"Dick Whittington"

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

The classic pantomime story of Dick Whittington and his trusty cat, seeking fame and fortune in his quest to become the Lord Mayor of London, but on his way he encounters Queen Rat and aims to rid the city of all of her repugnant rodents.

Traditionally there's a woman who plays the main male character role and we normally see King Rat, as opposed to a female rascally rodent, but that matters not as it's the story and the characters that are more important, especially to the younger audience members.

All pantomimes like to make part of the show into a party. This was not the case with "Dick Whittington" because this was a party which included a pantomime.

Crossroads Pantomimes always manage to throw lots of money behind a pantomime to make them as glittery, sparkly and as big as possible. Even without that money injection I feel that, with the quality of the cast, this show would be just as big a hit as it looks to be turning out to be.

Shane Richie plays Dick Whittington. watching Shane is like going out on a night out with a best buddy who is loved by everyone in the bar. Shane is naturally funny; nothing about his performance is forced. It's like he wandered into the theatre, stayed around for a laugh and a joke and then went home, but in glittery and sparkly clothes. He oozes fun, and that shows with his interaction with the audience. He obviously appeals to all ages because even with the section where the kids come up on stage, he doesn't talk down to them and they loved that. you could tell by the way they responded to him.

Shane Richie is a funny man, and it would make no difference to the part he plays because whatever situation, scene, setting he is in, that easy humour just spills out like a free-flowing stream.

Dick's trusty sidekick cat is played by Kenan-Lewis Smith. This young man athleticism just astounds. No wonder he has been cast in this role because he has feline elasticity with his flips and tumbling, and his high kicks are amazing.

Dr. Ranj plays The Spirit Of The Bow Bells, his costume and make up as shiny as Bow Bells. having been an ex Strictly contestant, this gave him a chance to bust some moves out in a dance off with Shane Richie, resulting in a showdown of party proportions. Some may also be surprised that this man can carry a tune as well, but this isn't the first time that he has appeared in a show that has required a singing role. He is a real team player with some brilliant comic moments that will cure even the deepest winter blues. That is exactly what this doctor ordered!

Anne Smith plays Queen Rat, and along with her rodent friends actually managed to frighten the young child behind me into tears. It could though have been the giant, and when I say giant, I mean GIANT rat which appeared at the start of the panto. IT FILLED THE STAGE!! I personally loved it, and I loved Anne's performance, never giving up the evilness until the end when something occurs to create the U Turn... or was that U bend? One of the best baddies this year. It's not often that you get an evil character that is also a very strong vocalist but Anne provided a surprisingly controlled vocal performance in her solos.

Emily Beth Harrington plays Alice Fitzwarren and what a voice this lady has got. Her vocals are so strong they gave me tingles and certainly ticks the powerhouse vocals box.

There is nothing like a Dame in the world of panto and our Dame, Sarah The Cook, is played by Iain Stuart Robinson. The jokes came fast and furious with Iain, and the three-way comedy section between Iain, Shane and Dr Ranj with the tongue twister was classic panto. Everyone wanted someone to trip up and say the naughty word, which eventually he did. Classic Dame and everything that goes along with the character including some sauciness and the obligatory various costumes.

Just about everything has been put into this show with flying vehicles, giant creatures, pyrotechnics, "accidents", a scene that includes song soundbites aplenty which, although not new, was very comical, touches of "Panto Goes Wrong", the usual song that includes all the cast members with various objects, including a water gun and objects ending up in the audience and so much more. There's so much comedy in this show, even I can't remember every funny bit.

The ensemble of dancers made the choreography look easy but that is because they are all excellent dancers, bursting with energy, and more costume changes than even the Dame! High energy levels went into every choreographed piece performed.

Plenty of music in this show, some that has been heard in other pantos, but there seems to be a penchant for the older tracks this year throughout the area, and there are plenty of party oldies in this show which had the audience boogying in their seats, and on their feet to dance by the end. As I said, this pantomime has a real party feel about it.

The sound for this show was nice and punchy and loud enough to be chunky, making it feel and sound like a concert. I heard every single word apart from just a couple of missed mic cues; going to show that even big productions such as this can miss a mic cue.

Normally, I can choose a favourite panto, or Christmas show, from all of the ones that I have had the pleasure of seeing leading up to Christmas. This year though all the pantos have been so different and there have been parts of every panto and Christmas show that's been different from the others that I've loved, and it's been impossible to choose one show over another. Local theatre is on a par with the big shows like "Dick Whittington" and I have loved every show that I've been to.

"Dick Whittington" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Sunday 14 January 2024. It definitely has that golden touch.

 "Mother Goose" written by Morgan Brind

Derby Arena.

There are a few reasons why I have been looking forward to this show. The first being that I've never seen a show in this venue before, the second and third being that I've never seen Kristian Cunningham in pantomime, even though he has been performing in pantomime locally for quite a few years, and being a Coronation Street addict, I couldn't wait to see ex Corrie serial killer Stephen Reid. aka Todd Boyce on stage.

"Mother Goose" has a loving family who drive her quackers, a bird sanctuary for peaky poultry in the village of Squalkstone and even a magical goose that lays golden eggs. She has everything anyone could possibly wish for, except the one thing she really wants, to be beautiful. When she makes a deal with Lucifer Vanity, a little fowl play means she gets a lot more than she bargained for.

Morgan Brind, Derby's award winning Dame, plays Mother Goose, and I can see why he is an award winning dame. He has that air about him and has the ability to ad lib with comedy effect, without straying too far from the script. Loved the pizza making scene with Mother Goose and Benedict, which invariably got messy, especially for Benedict. I've seen this scene done before but a very long time ago, so it was nice to see something that hasn't been done for a long while. Morgan has a very good voice which is shown off to good effect with his ballad near the close of Act One.

As with every Dame, the costumes are works of art; one in particular with a large pair of wings overshadowed Morgan with their size, but the piece de resistance is the final costume. No spoilers from me on that one! Morgan knows how to work an audience, especially one as big as the one at Derby Arena, on both a vast scale as well as one to one. And this Goose even takes to the air!

Kristian Cunningham plays Benedict. I had been told just how good Kristian is in this style of theatre; as I said earlier, I've never seen him in panto mode, but he is made for panto and has it down to a fine art. He is fun to watch, he has unlimited energy, especially on a stage as big as the Derby Arena stage, and resonates with the younger audience members.

Todd Boyce is Demon Vanity, or Lucifer Vanity as the name has been amended to on stage. When you are so well known for a role like Stephen Reid, the Coronation Street serial killer, being seen as a different baddie can be a bit of an albatross, never mind a goose, around your neck. From his first scene he was this panto character, and I for one did not even think of Stephen Reid. Vanity is, as the name implies, vain and arrogant, but it's the delivery of this slightly camp character's script that brings the comedy out, and you just know that Vanity is not quite as nasty as he would like us to believe.

This is Todd's panto debut but I have a feeling that he enjoyed this experience just as much as the audience did. It may come as a surprise that Todd does not have a bad voice either. His version of Kylie's "Padam Padam" was great fun and his long note at the end of the "Relight My Fire" section was strong and controlled.

Nicola Martinus-Smith is Rosemary, Baron Wasteland's daughter and good friend of Benedict. Lovely voice and very easy on the eye as well as a fun character.

Roddy Peters plays Baron Wasteland, who falls under the spell of Vanity, turning from being everyone's landlord hero to a part-time baddie, to help Vanity get his way to win everyone's souls.

Djalenga Scott is Fairy Charity, the first member of the cast we really get to know. Charity battles Vanity's evil magic and has a lovely modern feel about the character, and this fairy can fly. Djalenga has a lovely voice, I just wished that the volume on her mic was turned up just a little more.

The Goose, who was called Shelley Bassey, was one of the cutest looking geese I've seen, especially with those beautiful long eyelashes, was great fun to watch. Played by Ben Tanner, there were parts where this wonderful giant goose made you feel sorry for her.

The adult ensemble consisted of Ellie Brewin, Keil Clayton, Callie Coyle, George Fryer, Lilie Hill and Emilio Maoudis.

There are three teams of young ensembles, Team Boiled Eggs, Team fried Eggs and Team Scrambled Eggs.

Directed by Mark Chatterton. This panto is fast paced and full of energy. The cast used the whole of the auditorium, and that is one thing about the layout of the auditorium, the cast can easily move swiftly among the audience with those water guns.

Musical Director is Andy Booth, and along with his band Corrina Etherington, Natalie Light and John Clark their sound made a big impression.

Choreographed by Matthew Stevens, there's plenty of energy in these dance routines for both adult and younger ensembles.

The set design is by Morgan Brind, who also wrote the panto. The sets are superb, extravagant and smothered in glitter and sparkle. A clever waterfall scene and a dark and creepy underground lair for Vanity. The writing is fresh with a blend of older and new jokes and the scene in Act Two which celebrates Derby in a parody of "Barbie Girl" is clever and very funny.

Lighting design is by David Phillips. This has to be one of the best lighting designs for a panto this year. That could be due to the sheer scale of the lighting. From punctuating the Arena with red lighting every time Vanity strode on stage to the gentle mirror ball, snowy effect to the design used for the big dance numbers. It was exciting and thrilling and possibly one of the biggest rigs for a show like this I've seen this year.

Sound design is by James Cook. There seemed to be a few sound issues, and again missed mic cues and mic packs cutting out and popping, but they were sorted out without too many problems. Personally I would have liked the mics for the actors slightly louder, but that is just my personal preference, but you have to take into account the size of this venue. It's massive and perfecting the sound mix is no easy ask for any sound designer and operator. I have come to realise that this area of the show is possibly the hardest to get spot on, and I have every respect for all sound designers in however big the venue.

"Mother Goose" is great fun, well written, well performed by a cast who know exactly what they are doing and experts in giving the best and getting the best from their audiences, even if the audience were just a little slow to warm up. That changed after the interval and the panto became more of a two-way form of entertainment.

My first show at Derby Arena, but I have a feeling that it will not be my last if the quality is as high as tonight.

"Mother Goose" is such a quacking good show that I expeckt it to sell pretty fast, so get your tickets all the way up to Sunday 31 December.

 "The Importance Of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde.

Lace Market Theatre.

One of the wittiest plays ever to be written and performed. "A Trivial Comedy For Serious People" isn’t quite as catchy a title even though this was what this play was also known as. Oscar Wilde’s classic story of deceit, triviality, society etiquette and marriage…. oh and bunburying!

One of my favourite pieces of classic theatre.

Jack wishes to marry Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolen, but first he must convince her mother, the fearsome Lady Bracknell, of the respectability of his parents and his past. For Jack, however, this is not as easy as it sounds, having started life abandoned in a handbag at Victoria station. “A handbag?”… yes, you heard right, a handbag!

There are so many classic and witty lines and one liners in this play, that you need to listen carefully to get them all.

This cast has been chosen well because they show that they all fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw; if one were missing, or there was another in its' place, it would not look and sound right. Not one actor outdid the other and it was a joy just to sit back and watch the production as a whole.

Matthew Thomason (John Worthing, aka Jack), Daniel Potts (Algernon Moncrieff) who bears a more than passing resemblance of another Daniel, Daniel Radcliffe, Charlotte Thomas (Gwendolen Fairfax), Lowenna Quantick (Cecily Cardew), Lady Bracknell is played marvellously by the wonderful Carol Parkinson, Cynthia Marsh (Miss Prism), David Dunford (Rev Canon Chasuble), Bernard Whelan (Lane) and Rupert Butt (Merriman).

There was a lovely feel of adoration between Miss Prism and the Rev Canon Chasuble, and I love the aloofness in the attraction between Cecily and Algernon. Lady Bracknell was everything that I wanted from the character and the giddiness of attraction between John and Gwendolen just fizzed. The two manservants were brilliantly at opposites, character wise.

Every character had something that you could pick out as being a favourite part of their role, and you don't get that very often from just one play, a tribute to the wonderful writing of Wilde.

Directed by Nicole Driver, assisted by Christopher Collins, they thought of everything. The sandwiches and the drinks were there - one of my pet hates is when there's a drink scene or some food and it's not there. How can you present a realistic food and drink scene if there's no wine in the glass, if there's no tea in the teapot, no milk in the milk jug, no sandwiches - which is an integral part of the play and of Algernon's character. It was all there in plain sight, and I love that addition which some Directors omit from the plays they direct.

The Set design was excellent, I'd love to tell you who was responsible for this area of the presentation but the programmes had not arrived for opening night. That said, the set was wonderfully extravagant and opulent.

The lighting design is by Nick Gale. Simple wins the game again with basic fade in and outs and that is all that is needed for a play such as this.

Sound design by Gareth Morris, again from an audience member's viewpoint, simplicity ruled the day with a gentle soundscape of piano music for when Algernon was playing in the other room.

Max Bromley is in charge of the wonderful costumes for this production, and is a force behind this show. I absolutely adored every item of clothing, from Algie's striped blazer and his first suit, which could have come straight out of an Enid Blyton novel, Jack's slightly steampunk mourning suit, to the gorgeous attire for the ladies. So classy and a collection that must be nominated for the best costume design, along with Max, surely?

A slick stage management by Keith Parkinson.

Wilde has always been one of my favourite writers because of his way with words. There's a wonderful show of arrogance in many of his quotes for his characters.

“If I am occasionally a little over-dressed, I make up for it by being always immensely over-educated.”

“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.”

And then Lady Bracknell has some corkers...

“To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.”

“I do not know whether there is anything peculiarly exciting in the air of this particular part of Hertfordshire, but the number of engagements that go on seems to me considerably above the proper average that statistics have laid down for our guidance.”

I just love the richness of the comedy in Wilde's work, and this cast and crew bring out that richness in their acting and delivery. I've seen this play on several occasions but tonight it was like I was watching it for the first time.

It's a longer run than normal, so as to give everyone the chance to catch this brilliant presentation of one of Oscar Wilde's best and most beloved of comedies, so no bunburying allowed, get your tickets while you still can as "The Importance Of Being Earnest" is here until Saturday 16 December.

 "Hansel & Gretel"

Neville Studios at Nottingham Playhouse.

Hansel and Gretel are lost in the enchanted forest with no breadcrumbs to follow home, thanks to a greedy duck. They stumble upon a cosy cottage made from delicious gingerbread and go inside… But this hideaway in the woods may not be as sweet as it seems as it's the home of the witch, who is currently not happy with a mouse who has the nibbles.

This is the perfect Christmas entertainment for children from three years old and upwards. There are woodland creatures to meet and they encounter the witch, who isn't happy that Gretel has been nibbling away at her gingerbread house, and changes Hansel into a gingerbread man biscuit! But does she turn out to be  a good witch or a bad witch? I know, but there's only one way for you to find out! 

As Hansel and Gretel are lost in the woods, they will need help to find their way back home, so there's plenty of opportunities for the audience to help with their plight. Throw in magic and music and you've got a lovely blend of entertainment for all ages.

Every performance will contain creative captioning, designed by Raphael Achache and operated by Ryan Kyte, to visually support the storytelling as well. the Video Programmer is Sam Osborne.

Hansel and Witchtastic is played by Megan Vaughan-Thomas and Gretel is played by Maya Thompson. Megan, I have not seen before as far as I can remember, but Megan I've had the pleasure of seeing several times, the last time in Spotlight Theatre's "A Chorus Line" about six years' ago. Both actors are well versed in the art of theatre. I know, as a former children's entertainer, that entertaining young children isn't easy, neither is keeping their attention. Both Maya and Megan manage to keep the kids focused and involved in the story by keeping them interactively involved.

This is a fine pairing as both have lovely voices, showcased in the few original, but catchy songs in the production, and by their story telling skills and puppetry handling. There's lots of eye contact with the children and plenty of encouraging interaction with them as they utilise the available performance area, as well as in the aisle between the seating.

This retake on the classic tale is written by Monika Johnson. A lovely simple reworking which cuts out a lot of the faff and injects some nice modern touches both in the tale and in the script, bringing the story up to date with nods to modern technology.

Directed by Beth Shouler. This show is definitely a pacy one, coming in at just fifty minutes straight through. I actually felt as if I was enjoying myself just a touch too much; a result of the fine art of story telling and mesmeric acting skills. I actually felt as if I was three or four years old again, and that surprised me because I didn't think my memory could go back that far!

The set design is by Samuel Fransch. This indeed held some magic, and I won't give too much away, but the trees turned into a house and the tree stumps became home to a frog and the floor turned into a jelly pond. It actually sounds like a scene from the film "Trainspotting" put like that!

The original music is written by David Gibb, who's also the Musical Director. Nice and catchy with simple enough lyrics for the youngsters to buy into and clap along with. 

The lighting design is by Laura Wolczyk, showing that simplicity in a lighting design is all you need to be effective in your aim.

The Puppetry Director is Matthew Forbes. I loved the duck puppet, as well as the squirrel puppet, oh and the frog as well. Created by the Nottingham Playhouse productions departments, they were easy to operate and realistic enough to drag adult eyes away from the operator and to the puppets themselves.

Produced by Amanda Bruce.

A magical show for the young theatre goers with sprinkles of glitter and sparkles, and just a little dusting of snow, this show is perfect for absolutely everyone.

"Hansel and Gretel" is at The Neville Studios at the Nottingham Playhouse until Sunday 31 December.