and rehearsal must have gone into both directing and performing - the result was certainly worth it. Many thanks; I look forward to your next production.

The cast was: Courtney Bowles, Victoria Langord, Julia Tilley, Sophie Tilley, Christopher Dunford, Tom Hopkins, Matt Hindes, Emily Pritchett, Tori Parsons, Elise Hughes, Harriet Lee, Cerys Martin, Maisie Batley, Callie Baines, Kalma Stevenson-Harris, Carliah Stevenson-Harris, Liam Harkin, Joanne Garlinge, Joanne Raven, Evie Smith, Katie Hoft, Kirsty Gregory, Rosie Harris, Chris Blundell, Jack Bailie, Jesper Alm, Dave Brown.

West Side Story
The Minster School Music Department
November 27th, 2019

This production of West Side Story at the Minster School in Southwell last night was simply fantastic and one of the best amateur or youth productions I have seen. The whole cast showed great commitment and tremendous talent.

There was wonderful singing with powerful and well executed dancing. Numbers like America, Dance at the Gym, The Jet Song and the Rumble were awesome, a word I don’t use often. Part of the magic of this production for me was that it was teenagers playing the parts of teenagers, which gave it a realistic feel and a very moving emotional depth. Although set in the 1950's, the themes of racism, displacement and gang warfare are sadly still relevant today, something which must have resonated with all involved. The story is loosely based on Romeo and Juliet, the star-crossed lovers, and the beauty and sadness of love transcending hate was intensely and sensitively portrayed.

The whole cast was impressive and very committed to telling this powerful story in music and dance. I particularly liked the ballet/dream scene which can seem dated and too stylised: this one was beautifully choreographed and performed with such energy and grace; it was very moving. The whole cast rendition of "Tonight" was thrilling, exciting and again, wonderfully choreographed.

The direction of the whole performance was tight, hitting the audience so hard with glorious tunes, dynamic dancing, fast paced action and a very moving love story. Wow, did they do this musical justice!

The main parts were played extremely well tonight by Zakarie Stokes: a fine portrayal of an earnest and compelling Tony; Ella Morelle as a sweet but determined Maria, a beautifully sung and very well acted performance; Betsey Bircumshaw as an entirely convincing Anita, a really impressive all round performance; Isaac Osbon as the menacing Riff, a very powerful characterisation, and Louis Dobson as a finely tuned Bernado, tough but some hints of vulnerability: perfect.

I was sitting on the front row and was totally and emotionally involved throughout. I certainly felt the energy and aggression from the two gangs:the intensity of their performances was almost frightening. Off stage I am sure they are very nice people! There were also many poignant moments between Tony and Maria and I was impressed at the professionalism of the two young actors, completely committed to portraying the intensity of the relationship. Their duets were excellent; tears in their eyes - and in mine- at times.

The Jet boys and girls and the Sharks boys and girls (from Team Mambo tonight) were superb and they had all obviously worked very hard on their characterisations and voice projection. I could see the little mannerisms each had adopted to become the character and was impressed by how completely they sustained those characterisations. The freezing of a gaze between partners, which was required in one scene, is hard to maintain and they did it perfectly.

The girls made the most of the well known and well loved America, which they performed beautifully and the boys were a great hit with the very cleverly choreographed and amusing Gee, Officer Krupke.

The orchestra, which was comprised of students and outside musicians, was excellent and the sound balance between performers and the band was perfect. The Musical Director, Marie-Helene Bilodeau and Mrs Smith must have worked very hard with the cast and the band to produce such high-quality musical performances.

The lighting was atmospheric and effectively used to highlight the action and the sound was spot on. I heard every word that was sung or spoken and even heard parts of dialogue I have never heard before!

The simple and appropriately stark two level set was ideal for the show and allowed the cast plenty of room to move and dance with freedom. Scene changes were very fast and almost always invisible.

The production team comprising of Andrea Chapman, Marie-Helene Bilodeau, Dan Brown, Mrs Donovan, Mrs Wallis-Windle and Miss Fell have produced a professional looking show which has brought out the very best of the young performers. I would also like to commend the technical and stage team for a very polished production. I agree with what it says in the programme where it says "Mr Gibson has pushed the staging, and lighting limits of our theatre to its max!" He certainly did and it all paid off.

I am sure many of those I saw or heard tonight will have a future in performance, be it professionally or on the thriving amateur scene we have in the East Midlands; they will be a huge asset.

I loved the whole show and am in awe of what was achieved by this young cast and the staff of The Minster School Music Department and in just 8 weeks! The School Motto is "Succeeding Together - Wisdom, Optimism, Resilience, Kindness and Service." Well, there was all that in abundance on stage last night.

Richard II
Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company
Shakespeare House,
Derby,
December 5th 2019

“This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle… This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.” Richard II Act 2 Scene 1

The Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company is one of the oldest ones in the country having been formed in 1908. They have a reputation as an amateur group with professional standards. I am delighted to say that tonight’s production of Richard II proved that is most certainly the case.

Shakespeare is believed to have written the play in approximately 1595. It is based on the life of the King who ruled from 1377 to 1399 and is the first part of four plays followed by three plays concerning Richard's successors: Henry IV parts 1 and 2 and Henry V. Although the Folio edition (1623) of Shakespeare's works lists the play as a history play, the earlier edition of 1597 calls it The tragedie of King Richard the second. The play spans only the last two years of Richard's life, from 1398 to 1400.

Congratulations to all involved in this thoroughly engrossing and beautifully performed production. The play is a study of kingship and an examination of the turbulent times that led to the Wars of the Roses; it is intense, atmospheric, moving and lyrical. Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company bring all this out in spades and above all, they make it completely accessible to the audience. Delivery of lines is so clear and meaningfully expressed and characterisation so compelling, that it is always easy to follow. It is obvious that the director and actors have studied the text in depth and extracted every last bit of meaning out of it, which they convey with huge conviction throughout their performances.

The intimate theatre space at Shakespeare House is perfect for this play, which the group have chosen to set wholly in a garden, recognising the motif of England as ‘a blessed plot’. Richard’s monarchy is expressed as the seasons, which are beautifully created by leaf prints in four colour hues on the floor, echoed in the lovely flower beds and complemented by hanging garlands. Birdsong, other varied musical effects and the clever flooding of light occasionally, complete the atmosphere of intensity. The audience are visitors to the garden, drawn in close, intrigued bystanders to the action.

James Dean is a thoughtful and intense Richard, a King so self-possessed and convinced of his divine right that he dismisses advice and makes bad decisions. His growing reflectiveness and awareness of the demands of kingship are sensitively portrayed, especially when he is stripped of his crown. James delivers the poetry of Richard’s lines perfectly, always maintaining a steely regal quality, yet equally showing passion, anger and humour. His final soliloquy, one of many beautifully written and finely delivered speeches, is very moving.

Richard Davy is the more pragmatic Bolingbroke, driven by a desire to serve and only provoked to rebellion by the death of his father and the urging of his peers. Richard captures this character completely and is another actor who is totally at home with Shakespeare’s verse. His clear diction and expression are a pleasure to listen to.

Gender blind casting can be a challenge for an audience, as we are asked to shift our perception and perhaps change our expectations. No problem here with the excellent performances of John of Gaunt (Jenny Earl), the Duke of York (Niki Caister) and Aumerle (Brogan Piggot). All nailed their characterisations and were completely convincing: we saw and heard the character, so gender became irrelevant. The well known and affecting soliloquy that refers to ‘This royal throne of kings, this sceptre’d isle’ was beautifully delivered by Jenny; a tribute to the glorious writing.

Other parts were played by Abbie Evans, Christine Smith, Mo Pickering-Symes, Christine Smith, Craig Campbell, Will Gough, David Dunford, Martin Weston, Alex Wrampling, Edward Pickering-Symes, Danny Duder, Irene Button & James Brereton. Some special moments from many of these actors.

Well done to all the cast and the production team, who must have worked extremely hard and with passion to produce a play of this quality. It was not just the acting and overall production values that impressed, but the little directorial touches, such as the vocal response of the court to events and the excellent handling of the humour in the piece, which is often overlooked.

 

"Aladdin"
Nottingham Arts Theatre and Amanda Hall Productions
December 11th 2019

Once again the Arts Theatre and Amanda Hall have produced a great Pantomime. This year it was Aladdin and for the first time I have sat in the theatre’s new, comfy seats. Very nice they are too! They made being transported into the colourful world of old Peking even more enjoyable.

I really enjoyed seeing a very traditional version of my favourite Panto written by Amanda Hall, assisted by Matt Wesson - the king and queen of so many local stage productions.

There were great performances from Matthew Wesson as the delightfully fulsome Widow Twankey; Danielle Hall as a thigh slapping Aladdin (she also choreographed some fantastic dance routines); Patrick McChrystal as an engaging Wishee Washee; Cliff Hart as the deliciously evil Abanazar; Mike Pearson as a compelling Genie Of The Lamp (what a great accent!); Mike Newbold as the genial Emperor Mei; Stacey Ireson as the playful So Shi; Lauren Stephenson as a charming but spirited Princess Jasmine and Lizzie Fenner as a lively Spirit Of The Ring. Well rehearsed, word perfect delivery and great characterisations.

Playing the comedy roles of Chinese policemen Ying and Yang very well were Joseph Smith and Laura Ellis (Kimberley Allsopp also played the role of Yang in some performances).

As expected the standard of singing was very high from the whole cast under the expert baton of Sam Griffiths.

The youth ensemble were charming and the adult ensemble terrific, both dancing up a storm, full of enthusiasm and fun, which is lovely to see.

The Sound Design by Rob Kettridge and the Lighting Design by Oliver Read were perfect. I particularly liked the sound effects and the fact I could hear everything that was spoken or sung.

Amanda Hall directed the show with her usual flair, ensuring that everything moved with pace and that there was plenty of action for the younger ones and plenty of clever word play for the adults. This was complemented by swift scene changes and creative use of the lighting.

There was an impressive end of the First Act (no spoilers here) and I particularly liked the ensemble opening of Act 2. In fact, when Amanda had the large cast performing together it was quite wonderful and the stage did not look crowded, despite the numbers.

The script was well written, telling the story with a large dose of the usual dubious, but fun panto jokes and the references we have come to expect and love so much. There were many new ones as well, keeping it fresh and relevant.

The Production Team of Amanda Hall (Director, Writer and set co designer), Matt Wesson co-writer, Chris Brawn (co-set designer) and producer Mike Pearson should all be very proud of the result, which was much appreciated by the audience.

I have always enjoyed Amanda’s pantos at the Arts Theatre and this one has been no exception. Next year will soon come round and I believe it is Snow White: roll on next Christmas.

 

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