"Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World"

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

Based on the Kate Pankhurst "Fantastically Great" set of books of the same name.

Jade is on a museum tour with her school, but breaks away from the class, her teachers Miss Morris, Miss Johnson, Miss Richards and Miss Ashley, and gets lost. She discovers a section that is not open to the public called the "Gallery Of Greatness" where she meets the likes of Emmeline Pankhurst, Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart and Marie Curie among the collection of historical and powerful women.

First off I need to say that these ladies vocals sound so good; whether they be solos or group numbers, they're all fantastically great vocalists.

I discovered why this show sounds so much like the musical "Six", and that is because one of the show's producers is Kenny Wax, who is responsible for "Six". That said, I think that you'll get the idea of the musical style. It's modern, there's rap, hip hop and r 'n' b, and a gorgeous ballad called "Lullaby".

Jade is played by Georgia Grant-Anderson. Now I don't know how old Georgis is but she makes you believe that she is eleven, nearly twelve years old, in this role. She also makes you believe that she is one of those kids that fly under the radar of the elders and is ignored, making Jade feel that she is not important. 

Emmeline Pankhurst, Agent Fifi and Miss Johnson are played by Jennifer Caldwell.

Elena Breshchi plays Frida Khalo, Sacagawea, who uses sign language as part of her story telling, Marie Curie and Miss Morris.

Jane Austen, Gertrude Ederle, Mary Anning and Miss Richards are played by Chloe Hart.

Amelia Earhart, Mary Seacole, Rosa Parks and Miss Ashley are played by Leah Vassell.

If only my history lessons at school were as entertaining as this trip down history avenue. A lesson that highlights just how terrible these women were treated, and how they were held back by their male counterparts.

Directed by Amy Hodge, I love theatre that entertains and educates me, and these stories need to be told. I knew some of the stories as I've seen a musical called "Fierce" created by a local theatre group who told the stories of Kahlo and Anning plus several other women in the same situation. It's not until you see productions like this that you realise the barriers that have been put in the way of so many fantastically great women in history; some only just getting the recognition that they deserve. The idea of putting a schoolgirl at the heart of discovering these female icons, showing that women can be as vital to creating the world and making history is inspired.

The set and costume design are by Joanna Scotcher, both areas are like being trapped in a 19080's/1990's time warp with so many florescent colours, the set made up of a multitude of giant glowsticks, and the costumes just as glowing. If the music and choreography didn't make you glow, the costumes and set would.

Dannielle Lecointe's choreography is just as exciting as the set and costumes; packed with energy and passion.

Lighting design is by Zoe Spurr, assisted by James Stokes. There's not much more that could light up the stage than the actors with their energy, but the physical lighting design took me back to a concert I saw back in the early 1980's by Gary Numan. The long lighting tubes which created cubes for the three musicians to perform in are marvellous, as were the various shapes of light, and the giant G.R.E.A.T. letters at the end, which also paid tribute to another fantastically great woman when re arranged as G.R.E.T.A.

The sound design is by Carolyn Downing and Rob Bettle. Beautifully clear and punchy, I heard every word, which is vital to deliver the stories for these women.

Musical Director is Audra Cramer. I had listened to this soundtrack and loved the stories in the songs, delivered in such a contemporary way. As I said, there will be comparisons drawn between the musical "Six" and possibly a few songs in "Hamilton". Miranda Cooper and Jennifer Decilveo are responsible for this soundtrack, and Audra delivered these songs and arrangements with gusto. The songs are catchy as hell, and just when I think I've got a current soundtrack favourite, along comes another to invade my ear. FYI, at the moment it's "Mary, Mary and Marie" but ask me in ten minutes and it could change!

"Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 16 March. Go on, go see it and be inspired.