"Inspector Drake & The Perfekt Crime"

Burton Joyce Players.

When Sergeant Plod is summoned to Doctor Short's home about his missing wife, it starts a whole barrel of fun for Plod and Inspector Drake as they try and solve the perfect murder.

In the words of Drake , this play has more twists in it than a really twisty thing and with a whole lot of laughs as well.The jokes are of the silly child-like level, but if it's funny, it's funny and inoffensive. Plod delivers some lovely monologues and is a perfect partner in crime, and comedic foil for Drake.

There are two doctors, well there might be, and two daughters, or are they really the doctor's daughters, and where does the evil Uncle Ebeneezer fit in with all of this. Oh yes this is farce at its' best with Plod being on the receiving end of Drake's hand, truncheon and whatever he has to hand when he feels like handing out a bit of his own punishment.

Patrick McDonough played Dr Short and his two female relatives were played by Kathy Matthews (Sabrina) and Jane Murray (Miss Short), and they lead us a merry old chase with their red herrings, making it difficult to work out just who was the real daughter and why the imposter was at the house.

David Tristram has written a series of Inspector Drake books and they seem to transcend so well to the stage. the full comedy element brought out by director Chris Mercer, who also plays our hero Drake.

How many "bad" jokes can Plod, played by Adam Miller deliver, and how many groans can the audience utter at them. They may be old and corny but they work so well in the context of the play. One of the highlights of the slapstick element of Plod is just after Drake asks Plod to blow up, as in enlarge, a photo. Classic Laurel & Hardy moment!

The timing element in this play is also good,especially the sound and light to action timing. A mini triumph for the sound and lighting crew of David Page, Steve Turner and Euan Jones.

The Burton Joyce Players have produced a wonderfully funny piece of farce here and it's great to see them supported so well by the community who, from the reaction on Thursday night, thoroughly lapped up the laughs.

An excellent play performed with great aplomb which you can see up to Saturday 24 October 2015 at the Burton Joyce Village Hall, Trent Lane, Burton Joyce. You'd be mad to miss this one!

"All The Little Lights" by Jane Upton

Neville Studios, Nottingham Playhouse.

All the Little Lights is a game that is played by two of the characters in the play, Lisa and Joanne, and it involves looking down at the housing estate and making up people who live behind the lit windows. They give them a description of what they look like, their jobs and their lifestyle and habits. All very nice you may think, but there is a darker side to this game because you never know who is behind those lit windows and what they do.

This story, written by Jane Upton, focuses on the recent grooming of young girls for sex cases. It tells the story of Lisa (Sarah Hoare) and Joanne (Tessie Orange-Turner). Lisa has been the victim of this horrendous crime along with Joanne and Joanne has been trying to find Lisa, the girl she calls her sister. She's trying to save her from what has happened and what may happen again by getting her away from the dangerous atmosphere and the possibility of the leader of the grooming gang discovering where she is and coming after her.

Amy (Esther-Grace Button) is Joanne's new friend who is close to being sucked into the grooming ring by the sweet talking chip shop owner. Amy is just 12 years old and Lisa just turned 15. Joanne is the street-wise kid who, despite her actions and foul mouth is their guardian angel, their saviour, their protector. There are times when you wonder on who's side she is on but then she recounts why she carried out some of the actions she did. At the end resulting to violence towards Amy in an effort to protect her from having to go through what she had been through.

It's a shocking story that really hits home, especially because of the raw and shocking subject matter. You don't often get to see such honesty performed by women of such tender years, and boy do they not hold back. It will shock you at some of the language, but that is what drives home the gut wrenching honesty of what is happening in the world, probably as you're reading this.

Tessie is a brilliantly honest actor, who actually made me feel uncomfortable, for all the right reasons. She made me believe the horror of the story and the desperate situatiion she was in. on the other hand she also made you want to go and give her a hug for putting herself second in her protection of her friends. Tough love at it's best.

Sarah is another brilliant actor who made me believe the pain and the fear she was feeling and the horror that she may be found and returned to the sickening life she was involved in. her face was so expressive that you could almost sense the panic she was going through. Her jumpiness and nervousness at the though of being found as she thought her best friend had betrayed her to the gang.

Esther-Grace was amazing as the 12 year old who got excited at candles that wouldn't blow out and the soundtrack from "Frozen" and various other Disney films. Still incredibly naive, especially when she was told that the grooming gang leader who worked at the chip shop said he thought she was cute, not realising the real reason behind this seemingly harmless compliment.

This play is very dark but holds a great deal of humour. delivered in the language you'd expect to hear on the streets and from kids of that age group. It hammers home the dangers open to young girls who may fall prey to a little sweet talking compliments and this is very scary to know that this is happening today.

The scene is set next to a railway line, where they play an equally dangerous game, which will also get your heart pumping and if you let yourself forget where you are, makes you feel like you're eavesdropping on a group of campers, and not sat in a theatre setting.

Atmospheric lighting by Alex Stafford and a subtle soundscape designed by Max Pappenheim. The director Laura Ford and associate director, Angharad Jones have done a fantastic job at making this seem to be laid back and natural but with that tension hanging over us all, making the injection of humour a welcome escape.

Any play that can make you feel something, whether it be uncomfortable, sad, fear, hate or happiness has done what it set out to do, and this play certainly did that. It gave out an unnerving and thought-provoking message to us all, and I'm sure, like me, the rest of the audience went away discussing the play and its' talented cast long after its' 61 minutes ended. These three little lights shone very, very bright tonight.

"All The Little Lights" is on at the Neville Studio, Nottingham Playhouse until Thursday 22 October 2015.

"Handbagged" by Moira Buffini

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

Although nothing has been written down and recorded for posterity, this play indicates what the conversations may have been like between The Queen and Margaret Thatcher in their weekly meetings at Buckingham Palace. Given their public persona this at first glance, may not seem the most interesting of plays. But how wrong you may be.....

The play shows The Queen as having a sharp and wicked sense of humour who at times seemed bored in the presence of Mrs T, zoning in and out of the conversation. Mrs Thatcher was serious throughout and the only time she neared cracking a joke, she denied it vehemently. It's rather nice to see The Queen portrayed as having a fun and humorous outlook as well as being laid back, and, even though I'm not a royalist, I'd love to think that her Maj was really like this behind closed doors.

Susie Blake (Victoria Wood, Coronation Street) played the older Queen Elizabeth and was lovely to notice the regal mannerisms, obviously a lot of scrutinising of the Queen has gone into the spadework for this performance.Susie is a stunning looking lady and the make up, while making her look like our Sovereign, made her look quite pallid.

The costume and make up crew for this production worked wonders in making the equally gorgeous-looking Kate Fahy, not quite so gorgeous. A brilliant job done by Gill MacGregor for the costumes and Hope Watson for the wigs and make-up. Without these two, this show would not be quite so believable.

Maggie is played, in her latter days by Kate Fahy, and whereas Susie looked like a faithful, but loving caricature of our monarch, Kate really looked like the Iron Lady. Every little nuance and foible was spot on. From the way she leaned slightly to her right in stature to the way she walked.The voice was spot on, and we've all seen TV impressionists try and carry that distinctive timbre off, but Kate has it down to a Mrs T.

There are two others as The Queen (Emma Handy) and Mrs Thatcher (Sanchia McCormack) in their younger days as well as two male actors Asif Khan and Richard Teverson who both play several different roles throughout. It's a good job they told us who they were though! That aside they were rather comical in their various roles, especially Asif in his role as the First Lady of the Whitehouse, resplendent in red skirt and matching top!.

The period covers the whole of the Thatcher years in just over two hours and I felt depicts both female icons as powerful but likeable women, but as I said at the start this is not re-told from literal records and is just in the imaginary story-telling of the author, Moira Buffini. But whose to say this isn't a true picture of what they were like behind closed doors?

There's some unpolitically correct comments, ironic as this is partly about politics, but all the same a very funny play which paints a different picture of both women to the one that the public image depicts. It knocks a lot of the sharp edges off of Thatcher and presents the Queen in a rounder, more jovial image we may have of her. A play not to take too serious though and for entertainment purposes only!

"Handbagged" is on at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 24 October 2015.

"Live In Living Colour" by Debut

Create Theatre, Mansfield.

The Create Theatre inside West Notts College in Mansfield was decked out like a cabaret evening on Saturday night with tables and chairs that the audience could sit round and partake of an evening of modern musical numbers from some lesser known musicals, as well as some popular musicals from the last few years.

The evening started off with the title of the show, "Live In Living Colour" from the new U.S musical "Catch Me If You Can" and featured all six performers, Gareth Wynne, Morven Harrison, James Nelson, Cat Orton, Rob Harrison and Jon Orton.

From then on there were various pairings and solo performances from them all. All six showcasing excellent voices, honed from years of musical theatre, with Jon providing information on the various musical pieces, and plugging the odd various musical theatre shows that are due in the area over the coming weeks.

I love going out and coming back more educated than I went and tonight didn't disappoint, not only from the information liberally spread by Jon, but from the musical pieces.

Most musical theatre fans will know of the wonderful pieces from the uber-talented Jason Robert-Brown and his work was featured here. A specially arranged ensemble rendition of "What It Means To Be A Friend" from his musical "13" being just one of many highlights here.

There were songs from "Book Of Mormon", "Matilda", "Newsies", "Frozen", "Shrek", "Once" and "Catch Me If You Can", all of which I knew of the musicals, if not some of the songs, as well as some musicals I hadn't heard of .

There were fun songs like "The Tennis Song" from "City Of Angels", "Guy Love" from the TV show "Scrubs" and "To Excess" from the musical "Dogfight" and "Telly" and "Smell Of rebellion" from "Matilda". Mix in some lovely ballads like "Lucy's Laugh" from Kooman & Diamond's "Out Of Our Heads" and "Falling Slowly" from "Once" and this was a musical education in waiting.

The style of the songs was spread out well between the six with Rob getting the lion's share of the comedy songs, which really suited his voice. Cat and Morven brought a real purity and clarity to their songs and James and Gareth produced some powerful notes, often not needing a microphone. I hadn't heard Jon sing before as he's probably more commonly seen in an orchestra pit as musical director, but he held his own tonight vocally as well.

Truly this was an education for me as well as an evening of unadulterated musical bliss.

"The Bodyguard"

Nottingham Royal Concert Hall.

Now here's a show that I would see again and again and again. So where do I start my gushing?

Ok, It's based on the film of the same name but with several additional songs and scenes added for continuity. Rachel Marron is a superstar who has fallen prey to a stalker who has got into her dressing room while she's on stage and has left her a letter and steals one of her costumes. Frank Farmer is hired as her bodyguard because he's the best in the business. 

After the initial rank pulling from our diva superstar, she falls in love with him, and he breaks the bodyguard code of conduct by falling for her as well. In the background, Rachel's sister, Nicki, also is falling for Frank's charms.

The show starts with a gunshot and we're taken back to Frank's most recent success, and then we're transported to a high energy concert with dancers, pyrotechnics and the gorgeous Rachel, belting out "Queen Of the Night" This could be a full on concert atmosphere here if we didn't realise that we were watching a musical with a story behind it. It was loud, it was bright, it was flashy, it was sexy,it was brilliant. Needless to say I LOVED IT!!!

Alexandra Burke is just amazing as Rachel Marron. What stage presence, energy, choreography, and that soulful voice that just makes your spine tingle. She reaches deep within you and pulls your heart up to your mouth and rips your spine out. She rocks that stage with her dance numbers and she makes you cry with those wonderful Whitney Houston ballads. She can act as well.

Frank is played by Stuart Reid who is more charismatic than Costner and comes with a great sense of humour. Just hear his karaoke version of "I Will; Always Love You". You're drawn to him because of his compassion in the role and his no nonsense attitude towards the job that he has. His fatherly protectiveness to Fletcher, Rachel's son, and the way he takes care of Nicki, Rachel's sister.The sort of bloke you'd be happy to go down the pub with for a pint.

Nicki, the sister, played by Melissa James, is blessed with an equally sweet and powerful voice, and the pairing of Alexandra and Melissa is an absolute soulful joy to behold. Aural deliciousness.

Fletcher, for the tour is played by not one but six separate young actors, and tonight was played by Daniel Daszek-Green. An absolute star in the making. He can dance, sing, act and will be winning many young girl's hearts throughout this tour with all of the above talents. Coming from the legendary Sylvia Young School, he's on his way to a very bright future.

The dancing is amazingly tight and energetic, and one for the ladies as there seem to be a shortage of shirts for the muscle-bound, toned men to parade around in. Then again the costumes for Alexandra ranged from the incredibly classy to the down right sexy. I loved the red shiny number myself, just haven't got Alexandra's legs to pull it off the way she does! let me just say "WOW".

This is such a big show that there are several people listed for each technical job, but the technical side of this show is just fantastic. A concert-style light show, the clarity of the sound was just out of this world but what really impressed me was the smooth scenery changes. Scenes just seemed to disappear and the next one appear. A triumph for the stage manager and deputy.

As with many of today's modern theatrical shows, they are using more and more video-tech and projection scenes and this was done to great affect with the design of this by Ross Bristo.

This has to be one of the most exciting shows that I've seen at the Royal centre for a long time. The two and a half hours just flew by. It drew you you in and danced you out at the end.

A live orchestra, under the direction of Tom Gearing, produced a crisp and clear sound. giving ultimate dance-ability to Whitney's classic party songs like "How Will I Know", "I'm Every Woman", "Million Dollar Bill","So Emotional", "Queen Of the Night" and the massive encore of "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" which had everyone on their feet dancing and clapping along. Even me!

Mix these with some amazing ballads like "I Have Nothing", "Run To You", "One Moment In Time" and the classic "I Will Always Love You" which had Alexandra raised from the stage on a pedestal above the audience swathed in light. So deserving of the rapturous standing ovation given to her and the whole cast.

If you only go out and see one theatre show this year, please make it this one. I guarantee you will not regret it, whether you're a Whitney fan or an Alexandra fan, it will get you so emotional.

"The Bodyguard" is at the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall until Saturday 24 October 2015.

"Brave New World"

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

People have compared this play and novel by Aldous Huxley with George Orwell's "1984", and while there are similarities between the two, this play is more graphic with more shocks than the Orwellian classic.

Written in 1931, the play anticipates developments in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation, and classical conditioning that combine profoundly to change society.

It starts in a factory environment where spermatozoa is being matched up with the best of the eggs to make quality humans from alpha to gamma level, depending on the jobs they will be given when they are old enough.

One of the factory "alphas", Bernard, who it's rumoured to be not a 100% alpha manages to find a "savage" in John The Savage, a man who has not been "conditioned" and doesn't buy in to the Brave New World way of life. A way of life where art has been banished, certain books removed from libraries, including John's favourite, Shakespeare. He is soon treated like a celebrity in the land because he is different.

John speaks with the Shakespearian rhythm and rhyme, and even the title, "Brave New World" is derived from Miranda's speech in "The Tempest", Act 5 Scene 1.

In the end, John's "M", or mother to you and I, dies and disappointed with the lack of support and help from Bernard and the rest of the New World doctors and inhabitants, he is removed from the colony to a separate island where he tortures himself which, after giving in to his carnal desires with Lenina, something he had previously been shocked by her "free and easy" attitude, he ends his life in a quite graphic and shocking way.

Although it was written in 1931, it's set at a time in the near future and it's quite unnerving to think this may be what our children and Grandchildren may have to look forward to. It's shocking in the way it educates children in reproduction and the openness of the subject matter, it's self flagellation and it's conditioning techniques are quite frightening.

What also makes it impact more is the loud sound effects, designed by George Dennis, and it's lighting, designed by Colin Grenfell, specifically designed to give the ultimate joint shock to the system effect.

The acting is controlled but passionate with the main characters of Bernard (Gruffudd Glyn), John The Savage (William Postlethwaite) and Lenina (Olivia Morgan), really standing out from the already excellent cast.

My only slight criticism is that there are several screens with projections dotted around the set, and while most are repeated from screen to screen, at times they meant I was watching the screens and not the actors. So much to look at that maybe this only slightly detracted from what is a wonderful piece of science fiction, or possible science fact, in the same league as the aforementioned Orwell as well as H.G. Wells.

That said the play lasts two and a half hours with break, but no way did it seem that length, due to the fact that you could not take your eyes off of the captivating action and the clinical characters.

The play was adapted by Dawn King with original music, which really adds to the whole ambience of the play, by These New Puritans.Directed brilliantly by James Dacre, with an excellent set design by Naomi Dawson and video design by Keith Skretch..

"Brave New World" is on at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 17 October 2015.

"Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?"

Lace Market Theatre.

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is a 1962 play by Edward Albee and examines the breakdown of the marriage of a middle-aged couple, Martha and George. Late one evening, after a university faculty party, they invite a younger couple, Nick and Honey, as guests, and draw them into their bitter and frustrated relationship.

As the four drink into the very early hours of the morning, Martha and George engage in scathing verbal abuse in front of Nick and Honey. The younger couple are at first embarrassed but seem fascinated as more drinks are consumed; especially Nick, when he finds that Martha is coming on to him while Honey is throwing up in the bathroom and is then out for the count on the bathroom floor.

Many secrets, on both marriages emerge, which serve as bullets for the other's guns, and by the end of the often sick taunts, George drops a bombshell on Martha about their son, which destroys her.

There are many questions left unanswered in Albee's play, which seems to be the idea because there are no right or wrong answers here and is all up to the imagination of the viewer. The play is left open ended which could have left way for a sequel, and possibly a prequel.

In places it's quite disturbing and the sense of intimidation, tension and possible threat looms not too far from the opening of the play. You start to realise that Nick and Honey could just be part of George and Martha's crazy marital games, and the reason the young couple were invited back in the early hours was not just for a social drink to end the night on!

The play is in three acts, and, as it's a long(ish) play; two hours and ten minutes with the two breaks, you need a break or two to remove your nails from the seats and to bring you down off of the ceiling it's that tension ridden.

All four actors played a blinder in their roles. Sally Brown (Martha) was as neurotic as they come and wonderfully spiteful as she spat orders at the two men. Not one to cross and not one to be told what to do, and what not to do or say either.

Malcolm Todd (George), again a good sparring partner for Martha, and you could just see the mercury rising to tipping point as his character showed glimpses of a psychotic nutter, mentally unhinged, but very intelligent. Probably the most dangerous kind!

Lucy Wakefield (Honey) came across to start with a little naive and ditsy, but once she had a glass or five of the brandy, she let her colours and tongue fly. That's Honey by the way and not Lucy. A wonderful performance turn around as soon as the shyness melted away like the ice in her glass.

Matthew Thomason (Nick), good looking and shallow, the ideal type for a cougar like Martha to get her claws into. Again a restrained start for the character which exploded in several angry outbursts when rubbed up the wrong way by both Martha and George. The outbursts at first came as a bit of a shock which really woke you up to his character, making you feel that there was more than one plane to Nick, and we were right!Confident and assured performance.

The accents were placed somewhere Brooklyn/New York area and very convincing. The set seemed to be anywhere from the 60's to 70's, even though Albee based the story around a late 50's style era. It didn't matter as this play could be set anywhere within the three decades and would work.

This is a classic which breaks down all the stereo-typical images of American so called family life. It blurs the lines between reality and illusion because you really don't know if Martha and George's "family unit" actually existed. Were they living in a dream world? Was the invitation to Nick and Honey a chance to show others they were a typical American married couple, but failing? Questions that Albee leaves up to you, the viewer. Right or wrong. Reality or Illusion. Truth or lies. the answers are all up to you.

"Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?" is on at the Nottingham Lace Market theatre until Saturday 17 October 2015. Don't be afraid to make up your own mind!!