"Kiss Me Kate" by West Bridgford Operatic Society.

Squire Performing Arts Centre, Nottingham.

The plot, if you've never seen this musical before, is a clever one: divorced Broadway stars Fred Graham (Petruchio) and Lilli Vanessi (Katherine) are opening their production of "The Taming of the Shrew" in 1950s Baltimore. Backstage tensions overspill into on-stage action with romantic misunderstandings between Fred, the soon-to-be-remarried Lilli and their young co-star Lois Lane, playing Catherine's younger sister, Bianca. Added to this Lois' boyfriend Bill, also in the show playing Lucentio, has signed an IOU for his gambling debts to Mr Hogan, the local mafia don, causing his collectors to pay the theatre a visit - eventually ending up as part of the show.

Cole Porter is one of my favourite songwriters and injects so much humour into his songs and this musical is a perfect vehicle for his work. Many of these songs are standards and have been recorded by many international stars. Hearing them in the context of this musical gives a lot of them new meaning. They are jazzy, bluesy and have a few naughty connotations - just listen to "Tom, Dick Or Harry". His lyrics are very clever - how long must it have taken him to write "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" where he deliberately bends the words to fit what he wants it to say. He plays with words, often giving the singer a tongue twister just for fun - "I've Come To Wive It Wealthily In Padua" or "Where Is The Life That Late I Led".  And then there are the standards like "Always True To You" and "So In Love", "Too Darn Hot", Oh, and then there is "I Hate Men", pure brilliance.

There is just one thing that this productions needs; that is a National tour or a West End Stage, befitting of the quality of this show and performance. I haven't seen a production of "Kiss Me Kate" this brilliant in a very long time.

The opening set is a bare stage with a ghost light central; if you don't know what a "ghost light" is, it's a single bulb on a stand that is left glowing when the theatre is closed. . Used for both safety and superstition, it prevents staff from tripping into orchestra pits or over props in the dark, while tradition suggests it keeps resident ghosts happy and allows them to perform. I love theatre superstition.

Drew Dennis is Fred Graham (Petruccio), the ex of Lilli Vanessi. I've seen so many of this cast in other productions, so as a reviewer, you know the quality of the cast and what to expect. Drew is a quality performer with incredible vocal ability; a vocal strength that materialises with such ease, making you feel that you're listening to an operatic piece. The perfect choice of a leading man because he is playful with the character, at times seemingly letting the audience into a boyish prank of joke, especially with the scenes with Lilli.

Louise Grantham-Lang is Lilli Vanessi (Katharine) and the perfect foil for Fred. A wonderful comedy performance and what a voice. Cole Porter wrote some incredible pieces for Lilli with some big notes, and Louise hit the notes with the same ease as Drew did with his. There are a few scenes where Lilli has to slap Fred and from where I was sitting you could hear those slaps very clearly as they connected. 

Steph Jones plays Lois Lane (Bianca), the quintessential airhead who often relies on her womanly wiles to get what she wants, from practically all of the male characters. So many highlights, as with everyone in the show, but the powerhouse version of "Always True To You In My Fashion" just sends tingles just about everywhere.

Richard Ives is Bill Calhoun (Lucentio), a ne’er-do-well actor who has a bit of a gambling problem, which is the reason why Fred has the two debt collectors on his back throughout the show. Bill also has the eye for Lois. If only he's behave himself!

Chris Heeley is Paul, Fred's personal dresser. The opening of Act two is the song "Too Darn Hot", which Chris performs with a big ensemble and another one of my highlights; you can't beat a big, flashy opening and that's what we got for the start of the second act. Loved the arrangement of this song, and another vocalist who took all the big notes easily in his stride.

Sam Parfitt is Hattie, Lilli Vanessi’s personal dresser and confidante. 

Tom Parry is The First Man, half of the debt collecting duo. Alasdair Maughan is The Second Man, he’s the First Man’s shadow - especially when it comes to IOU’s that ain’t been paid! I love this duo and I love their song "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" with Porter's perpetually perfect wordplay. There are shadows of music hall in "Kiss Me Kate" and this song reflects this era, especially with the gradual increase of upmarket ness culminating in top hat and canes.

Martin Thomas is Senator Harrison Howell, the secret fiancé of Lilli's who turns up in act two to rescue her from beatings from Fred, well that's what Lilli claims anyway.

Julie Fowler is Harri (Baptista), Malcolm Cocking (Ralph, the Stage manager), Tim Biller (Stage Doorman/Priest/Ensemble), Katie Walker-Bogod (Dance Captain/Haberdasher/Stagehand), Jarrod Makin (Grumio/Ensemble), Christopher Collins (Hortensio/Ensemble). Keith Harrington (Nathaniel/Stagehand), Anne McCarroll (Gregory/Stagehand/Ensemble). Becky Birch (Phillipa/Stagehand/Ensemble), Alice Rainford (Nurse/Stagehand/Ensemble). Clive Marner (Doctor/Stagehand/Ensemble), Jill Hemington (Wardrobe Mistress/Ensemble) and Helen Heeley (Cab Driver/Ensemble).

Then we come to the Dancers who consist of Ali Biller, Penny Gale, Asta Knight, Orla McMahon and Katie Waller-Bogod. With the energy in these routines, you can guarantee that this team have no need of gym sessions, and they do all this with the biggest smiles on their faces!

As you can imagine, with a musical that has a show within a show for the main show, there are plenty of ensemble roles, all of which deserve a mention. After all, where would we be without the talented ensemble? 

Apart from those listed above as "Ensemble", here are the rest of the Ensemble.....Judy Atkin, Adrian Baldwick, Bill Cooper, David Gyles, Diana Ives, Carl Rushworth and Wendy Silver.

Directed by Linda Croston. This is a role that takes up so much time, even before the cast are picked the Director is working their way through the book, and that work doesn't really stop until after opening night, so this is a massive job; after all a show and its' cast is only as good as the Director, so I can just sum up Linda's work by saying that this cast and the show was incredible in all areas.

Choreographed by Shannon O'Donnell. This is a proper old school musical, a classic, and that is also reflected in the choreography. The big numbers were just that; BIG! The smaller dance routines were magic. The choreography showed just why this show is deemed a classic, and why this production is a massive success.

Musical Director is Jonah Williams, who at times was involved as a minor cast member. I must say, and I told Linda after the show, that this band were incredible. This band could swing and sounded as if they had been playing together professionally for ever. The sound was just gorgeous, but I must give a special mention to Richard Dry as the percussionist. It's a wonder there's any skin left on those drums, and if I didn't have a good view of this section of the band, I would have sworn that Animal from the Muppets had been let loose on them. Possibly one of the tightest bands I've heard in a while. 

I imagine that Jonah may also had leant a hand, and maybe even an ear, with the vocals throughout the cast. I have already mentioned that these vocals in the show are out of this world. I know that the word "operatic" is in the name of the group, but to hear these classic songs sung just the way I imagine Cole Porter had meant them to sound was an absolute joy, especially the songs with that music hall slant such as "Shakespeare" and a song that Petruchio sings "Where Is the Life I Late Had Led" - another example of Porter's brilliant wordplay twisters.

Costumes by Amy Thomas and the Lace Market Theatre Wardrobe department.

Set Hire is from Roydon Charlesworth with the set painting by Guy Evans.

Lighting by the team from Squire Performing Arts Centre. I have come to expect this area to be excellent, and I can confirm that my expectations were yet again met.

Sound by Rob Kettridge. I could hear every word that was spoken or sung, partly because Rob knows exactly what he is doing around a sound mix desk. Plus Squire Performing Arts Centre have acoustics that every theatre would die for. The sound was big and bouncy. but also with the ballads such as "So In Love" the volume was perfectly blended with the actors' vocals creating a lovely sensitive mix.

Stage Manager is Matt Allcock with Deputy Stage manager being Nigel Newton. Two legends of stage management, locally.

It's been a busy week for me this last week, which is why I could only get to see this practically perfect performance on Friday night, but I would not have missed the chance to see West Bridgford Operatic Society's latest show with their all round excellent cast. What a way to go into the weekend!

"Kiss Me Kate" is simply wunderbar, so don't miss out, it's two shows for the price of one and all at the same time! It's at the Squire Performing Arts Centre in Nottingham until Saturday 21 February.