"THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST"
by The Burton Joyce Players​

I'd forgotten how short this Oscar Wilde classic is, just a smidgeon over two hours long with two fifteen minutes breaks, but boy does the time fly in this wonderful comedy about etiquette,deception and trivialising institutions such as marriage.

Wilde wrote some wonderful lines in this play; classics like “If I am occasionally a little over-dressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.” and "To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness. " and so many other classics. It's lines like these which show what a classic writer of comedy Wilde was and that is why this play is wonderfully funny.

One thing that sets this production aside from others I've seen in the past is that it is a totally cross gendered version of the play, and while at the start could be misconstrued as being a little on the "Little Britain" side of comedy, you actually forget that there are men dressed as women and vice versa and you just accept the wonderful characters as being who they are supposed to be. A clever turn of events on the part of the director Patrick McDonough.

A talented group of actors deliver an almost faultless performance. Mia Tink (Algernon), Sally Panter (Jack) are the friends who set out to deceive the objects of their affections Gwendoline (Chris Mercer) and Cecily (Adam Miller), both wonderful roles which, although the opportunity to take the ladies over the top was there, there was no need because the comedy was already there in the characters themselves. Jack also has invented a "friend" named Bunbury who lives in the country, whom he can "visit" whenever he wishes to avoid an unwelcome social obligation

Lady Bracknell, the Maggie Smith of the Victoriana, was an absolute dream to watch in the hands, heels and frock of Gavin Alston​. Always aloof with a cutting remark. The scene where Lady Bracknell quizzes Jack on his intentions towards Gwendolen is just perfect, as are all the scenes with the Lady in.

The rest of the cast were David Page (Lane), Alistair Dobb (Miss Prism), Deborah Craddock (Dr Chasuble) and Linda Burgin (Merriman).

Classy set design and wonderful wardrobe by Jenny Harwood made the play very easy to watch and to transport yourself back to the decadence of Victorian Britain. Nice clear sound by Ben Woolley and with lighting by Ryan Holmes, this is one play that has all the elements for a really enjoyable evening out.

"The Importance Of Being Earnest" is on at Burton Joyce Village Hall until Saturday 2 May 2015

"BEAUTIFUL THING" by Jonathan Harvey
Nottingham Playhouse​

Beautiful Thing is one play that everyone should be made to watch. it is beautifully written and beautifully presented tonight. It's the story of two young people who fall in love, the emotions they go through at the start, the secrets they keep, the excitement and the pain, and the only thing that sets this love affair apart from many others is that the two young people just happen to be two young men.

It's a play that has a hell of a lot of humour and humanity, packed with emotion which will have you choked up one minute only to find yourself laughing at the next. It is a wonderful snapshot of life, even though it is set in the 90's, the decade is of no importance because love conquers all. It always has and it always will, no matter what.

Jamie and Ste are next door neighbours who have been friends through childhood. Jamie is not in the slightest bit interested in sport and would rather hang out with Leah, his other neighbour, or chat about Cagney & Lacey, Ste is the sports mad keep fit lad who is being knocked about by his alcoholic father who then beats him. It is because of this treatment that finds Ste and Jamie's attraction brought to light.

Jamie is the one who takes the lead in initiating the relationship, unafraid of being called a "queer",but terrified when his mum finds out what has been happening. Jamie is played sensitively and emotionally by Sam Jackson, who you may recognise from the excellent series "Skins".

Ste is at first reluctant to Jamie's advances, and is in denial over his emotions, again terrified of what everyone will think of him but more than that terrified of his father finding out what has been going off in case he receives another beating, or worse! Another emotion packed performance from Thomas Law. There is a wonderful scene near the end where he discovers that Jamie's mum, Sandra, knows of the relationship and real panic sets in with Ste physically shaking at the discovery.

Leah is the young neighbour who idolises Mama Cass who provides the soundtrack to the play, and is wonderfully played by Vanessa Babirye. Full of vigour but,a s with the other two characters an outcast in her own way. Not only is she black but she likes Mama Cass' music and has been kicked out of school, so she has plenty of time to hang out with Jamie.

Sandra's boyfriend is a wonderful comedy distraction but has a non judgemental, steadying and mature head on his shoulders. Gerard McCarthy plays the playful and loyal Tony who has really fallen for Jamie's mum.

Every character is believable and lovable and that's the same for Sandra, played by Charlie Brooks​. A far cry from her Janine Eastender days, Sandra is a confident character who tries to get Jamie more involved in sports and is worried that he is hanging out too much with Leah and feels her to be a bad influence on her son. She is brash, loud but with a heart of 24 carat. It was great to see the emotional turn round when she confronts Jamie about his visit to a gay pub which brought out Sandra's protective mothering side, something that had not been shown prior to the stunning revelation.

Even though the play is set over 25 years ago, gay men and women are still the subject of derision and physical and mental attacks and in some countries homosexuality is punishable by death even today! This play shows the emotional, normal, loving side of two people who find the other attractive. It is a tender depiction of two people who love each other and just strive to be accepted by others as just any other loving couple.

The action is all contained inside a simple set of three doors with an urban effect background which envelopes the central area used as Jamie's bedroom, and a clever bed which took me a couple of minutes to work out how it appeared and disappeared. Cleverly designed by Colin Richmond.

There is a very realistically choreographed fight scene with Sandra and Jamie, and I do pity Sam because if Charlie whacks him like she did tonight, every night on stage, he'd need make up to cover up the bruises. This is just one of the quite shocking and highly emotive scenes.

I can't recommend this wonderful, tender, funny and emotional play enough. All five actors give their absolute all, and when that happens, something magical happens and that is why I love the theatre so much.

"Beautiful Thing", the title says it all, can be seen at the Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 9 May 2015, but if you miss it here, it's at the Curve Theatre in Leicester at the end of May.

"OKLAHOMA"
Nottingham Theatre Royal

"Oklahoma" tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance with farm girl Laurey Williams. A secondary romance concerns cowboy Will Parker and his flirtatious fiancée, Ado Annie. There's a "box social dance" that night, which includes an auction of lunch baskets prepared by the local girls to raise funds for a schoolhouse. The man who wins each basket will eat the lunch with the girl who prepared it. Curly asks Laurey to go with him, but she refuses, feeling that Curly has waited too long. Laurey accepts the invitation of the hired hand, Jud Fry, but Jud is not the man she wants to be with.

Aunt Eller, Laurey's aunt, was played by Belinda Lang, of "2.4 Children" fame, and what a lovely performance she put in, full of character and Southern warmth, fiesty and wily but knowing what's what with Curly and Laurey.

Ali Hakim, the peddler,was played by Gary Wilmot. To me Gary didn't really bring an awful lot to the musical, but while Ali is not a major major character, he is essential to the plot,and it kind of felt that Gary was drafted in to be another well known name on the cast list. No offence to Gary because what he did, he did well.

The opportunity to have a "big name" in the lead male and female roles was not taken in this production, and I for one did not miss a named pair as Laurey and Curly because Charlotte Wakefield and Ashley Day, respectively were very well cast in the leads. they were both charming, playful and cheeky with Ashley's voice maybe just pipping Charlotte's to the post of being the voice of the evening. So easy to listen to and he made it seem so effortless.

All vocals were of the highest standard and Nic Greenshields (Jud Fry) also has a really strong voice, What I thought was really good was that Nic is so much taller than Ashley which meant that when Jud intimidated Curly, he really did look like he was doing just that. You could sense the tenseness between these two characters with his overbearing, shadowy, dark character.

James O Connell (Will Parker) and Lucy May Barker (Ado Annie) were a lovely, nay "purdy" pairing and again very character driven performances by both actors with some lovely comedic pieces.

The choreography was by Drew McOnie and was just stunning and full of energy, I was out of breath just watching them promenade and two step all over the stage.

One piece of choreography which I thought could have been done slightly better was the fight choreography between Jud and Curly when Jud was killed by his own knife. I just didn't believe it, and it looked too staged.

The sets were just brilliant though, designed by Francis O Connor who also designed the costumes. These were gorgeous for the women and you can't go wrong with a pair of leather chaps on a cowboy now can you?

Rodgers & Hammerstein wrote some classic songs for this musical. Catchy and memorable songs like "People Will Say We're In Love", "Surrey With The Fringe On Top", "Oh What A Beautiful Morning", "I Cain't Say No", "The Farmer & The Cowman" and of course the title song. All sounding wonderful played by the orchestra under the musical direction of Stephen Ridley.

"Oklahoma" is such a feel good musical which will surely put a broad smile on your face in and outside the theatre. You can see this heart warming musical at the Nottingham theatre royal until Saturday 2 May 2015

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM by the Nottingham New Theatre and Lakeside
Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside.

SPOILER ALERT*** I am about to gush!!

This is probably the most amazing production of one of Stratford Bill's works I have ever seen. It is one of Shakespeare's best loved and widely performed comedies, and in the hands of Martin Berry as director, it is even more fun. Knowing Martin quite well as a director I expected that he would create something just a little different and boy was I in for a surprise.

I've previously said that I can take or leave updated versions of Shakespeare's works, but this is one that I will take and take and keep taking because I just loved everything about this wonderful piece of work.

The forest is a magical place where strange and wonderful magic is done. Magic that can turn a person into an animal and can change the perception and mind of a person to make them fall for anyone the fairies wish, and boy do the mischievous fairies have their fun here. But you can only have so much fun before it's time to change back the unknowing victims to their original mind set.

The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, it teased images of a tropical fish tank, planted with the most luscious of plants where the actors weaved in and out of the foliage like calming angelfish and others dart from plant to plant, keeping your visual senses on alert. The gorgeous design by Dorrie Scott.

The lighting was also beautiful and complementing the set to a tee, highlighting different parts of the set and guiding your eyes to the places where you were next to focus on, all thanks to the magic of Richard Statham.

The acting was amazingly good as well as being wonderfully off the wall with sections of the play being "Pythonesque" and bordering at times on "Carry On". And that is what made this production so very very enjoyable. Shakespeare wrote some bawdy stuff for his time and wrote for the common man and that is what is brought out by Martin and the cast. It breaks down all of those stuffy barriers that seem to have been erected in Shakespeare theatre land.

You really have to see the "play within the play" section to believe what fun can be had with the bawdy bard. Men in drag, semi nudity and packed pants are the order of the play, or day, whichever.

Emily Brady was a beautiful Oberon as was Rachel Connolly as Titania. Puck, the mischievous one was played by Laura Jane-Bateman and was an absolute joy to watch, and so full of life and zest.

Lysander and Demetrius as the male love rivals for Hermia and Helena were played by James Roscow and Dan O Connor and Jessica Millott and Libby Boyd, respectively. the male roles were dressed in modern garb while the ladies in traditional Greek. Some lovely comic touches for all four.

Now it's not often I get the chance to say this but Ben Maries is a wonderfully entertaining Bottom and looks convincing as an ass too. Ben has a great acting face reminiscent of Rowan Atkinson in some of his expressions. And well done for managing to get his lines out through those teeth (the false ones for the ass, not his own).

Nick Gill has a dual role as Euges, the father of Hermia, and as the sometimes cross dressing Flute in the internal play "Pyramis and Thisbe". Again a brilliant character driven role with some wonderful comedy sections.

Eoin Buckley (Snout) plays a tinker and wall, yes you read that right, but it's the funniest wall I've seen, complete with a hole that at times is rather glorious, for want of a better description!!

Snug, the joiner and the lion in the P&T play makes being a sandwich short of a picnic look so easy but I know that this will just be really good acting from Beth Wilson. A good slapstick scene with Snug at the centre is pure pantomime.

Emma Kendall (Starveling) and Louise Knapp (Quince) complete the travelling actors who are The Mechanics, the troupe who put on the P&T play.

This play is an absolute winner and the only Shakespearean play to feature music by Queen as well as Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson. Forsooth that Shakespeare chap was way ahead of his time and if they had taught this sort of Shakespeare when I was at school I would not have had to wait so long to enjoy the bard at this level.

Congratulations Mr Berry. Congratulations Nottingham New Theatre. A show not to be missed!

"A MIdsummer Night's Dream" is on at Djanogly Theatre at Lakeside until Saturday 2 May 2015

SCOTTISH FIDDLE ORCHESTRA
Nottingham Royal Concert Hall

A taste of The Highlands visited Nottingham last night with The Scottish Fiddle Orchestra​ and what an extremely entertaining evening of traditional reels, jigs, hornpipes and popular Scottish songs we were treated to.

Mixed in with many traditional tunes were favourites like "A Scottish Soldier" and "Will Ye No Come Back", the former sung by tenor Dennis Haggerty and the latter by the lovely mezzo soprano Colette Ruddy. Both guests treated us to several songs throughout the night. There was also a bit of traditional highland dancing by sisters Catriona and Marnie Clark and all seamlessly strung together by the instantly likeable compere Mr Robert Lovie who also provided some comedy and poetry along the way.

Joining the wonderfully tuneful orchestra were the Nottinghamshire Police Pipe band, after all you can't have a traditional Scottish night without some bagpipes can you?

There were many various tartans on show with almost all of the men in the orchestra adorned in kilts and the ladies also showing off their own tartans. Colette's second outfit was magnificent in silver.

Although, as you'd expect from a fiddle orchestra, the majority of the musicians were playing the fiddle, but there were double bass, cello, flutes,a piano, guitar and three excellent percussionists, who got their time to shine in the magnificent "The Drummers".

Blair Parham, the Scottish equivalent to Andre Rieu, conducted this magnificent orchestra and there was a lovely solo by Gold Fiddle Award winner Yla Steven.

This was the orchestra's debut appearance in Nottingham, although they have performed all over the world, but by the rapturous applause they received at the end of each piece and the finale of "Scotland The Brave" and "Auld Lang Syne", it should make sure that Nottingham is one place they will be visiting again

"GREASE" by The NTU Drama Society.
Nottingham Arts Theatre​.

It's always going to be difficult to emulate a well loved hit musical film on stage, but as the film originally started off as a stage production, it was a return to the original format, and you know what, even without the famous car race and the end scene at the fairground with the car that takes off into the hemisphere, this is still a great feel good production.

The Nottingham Trent University (NTU) Drama Society have done a sterling job with this production and they have an amazing set, which really hits you as soon as you walk into the theatre space. well designed as well because most of the set, bar a few props and Kenicke's car, are all actually all within the set on stage. A bit like a banana skin that you just keep peeling back to reveal more and more. A clever idea by the set designers, who unfortunately I couldn't see mentioned in the programme, but a brilliant job was done by all involved in the set.

We all know what to expect from "Grease" so I don't really need to tell the story of the musical. What I can tell you is that this talented group manage to encapsulate the whole feel of the era, 1959, and of the "belonging" to the separate gangs, The "T Birds", the leather jacketed "lads" gang and the "Pink Ladies", the all more refined collection of ladies who have sleep over parties and discuss the teen idols of the day and make up.

It's a large but tight cast with some good stand out principal performances as well as excellent support roles. Chris Turner​, as Danny Zuko role played it for laughs with not so much arrogance, which is what John Travolta's film version could have done with. Chris's version depicted Zuko as a bit of a goofball with just a bit of arrogance, which I liked better, he made it more of a comical role. there may have been a few bum notes here and there but it certainly did not detract from a solid performance from Chris.

Sandy, the role made famous in the film by Olivia Newton-John, was played by Amy Mallaband. The innocent college girl turned ultimate temptress and what a voice she has; a lovely rendition of "Hopelessly Devoted To You".

The "cool guy" of the movie wasn't Zuko for me but Kenicke, the worldly player but I felt Jeff Conway in the film didn't quite corner the "cool" of the character, unlike Leon Dominique in this production. Leon played Kenicke as a true player, slightly aloof, a lovely character driven performance.

I always had a bit of a soft spot for Rizzo in the film and same here in this performance. Rizzo was never really the tough nut she tried to be and scratch that surface and there is this lovely soft and frightened side, a girl just wanting to be loved and both sides were shown in a lovely performance by Lucy Miller. Oh and what a spine tingling version of "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" by Lucy. What a voice!

The rest of the two gangs were equally as capable and a joy to watch, Sam Bailey (Roger), Joe Hayes (Sonny), Bertie Drew (Doody), Katie Barnard (Frenchy), Helen Smurthwaite​ (Marty), Bethany Milnes​ (Jan) and a nice cameo Teen Angel by Emma McGuinness, played in the film by Frankie Avalon but tonight a nice change to hear "Beauty School Dropout" sung so wonderfully by a female voice. Emma also shared choreography for this show with Grace Nelder. Cracking job done by these two.

Minor roles were played by Ellie Rice (Patty), Mary Squib (Miss Lynch), Kirk Evans ( Vince Fontaine), Annie Johnstone (Jenny), Laura Simpson (Cha Cha), Sarah Shields as the voice on the radio and who can forget Ruairi Blake who not only played the ultimate geek Eugene. Ruairi also shared co directing with Alice Grieves.

A brilliant band, again under co musical direction of Shirin Marashi and Matt Spurr. A clear, powerful sound beefed up by a brilliant drummer in  Chris Smith, who really lets rip on "Born To Hand Jive".

C'mon what is not to like about this fun musical. We all knew the songs, most of the hits came in act 2. Songs like "You're The One That I Want", "Summer Nights", "Greased Lightning", "We Go Together", "Grease", they are all there with a few not as memorable songs from the original film.

Really chuffed to see the theatre almost full for this great musical and a wonderful set of multi talented people, and I don't think there are many tickets left for Saturday night, which is when the run ends.

"KING JOHN"
The Lace Market Theatre​

Not the most well known of William Shakespeare​'s plays but a fascinating piece of theatre it is. I can take or leave Shakespeare when it is modernised but this was done really well, and a tick in the director box for Cynthia Marsh.

This production starts in Thatcher's reign, and it was uncanny how much Mandy Wilson looked like the Iron Lady. It then travels back to Elizabethan England and then to medieval times. Covering the reign of King John from him receiving the crown to his death with plenty of action, fighting and feuding in between.

It has plenty of comedy but also quite a bit of dark, sinister overtones with beheading, attempted blinding with hot pokers and suicide thrown into the mix. With this being a modern version of the script you will have no trouble following the text which in a way is good but it also takes a lot of the romance and poetry from Shakespeare's usual rhythm of words.

Paul Johnson stepped in at the very last minute to play King John but, even though he was reading the lines from a script, he still managed to "act" the script with feeling.

There were many stand out performances in this play, but as an entirety there were no weak links, so i will just mention a few of the actors that made this play a success for me. Loved the total commitment to the part of Queen Elinor by Janice White and Imogen Lea's passionate speech about Arthur, her son. Speaking of which, Arthur, the one under the wing of Hubert, was played wonderfully by Sophie Owen. I loved the innocence Sophie depicted in Arthur and the tragedy of his pleading not to have his eyes removed by Hubert and then throwing himself of off the battlements to his death.

Hubert was played by Neil Duckmanton​ and this is the best I have seen him act. Hubert, a follower of King John was portrayed like a little lap dog who would agree to whatever was asked but showing heart by not harming Arthur.

Shakespeare's works and script seem to bring out the true actor in an actor and I found this with Ciaran Stones​. I have seen Ciaran in many productions over the years but his role as Phillip Falconbridge's "half brother", Robert Falconbridge really brought out a top class performance from Ciaran. Shakespeare, or at least this modern Shakespeare suits him down to the ground.

Two actors really held my attention though. They have such stage presence that you have to watch them when on stage and with this drama, they truly excelled and were magnetic. Rob Goll, who is a true Shakespeare buff, played King Phillip of France and knows how to project Shakespeare the way it should be done. He made it so easy to watch and understand the character.

And then there was Richard Hill​ who was just marvellously entertaining with that dry sense of humour he brought out of his character, Phillip Falconbridge. Another actor who really sits well with Shakespeare. Some would find some of Shakespeare's characters aloof and Falconbridge is definitely that and Richard knows just how to portray this aloofness with comedy, but when there are serious speeches to be made, you can tell by his face that he believes every word he says in character, very much like Rob Goll​.

What also made this show exciting was the lighting and effects, designed by Hugh Phillip with a whole team of lighting engineers with the sound design by Peter Hodgkinson​ and Echo Zheng.

The set looked simple enough but looking closer you could see that quite a bit of hard work had gone into the design of the set which was the brainchild of Mark James​ who also created the backdrop projection.

If you've either never really been a Shakespeare fan then maybe this just might be the one to sway your opinion. many do not "get" the comedy in Shakespeare's work but believe me there is a lot of fun on his plays, especially in the hands of a good director and cast, and that is what you have here.

"King John" is at the Nottingham Lace Market Theatre until Saturday 25 April 2015