“Songs For A New World” by Jason Robert Brown

Musicality: University of Nottingham

Trent Building, University Park.

 

As Brown says, It's about one moment. It's about hitting the wall and having to make a choice... or take a stand... or turn around and go back. These are the stories and characters of today, the Songs for a New World. The first musical from Tony Award winner, Jason Robert Brown, this is a moving collection of powerful songs that examine life, love and the choices that we make.

 

This musical takes you from 15th-century Jews fleeing Spain for the New World, to the Bronx and a young man dreaming of being a famous basketball player, to a woman out on the ledge of her Manhattan high-rise apartment building, to a chronically unsatisfied Mrs. Claus, this complex show comes at this same human experience from all angles, from people in different times and places, but all of them facing some new world. And how apt are these stories as we approach the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel into a very different “new world”

 

The cast consists of just four actors playing all parts. Marie-Laure Corben, Evie Mace, Katie Dart and Sam Hook's voices combine deliciously, and you can hear the hard work that has gone before with these harmonies. Harmonies that Brown is so well known for. And the emotion in songs like "I'm Not Afraid Of Anything" is matched well by the comedy in the lyrics of songs like "Surabaya Santa", wonderfully performed, not just sung, by this quartet. I really could not pick out any highlights for the simple reason that all the performances were of the same high level.

Musically you can be listening one minute to a South American rhythm, the next a gospel-tinged piece, the next something jazzy, something that I am sure Musical Director, Maddy Telford, revelled in. Along with pianist Annabel Jeffries, the pair created a simple but stirring musical back drop to the blending of the four voices.

Produced by Fiona Cook, assisted by Meghan Borg, they complete the talented team with Paolo Elias who did a marvellous job directing this production.

The need for no set is a deliberate one so that we can concentrate on the voices, messages and delivery as well as the lyrics of Jason Robert Brown.

I will admit to being a big fan of Jason Robert Brown since I first saw “The Last 5 Years”, many years ago, and have tried to attend as many of his works performed locally as I have been able to. This is one that, until this evening, I had not ticked off the list, and it was worth waiting for.

Away from the production itself, it was just really nice to see some of the faces from the University that I had not seen for the last sixteen months and to chat to them. I have always extolled the talents of Musicality and I know their combined work ethic and the results have always been spectacular, even in a stripped back production as this one. Whatever they do, they seem to have the Midas touch, and long may it continue.

Musicality’s two NOTT Fringe shows, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “Songs for a New World”, will be showing this week in the Performing Arts Studio in the Trent Building on University Park Campus until 15 August.

 "The Rocky Horror Show"

Nottingham Royal Concert Hall

YES! It's back! The sexiest rock 'n' roll musical on earth is back at the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. Only this show can attract as many people as it does almost 50 years from its' creation by Richard O' Brien. I have only seen the show about six times but it still fills me with antici......pation!

For anyone who is either not old enough or has been living under a stone for the last 50 years, the story is thus. Two squeaky clean college kids – Brad and his fiancée Janet's car breaks down outside a creepy mansion whilst on their way to visit their former college professor, they meet the charismatic Dr Frank’n’Furter, who invites them to stay, where they meet many interesting characters throughout the night. A night filled with fun, frolics, frocks, and frivolity.

Ore Oduba plays Brad Majors. Ore gets to show off all of those brilliant dance moves that made him the winner of the 14th series of Strictly Come Dancing. And he has a pretty smooth voice to match the dance moves as well

Haley Flaherty is Janet, who also has a great voice to match Ore's. There is an awful lot of weird similarities with Haley's Janet and another role that she has played onstage, that of Sandy in "Grease", and I even noticed, just before "Toucha Toucha Touch Me", the phrase, "Tell me about it Janet". Similar to when Sandy was transformed into "Sexy Sandy" and we heard, "Tell me about it, stud". Or is that just me? What a transformation from frigid Janet, to naughty Janet!

Philip Franks, is a well-recognised star of stage, TV and radio, is The Narrator. This is a role that has been taken on by so many a well-known star, adept at the well-rehearsed, off the cuff ad-lib, as well as the back-and-forth audience interaction. Unfortunately, the audience had not received their copy of the audience section of the script and they were often late, or even missed. This I felt Philip adapted to but you could tell that he was waiting for the audience come back. Some excellent topical comments from Phil, especially loved the comments about a certain Royal and pizza, plus what the Narrator's only job was during lockdown! Phil's role is up there with the best of the narrators that I have seen.

Kristian Lavercombe continues his long running role as the wonderful Riff Raff, and what can I say? Never missing a cue, a step, a note. The perfect Riff Raff, then again I can't remember seeing anyone else but Kristian in this role, and possibly can't. As good as the original Mr O' Brien.

Stephen Webb is our sweet transvestite, transexual from Transylvania, Dr Frank N Furter. It's a brave man who steps into those stacked shoes, stockings, suspender belt and basque, as there have been so many incredible actors who have gone before him. I enjoyed Steve's performance but I have seen other Franks that I have thought slightly better. It may not be fair to make comparisons with those that have gone before, but after the power-house of a performance that Duncan James gave last year, Steve had big stiletto's to fill. For me there was just something missing and I can't put my finger on it.

Ben Westhead is the square-jawed Rocky. A personal trainer who obviously knows how to look after his body and can rock a pair of leopard skin pants. This is his first professional UK Tour as an adult, but with his voice, dancing ability and looks, I am sure the UK will be seeing more of him, not that there was much left to the imagination as Rocky!

Lauren Ingram is Columbia and we have to wait until Act Two to discover what a powerful voice she owns, as well as a brilliant line in comic acting.

Joe Allen doubles up as Eddie and Dr Scott. Two under-rated roles in my opinion. Secondary they may be but both parts so different and opposing that you get to see Joe's character acting very clearly. It's a good job that Dr Scott is in a wheel chair as so much energy is exuded as Eddie, he needs a sit down to get his breath back!

Suzie McAdam plays Magenta, and oh what a voice Suzie has. Doubling as the Usherette, we get to hear two different singing styles from Suzie, and what fun that turns out to be.

The Phantoms were Reece Budin, Darcy Finden, Jordan Fox and Rachel Grundy.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, this is fast, frantic, frothy, fleshy and filthy and I loved it.

The soundtrack for this musical is legendary. "Damn It Janet", "There's A Light On Over At Frankenstein's Place", "Sweet Transvestite", "Toucha, Toucha, Toucha Touch Me", "I'm Going Home" and of course "The Timewarp". All under the Musical Direction of Greg Arrowsmith.

Classic choreography, thanks to Nathan M Wright, amazing costumes by Sue Blane, brilliant Set Design by Hugh Durrant, spectacular Lighting Design by Nick Richings and crystal-cut Sound Design thanks to Gareth Owen. I must also mention the wigs and make up courtesy of Darren Ware.

"The Rocky Horror Show" is at the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall until Sunday 15 August. Get your tickets for this fiendishly, frightfully good fun-fest, and on that note, I think I may have used up all of my effing alliteration skills

"Twisted - The Untold Story of The Royal Vizier" by BJW Productions

View On Demand by tickets from www.bjwproductions.co.uk from 6 August 2021.

Online productions are getting better and better and this production again raises the bar. What a completely refreshing, and modern, take on the story of Aladdin and the 40 Thieves and is definitely NOT for the kids with plenty of swearing and adult content, but so very funny.

In short, everything in The Magic Kingdom is the fault of one man, Ja'far. It's his fault that the Magic Kingdom has gone "from happy to crappy", but he is dead set on getting things righted (if there is such a word). Ja'far found happiness with his dream wife, who falls pregnant, so he goes to visit The Sultan, who decides that Ja'far's wife would be "my wife now" - obviously not in the gentlemanly league, and steals her from Ja'far.

Ja'far's views on how to run the Kingdom are not following the same golden rule as the other employees and while trying to do the best he can for the Kingdom manages to make a mess of everything, which includes losing The Princess to the sex-mad thief, Aladdin. When the guards track her down he orders the guards to behead Aladdin, but then tricks him to retrieve a magic lamp from within a cave, telling the greedy "33 year old orphan" that he can keep all the gold in the cave if he just brings back the useless lamp found within.

Now while all of this is going off, the Prince Achmed, from the Land of Pixar, has been trying to woo The Princess, but she has set her tiger on him and he retreats back to Pixar with a rather sore derriere. He is hell bent on revenge and summons his army to march on The Magic Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Aladdin is also hell bent on a wooing The Princess, but is only wanting her for another notch on his bed-post. Aladdin has more sauce than Heinz (other condiment producers are available), especially with his song "Take Off Your Clothes", which bears a slight resemblance to a song that some may know called "A Whole New World".

Anyway, it all ends well for most of the characters in "Twisted" and I really do not want to give too much away with what else happens in this deliciously naughty plot as I'd love you to get a ticket and see this piece of online theatre for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

This is a musical and the songs are brilliantly written and every vocal performance is flawless. There are similarities between some of the songs, for instance, "Follow The Golden Rule" sounds an awful lot like "Friend In Me", strangely from "Aladdin". "No One Remembers Achmed" sounds like it could have come from "The Producers" soundtrack, and "Twisted" manages to bring in several musicals and Fairy Tale characters like Gaston, Cruella de Ville, The Lion King, Captain Hook and more.

The cast are incredibly talented, many of whom I've had the pleasure of seeing perform before,

Aiden Carson, who also directed this excellent piece of online theatre, like the rest, play several characters. Also like all of the other actors has a wonderfully versatile voice. That is nothing new to me as I've followed his career for a few years now and know of his talents well. He now shows what a talented Director he is also. Everything is kept tight and pacy, leaving space for the laughs that you can only expect to come from an online viewer. So much is amended with a Director when there is a live audience, which makes Directing an online production just that little bit more "hit and miss" for spacing for reactions.

Andrew Buxton is another actor I know through his lengthy back catalogue of work. Andrew extends his CV with this production, again playing several roles. As the Djinn, he extends nods to various classic film quotes from Taxi Driver, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Dirty Harry and even The Graduate. He also plays the role of The Sultan with a fascinating line of chat!

Ben Payne, as The Captain, as well as other roles, almost gets to catchphrase level with his laying blame on Ja'far, you almost come to expect it, although the character is not that predictable. This is also Ben's first professional credit. And a credit to his talent for accents as I did not hear a sign of Welsh in his voice!

Molly Hewitt-Richards is brilliant as the greedy, quite Kardashian-esque, Princess, especially with her song "I Just Want Everything... And More", highlighting a lovely comic edge, but when she duets with Ja'far in "The Power In Me", one of the serious ballads in this production, WOW! Molly also painted the set for "Twisted".

Talking of Ja'far, he is played by Eoin Callaghan. Eoin is a new name to me but comes with a lengthy theatrical CV and a voice made for musical theatre. Strong and controlled in all styles of singing in this musical. You can see that he has worked professionally in this business, although saying that blends in with all the other actors. What I mean to say is that the whole cast could be professional just looking at this production.

Owen Jones plays, among several other characters Prince Achmed. Can I say I love this character and Owen plays this role perfectly. Very camp and a lovely sense of comedy timing. I can't believe that this is Owen's professional debut as he is so at ease with comedy roles and being on stage. This man has a long career on stage from what I can see.

Emily Knight, as Sherrazade is delightful. Again Emily is someone I know of, and know what a brilliant vocalist she is, having witnessed several of her on stage work. 

Why have one Bridge in a musical when you can have two and both Emily and Jessica Bridge are also in this production, taking on several roles.

From names I know of, to one that I have not seen or heard of before. Conor Headley is brilliantly cocky as Aladdin. Again an actor who is extremely confident on stage and with his vocal ability. I can see lots of leading male roles in the future for Conor, and a following of ladies to match his big future. Great outfit for Aladdin as well!

A great band provided the backing, musically directed by the ever-smiley Ben Ward and the band consisting of Dave Adey (keys), Josh Wolfsohn (guitar/bass), Hayden Morrow (cello), Richie Dunne (violin) and Thomas Conroy (reeds).

The sound and lighting was perfection from Matt Cook and Harry Greatorex respectively.

The excellent camera work for this production is by Tom Johns and Aaron Marcus.

The production can be streamed by visiting BJW website www.bjwproductions.co.uk and getting a ticket to view, so get there now and experience one of the funniest takes on a classic panto/fairy tale that there has been. See these stars of tomorrow now, and in your own home.

 "Vintage Hitchcock : A Live Radio Play"

Festival Players Online

For as long as I can remember I have always listened to the radio. Whether that be for music or for some of the wonderful radio plays that have been produced over the last half a century. Tuning in and letting your imagination run wild, visualising the characters in your mind and the events that are unfurled as related by the brilliant radio actors who breathe life into the words and characters from the stories.

The three Hitchcock stories presented as a one-off online radio triple bill, "The Lodger", "Sabotage" and "The 39 Steps" were perfect for this picture-painting exercise. The first two being new to me and the third being one of my favourite radio plays for many a year now.

"The Lodger" is set in 1888 in a stormy, rainy and misty area of London at the modest home of Ellen and Robert Bunting who decide that, to make ends meet, that they would take in a lodger, affording them to have their daughter, Daisy, stay with them again. One wet and windy evening there is a knock on the door, a mysterious Mr Sleuth requesting a place to stay and offering a tidy sum for rent. Could there be a connection between the mysterious new lodger and The Avenger; the serial killer who stalks young, blonde girls to murder?

It takes a special kind of actor who can pull off a radio play as they have to play out every emotion via their voice. There's no relying on facial or physical expressions, like fear when you can't see the actor, and this cast created an exciting, edge of the seat play. The settings were thanks to still pictures of the era and the location and we did not see the actors to glean emotions, albeit going out online. that would have rightly marred the whole "radio play" image of the production.

The sound effects were excellent and really created images in the mind of the Bunting's home and the wet, misty dangerous streets of London in that period.

"Sabotage" is a real thriller and tells the story of the Verlocks, Winnie and Carl, who run a picture house. One evening there is a blackout and there is a fear that they could be losing money from having to hand back the entrance fees to their punters when they are unable to show the film. Business neighbour, Ted, helps out and they end up not having to lose out. But Ted has also spotted something about Carl Verlock that does not seem quite right. But Ted is also not quite who he is portraying either. Again the plot is an edge of the seat play. Carl is up to no good, and his actions result in tragic circumstances for Winnie's son, Stevie. There are several twists and turns involved which involve more lives lost in this domino effect drama.

"The 39 Steps" is one of those plays that most theatre goers, as well as radio play fanatics will be well aware of. I've seen this several times in the theatre but listening to this play again as a "radio play" really catches the imagination in a Dick Barton kind of way. It all comes full circle to the Music Hall where Annabella Smith is taken in by Richard Hannay. Annabella is murdered, Hannay travels to Scotland to stop the state secrets from being taken out of the country, only to find that this lands him in more peril. He takes along with him the lady he meets first in the train and then their paths cross further down the line when their rescue from a car crash by the police only reveals that they are heading back into the clutches of the Professor who Hannay had been shot by. To cut a long story short, and I am sure you know the story anyway, the head back to London, the Music Hall and Mr Memory, who holds the secret to what the 39 steps are. Will Mr Memory be able to reveal what he knows before he becomes the next victim of the deadly foreign spies?

I absolutely loved this production, after all radio is right up my street. Being an avid reader also gives me the ability to activate my imagination, so combining these two, along with the Master of Suspense's words plus the wonderful acting and character painting skills of these actors of The Festival Players, this had to be one of my highlights from the online performances I have had the pleasure to be asked to review.

I've also had the pleasure of seeing The Festival Players in a theatre setting so I already know the calibre of their acting ability. Creating tension, suspense, fear and emotion without seeing the actors, using the power of voice, just shows what talent and flexibility this group have.

I must also mention the "sponsor jingles" sung by the cast with nods to a couple more of Hitchcock's classics "North By Northwest" and "Psycho"

Not only did they provide a couple of hours escapism and entertainment, their hard work has also, hopefully, provided some welcome funds for Rainbows Children Hospice via donations from the online listeners.

The cast who were nothing short of excellent, and played several roles over the three plays, were Nick Grainger, Danielle Aley, Jon Orton, Richard York (who was brilliant as Mr Sleuth), James Daw, Kat Etoe, Simon Page, Valerie Schmitt, Edward Orton, Mary Baird, Ian Currie and Sally Bruton.

Technical Director was Jon Orton and Laura Brookes was the Director.

It would be great to see any or all of these plays live on stage and see these actors revisit their roles in a theatre setting. Who knows, maybe some time in the future?

 “Final Twist” by Tabs Productions

Nottingham Theatre Royal

I can’t believe that this is the final play in the Colin McIntyre Classic Thriller Season for this year. Where has the last three weeks gone to?

Written by Ken Whitmore and Alfred Bradley and the action is set in the luscious living room of Mozart loving, classical actor Merlin Foster’s country cottage.

Sir Merlin Foster (Andrew Ryan), a vain, pompous and self-regarding actor, with a recent string of flops and ex-wives behind him, hires a struggling playwright, Charlie Nicholson (David Martin) to come up with a plot involving wife murder.

Eden Dundee (Sarah Wynne Kordas) is the wife who is a bit part actress who had recently help fund Foster's recent run of flop productions. There seems to be a connection between Eden and all of Foster's previous rich and beautiful wives.

Nicholson has writer's block to start with but slowly a story for the play evolves which evolves from Foster's Mozart Symphony No. 40 door chime and a particularly violent killing. Nicholson starts to get just a little bit suspicious after spending time at the cottage with Eden, where she lets slip a few details about her and Foster's marriage, and especially their Californian pre nup arrangement!

As Nicholson's perfect murder scenario is revealed, there is a sudden feeling that life is about to imitate art, and especially with what Nicholson has discovered from his time spent with Eden.

Are things about to go horribly wrong for Nicholson while going absolutely perfect for Foster, maybe not so for Eden! But dear reader, do not forget the title of this play, "Final Twist", and just when you feel that Foster has carried out the perfect murder, Eden walks through the door, alive and well. Could this be the final twist? Or could there be another twist to this comedy thriller? If so, what is in the Sainsbury's carrier bag that Nicholson now holds in his hands?

Andrew Ryan plays a blinder or two, or maybe even three or four as Foster's acting roles take on a whole realm of personalities. He has so many great lines including "I’m not unreasonable. All I ask for is total control" among them! In his long silky cape, he could also be a dead ringer as Nosferatu. Ryan is one of the best comedy actors on stage at the moment, but I've also seen him in some brilliant seriously creepy roles as well.

David Martin is transformed from the nervously excited devotee of Foster to being nervous for another reason, a totally believable down on his luck writer.

Sarah Wynne Kordas reminds me just how different an actor can look with just the aid of a wig. Every part I have seen Sarah play you get the feeling that she completely lives and breathes the part she is playing and the deception that is shown in this role is beautifully played out. You come to realise what Foster is up to but you do not suspect that Eden could actually be part of the plan. But what is the plan? A wonderful character actor, as are the other two.

Directed by Jeremy Lloyd Thomas, the pace of this play is kept fast with the comedy being delivered snappily and the twists executed just when you did not expect them to come around.

Designed by Sarah Wynne Kordas, the set was one that, if in reality would be one that I would feel most comfortable in. Homely in cream, peach with luscious red leather sofas. Very nice.

Sound design by David Gilbrook, and as I have maintained throughout the run, every sound effect was hit spot on. You feel comfortable knowing that if a sound effect was expected it would be there.

Lighting design by Michael Donoghue. Simply a perfectly executed job with every lighting effect.

I also loved the music choices used in between the scene changes. A lot of thought has gone into these choices and all connected with murder if you listen very carefully. Someone said that if music be the food of love, then I loved the music used for the snacking. It kept the mood light and bouncy and well matched with this final production for 2021 from Tabs Productions.

One thing that remained a mystery though is, who is Morton Rifles? Could this be the final twist?

”Final Twist” is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 17 July 2021.

I'm missing you all already and look forward to the thrilling productions that come in 2022.