"Grease" School Edition

Nottingham Playhouse Summer School

You can't beat a good dollop of grease to get the weekend wheels turning. And how true this turned out to be this evening at the Neville Studios at Nottingham Playhouse for the Playhouse Summer School.

This scheme invites youngsters to take part in every role in putting on a musical in a limited time. From stage management to lighting, direction, sets and of course the performance, there's something for any youngster who wants to be involved in theatre at any level. What a great grounding and I wish there had been something like this when I was young(er).

Directed by Allie Spencer and choreographed by Amanda Hall, along with a multitude of very talented people who worked behind the scenes, tonight saw the fourth performance in two days by even more very talented people.

There were familiar faces among the cast. Familiar if, like myself, you take an interest in local amateur theatre. Cassie Hall (Kenickie), Matty Collins who was part of the ensemble as well as helped move various parts of the sets and props on and off stage, Oliver Wheddon who doubled as Roger (the mooner),one of the T Birds and Teen Angel. Oliver had a couple of numbers in the show, "Mooning" and "Beauty School Dropout", giving him the chance to show off a fine falsetto. Can I also say that Oliver's honed his dancing skills to produce an able bit of footwork. A couple of years ago he told me that dancing was not his strong point, but two years on you can see an improvement.

Eva Sheppard took the lead female role of Sandy, the prim prom girl who changed her whole image to bag Danny Zuko. I've watched Eva over the years grow into a credible singer and actor as well as a competent dancer. All of these talents shown to full effect in this production.

Danny Zuko was played by Stan Cook, a newcomer to me,and he did a cracking job. Not as arrogant as the Travolta version but enjoyable to see the confidence in Stan's version of Zuko. A commercial, and pleasant singing voice, with a few more musicals under his belt, It was nice to hear that his version of "Sandy" wasn't shouty, as I've heard in the past in other productions over the years, and neither was it clipped as in the film version. Stan extended slightly the ends to the lyrics so as not to make it sounded so stunted and I liked that, again making a good song more commercial, technically.

What I also love about these school editions is that you can see the enjoyment those taking part in their faces, and that was evident in this show. It's a great modern musical, everyone knows every song, it's fun, it's colourful and these kids exuded an air of enjoyment and fun, and that's what spreads from the stage to the audience.

Loved Kenzie Barrow as Vince Fontaine, the DJ. he completely threw away the smarmy silky smooth "radio DJ" voice of the era and gave Fontaine a more human voice inflected with fun. This also came across when Vince Fontaine appeared at the "hop". "Fun" must be Kenzie's middle name because even when involved in the ensemble parts, he spread that happiness vibe in his face. Thanks for making me smile, Kenzie.

I'd love to mention all 31 of the cast as they pulled together, in a very short time, and produced a brilliant fun filled musical. their exuberance and passion spread like an infection and I didn't see one person in the Neville Studios who didn't leave with a smile on their face.

There was also a live trio of musicians, complete in dinner jackets, providing the music. A nice touch as this would have been the norm for the 1950's period in which the musical was set. Vic "sticks" Poole, Brian Humpherson and David Hails backed the singers and provided incidental music during the set and props manoeuvres.

Livelier than a bag o kittens with some classic songs was this production, "Greased Lightning", "Summer Nights". "You're The One That I Want", "Grease", "We Go Together", "Sandy", "Hopelessly Devoted To You" all rolled out with gusto. Unfortunately my favourite of the "Grease" songs, "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" was not included, but I could see why due the context of that song in the film wouldn't sit right within the School Edition format here.

"Night Must Fall" by Emlyn Williams.

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

The Colin McIntyre Classic Thriller Season continues this year with one of those thrillers where you know who's done the dirty deed, but the story that unfolds is as interesting as if you were waiting for the big reveal itself.

The setting is a cottage on the edge of a lonely, secluded wood where an old, ill lady in a wheelchair (Mrs Bramson) resides with a little help from her niece (Olivia) and a couple of maids (Mrs Terence and Dora) and a family friend, who seems to pop round on a regular basis, just before a meal of sorts is served (Hubert Laurie). Dora, the young maid, reveals that she is "with child" and the "gentleman" responsible is a bell boy from a local hotel, called Dan aka "Babyface". A lady from the local hotel goes missing and is discovered dead, and it's soon apparent who was responsible!

Mrs Bramson is a crotchety old, wheelchair bound, or so we think, lady of the cottage, and played with great character by Karen Henson. If you imagine Julie Walters taking her Mrs Overall character and playing this role, then you've just about got the idea of what Mrs Bramson is like. I nearly didn't recognise Karen due to the brilliant costume, wig and props.

Olivia, the "dowdy" niece who is the focus for Hubert's affections, is played by Sarah Wynne Kordas, again a brilliant character part for Sarah, but is that timidness and frightened outward appearance as genuine as it first comes across as?

Andrew Ryan plays Hubert, and Andrew, being Andrew, manages to inject a lot of comedy into the play, along with some equally wonderful lines from Karen's character.Some wonderfully tried and tested facial expressions under that false wig and moustache as well,

Mrs Terence is a wonderful comic part for Susan Earnshaw as the elder maid who takes no nonsense from Mrs Bramson. With such a wonderful script by Williams, she gets her fair share of some wonderfully comical, biting lines.

Dora, played by Anna Mitcham, is also well cast as the nervous, clumsy young maid who is responsible for introducing the murderer into the home, in a round about way. It's lovely to see the nervousness so well portrayed by Anna inn her newly pregnant character.

Robert Laughlin, who was last week's Henry Jekyll, plays Inspector Belsize of Scotland Yard in a very typical "bobby" role of the period. Unruffled but quietly aware of the responsible party's guilt and just waiting for the murderer to trip him, or herself up, before he slaps on the cuffs.

And finally Dan. He's blond, good looking and a real catch for any lady, no wonder they call him "babyface". He's a player and he knows exactly what to say to impress the impressionable ladies, including the hard faced Mrs Bramson who melts under his smarm and banter. It soon becomes apparent that Dan isn't quite the smooth operator he portrays. Dan is played often with wide eyed manicness by David Osmond, as well as a lot of charm.

A wonderful set with several off stage settings giving the impression of a much bigger cottage, and area space than first meets the eye. As usual, a clever use of lighting, which creates the feeling of suspense, matched also by the creeping soundtrack. Again the genius designs of Michael William John Donoghue for the lights and David Gilbrook with the sound.Some good props relevant to the period as well

A brilliant gothic start to the season is capitalised on by this period thriller piece which was first performed in 1935. Loved "Jekyll & Hyde" last week and love this play just as much, if not more. maybe because the play is something new to me both author wise and piece wise.

"Night Must Fall" can be seen at the Nottingham Theatre Royal, by Tabs Productions until Saturday 15 August 2015.

"Annie" Nottingham Arts Theatre.

Show In A Week

It's a mammoth task to work with a large cast of children to teach them a musical, the script, the songs, choreography etc, especially when it's not a group that has worked as a group before. But these tutors moulded these kids as a potter would create a vase.

The "Show In A Week" schools that are run at the Nottingham Arts Theatre is designed to take a group of aspiring actors and create a musical within FIVE days and then present it on the Friday. You don't expect it to be perfect but apart from a few lines that needed reminding, this show was punchy, entertaining and a brilliant boost to the kids and parents, and in my case, non parent. You could see the incredible amount of hard work that went into this show from the kids to the tutors and of course the parents.

"Annie" is of course the story of the little red haired orphan who managed to escape the evil-hearted and bullying Miss Hannigan who was in charge of the orphanage. She's adopted by billionaire, Oliver "daddy" Warbucks, who tries to locate Annie's parents but discovering that they died a while ago, follows through with his plan to adopt Annie, and get Miss Hannigan, her brother Rooster and his girl friend thrown into jail.

Annie was played with great confidence and gusto by Rubie Pomeroy, Rubie has a really confident, controlled and powerful little pair of lungs on her and she is a very convincing little actor as well, taking the lead role in her stride.

Miss Hannigan was another role given a brilliantly confident, as well as comical rendition by Ashleigh Davis-Lynch. Both Ashleigh and Rubie are ladies that i would like to see go on to extend their acting skills in future shows at the Arts Theatre.

Oliver Warbucks was played by Jonathan Jaycock, who I'm sure that I've seen before somewhere, and another smooth performance. There were so many really excellent performances here, so much confidence and talent for such a young cast.

Rooster, played by Callum Barr is another face I seem to recognise from past Arts Theatre productions also. A wee bit restrained for the "wide boy" role of Rooster, but a great little performer, and I can see Callum moving on to other roles if he sticks with his obvious talent.

Another role which I thought was nicely done as well was the role of Warbucks' right hand woman, Grace, played by Holly Sullivan.

The play was an abridged version of the musical which I thought worked well and, apart from one little part where there was a bare stage for longer than comfortable, the show was fast moving with a great deal of enthusiasm and punch.

Another success for everyone involved from the talented kids on stage to the director, musical director, choreographer, lighting, sound and the stage management. That in itself is no easy job with a large cast of such tender years.

A brilliant introduction for the kids to the theatre and musical theatre which hopefully will see many of them taking their talents, however raw, onwards and upwards. A great start to my weekend and an amazing buzz for the kids to receive a standing ovation in appreciation for the results of this week's hard work.

"Jekyll & Hyde" by Tabs Productions

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

As Andrew Fettes, the actor who played "Hyde" said at the end of the show, "it soon comes round, doesn't it?", and it does, and I for one was looking forward to the new Colin McIntyre Classic Thriller Season, which started on Monday night with Robert Louis Stevenson's gothic thriller, "Jekyll & Hyde".

The story of Dr Henry Jekyll who, after a tot or two of smoky bubbling liquid, turns into the evil killer, Mr Edward Hyde.Hyde is pursued by lawyer and Jekyll's close friend Gabriel Utterson, followed closely behind by Inspector Newcomen and his trusty sidekick Detective Constable whoever, his name's not given and isn't important anyway in the context of the story.

Andrew Ryan plays Utterson who has the feeling that something isn't quite right with his close friend Dr Jekyll and his other close friend, Dr Hastie Lanyon but can't quite fathom the connection between Jekyll, Lanyon and Hyde until after Jekyll's and Lanyon's death when all is revealed in a letter to Utterson. You can always rely on Mr Ryan to deliver a cracking performance and this is one of Andrew's more serious and melodramatic roles.

David Gilbrook plays the Inspector who clings on like a dog with a bone until he gets the answers he wants; his sidekick played by relative newcomer, Ryan Mitchell.

Dr Jekyll is played by Robert Laughlin, and while there's every opportunity to take the character really over the top, Robert kept the thrashing around within the realms of Victorian believability.His counterpart, the evil Mr Hyde is played with evil relish by Andrew Fettes.

There are some lovely minor character roles played by Susan Earnshaw, David Osmond, Anna Mitcham and Elise Solis and Charlotte Wright, who are both from Nottingham and play the two juvenile girls in the play. With a cast such as this, they must have had great fun.

Melodrama is the key and the Victorian London set design, plus the lighting and sound heightened and highlighted the suspense. The wonderful red and black lighting silhouetting Hyde was extremely powerful and just part of the effective and evocative lighting design by Michael Donoghue. The eerie sound effects designed by David Gilbrook.

Directed by Nicholas Briggs, he really keeps the suspense up, which does not come as a surprise as he has a solid grounding in recent TV Dr Who productions.

If you're a regular Thriller Season fan, you'll know exactly what to expect and you won't be in for a disappointment. if you wish to venture away from the TV thrillers and murder mysteries and see a live thriller, you will love it, and even if you don't get into this gothic masterpiece, there three more weeks of classics to follow.

"Jekyll and Hyde" can be seen at Nottingham's Theatre Royal until Saturday 8 August 2015 and is a solid start to this year's season. Don't hyde away, come and see it!

"East Is East" by The Ambassador Theatre Group

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

I saw this last many years ago in Leicester and loved the rawness of the play and. although the music has changed from that play to this new production, the rawness and honesty, as well as the comedy still remains as strong as ever.

"East Is East" is about a tyrant of a father who came over from Pakistan and married a woman from Salford, which is where the play is set, and his fight to keep a grip on his family and his Pakistani beliefs and faith. He is the man that demands respect from his wife and British born family, but he soon discovers that his old fashioned ways are not the faith and beliefs that his family want to follow. They rebel against his attempts for arranged marriages, the freedom he thinks they should have, and their father's view of his responsibility to his family.

There's been several news items over the years about arranged marriages and of what happens to the daughters, and sons, who try to live their Westernised lives, and this play shows the violence and the dark side of the head of the household who feels that he has to uphold the Pakistani religion. The violence is a complete contrast to the wonderful comedy moments liberally scattered throughout.

Simon Nagra as George Khan, the father, is a character you, in a way have pity for as he is so wrapped up in his two lives, the one in Pakistan and the Salford family. He also has his devotion to his religion, so much so that he can't see the impact it has on his family. He is rude and disrespectful to his wife, Ella, played by "Shameless" star Pauline McLynn, while demanding her to listen to him and to respect him.

The family, Meenah (Salma Hoque), Sajit (Adam Karim), Tariq (Ashley Kumar), Maneer (Darren Kuppan), Abdul (Dharmesh Patel) and Saleem (Assad Zaman) are a modern family who want to follow their own modern 1970's lifestyles.

It's the decision to have Sajit, the youngest of the sons, circumcised that brings the turn around from Ella and the family and brings the downfall of George's kingdom. Adam who plays Sajit is brilliant as the troubled and damaged son who will not take off his parka, he even sleeps in it. It's only removed under anaesthetic and one other time near the end of the play, which proves to be a defining moment for the boy.

The whole cast are brilliant with the family's unwavering devotion to their mother and their changing opinion of their father. The "rod of iron" approach of George and the steadfast protectiveness and love of Ella for her family. Sally Bankes also has a lovely role as Auntie Annie which brings so much comedy to the play.

You will love the set, designed by James Turner Donnelly, which is of an urban 70's back yard housing estate, very similar to something you may see on Coronation Street. It sets the mood for the period and the community spirit of the day. The play shows the family pride as well as highlighting the faults of the family and is a wonderful slice of 1970's multi cultural Britain.

"East Is East" is on at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 1 August 2015

"Imaginary Lines" by Zodiac Theatre Company

Create Theatre, Mansfield.

You can always tell when a theatre group have been together for any length of time because the relationship between the actors when on stage shows through. There's a comfortableness there and a sense of natural timing and trust, as well as an appreciation from actor to actor. That is what I saw in this production.

"Imaginary Lines" is a play written by Reggie Oliver and is a wonderful piece of comedy. Written to break the fourth wall in order to engage the audience with the characters and the story and creates its' own comedy moments in the same way that "A Man Of Two Guvnors" does. It lets the audience into secrets that the cast on stage are "unaware": of as the actor takes them under their secretive and protective wing.

This is a dotty look at life and love, which was originally directed by Alan Ayckbourn. The "imaginary lines" are the things we wish we could say, or had said usually to the opposite sex. The asides in the dialogue provide amusing counterpoints to what the characters are really saying to each other. Will Sir Michael get Wanda to go off with him for a weekend frolic? Will Wanda decide who she wants? Will Howard win Wanda or get stuck with Carol? Will Mrs. Burlap ever find a copy of Snow ed Up with a Duchess by Mrs. Arnold Frogmore?

Howard, the book shop owner, is a typical geek who is uncomfortable around strangers but would love to be the man to get the lady and be the romantic lead role. Simon Ward plays the role as a Mr Bean/Rowan Atkinson character with plenty of comical looks, shrieks, grunts and gurnings. It's the first time that I've seen Simon in any role and hopefully he will slip into the acting role more often as it was a joy to watch this geeky and comedic character revealed under Simon's capable comedy acting ability.

Wanda, played by Anna Sanderson is the confident single woman who is looking for some male company and although she is escorted home by Howard and Sir Micheal, she is in total control of the situation, or so it seems. We see later in the play that she turns to chasing Sir Michael with her little love notes, but does a fine job of blowing hot and cold. Another lovely comedy character who I'm sure that you've come across in your own life at some stage.Anna looks so at ease and natural in this character that you sometimes forget that she's acting!

Michael is the MP who thinks he has struck it lucky with Wanda after driving her home. He's married so has to keep the prospective affair very low key. He gets off on the wrong foot with Wanda's friend Carol though when they are all meet up at Wanda's, and this makes for yet another funny but embarrassing scene for the two characters as Carol blames Sir Michael for the loss of her job. Carol doesn't hold back but shows a softer side as she takes a shine to Howard when she takes a part time job at Howard's book shop. Michael is played by Daniel Smith and Carol by Katie Richmond-Ward.

And then there's the local children's writer who is just a little bit loony. Mrs Burlap is another wonderful character-driven role with some amazing face pulling and clever words, expertly delivered first class by Lindsay Foster.

This whole team are just so tight and the comedy is timed to perfection. It's fast moving, which is helped by the lighting of the piece, which I'd love to credit to someone, but I don't know who that mystery lighting designer is. Whoever you are, you did a brilliant job.

Directed by Craig Foster, there was not a foot put wrong, which is what I've come to expect, and they didn't disappoint. The last three plays the Zodiac Theatre Group have done have all been on the dark side of drama, but as a group they proved that they can do comedy just as well as they can do suspense, drama and serious thrillers. This group are consistently good and deserve to be supported in all that they do because there's some serious (and comedy) talent here.

"Invisible Lines" is on at Create Theatre, West Notts College, Mansfield for one more night, Saturday 25 July 2015.

"When We Are Married" by J.B. Priestley

Nottingham Lace Market Theatre.

J.B. Priestley is one of our finest Northern playwrights and dramatists and "When We Are married" is one of his finest and most comical of his plays.

Three very respectable couples, old friends, were all married on the same day twenty five years previously, gather at the Helliwells’ home to celebrate their silver anniversary. They discover they are not legally married, thanks to Gerald Frobes, an organist, and even worse, a Southern man, Each couple initially react with Victorian horror – what will the neighbors think? – and all three couples find themselves re-evaluating their marriages; Hovering closely over the proceedings is the Yorkshire Argus' alcohol-soaked photographer, Henry Ormonroyd, keen to record the evening's events for posterity, and a wickedly destructive housekeeper, Mrs Northrop, who is hoping to use the couples' mortification to her own advantage.

This particular selection of actors are perfect in their characterizations of the subjects of Priestley's 1938 period farce. The three grooms, Alderman Helliwell (John Anthony), Councillor Parker (Fraser Wanless) and Herbert Soppitt (Roger Watson) are all wonderful in their prospective roles as the grooms who discover that, just for a moment, they may be free of the shackles of matrimony, which gives all three the chance to take stock of their lives.

The brides Maria Helliwell (Jackie Dunn), Annie Parker (Janice White) and Clara Soppitt (Linda Croston) are equally mesmerising in their roles. All six have some wonderful comic lines and some brilliantly sharp put downs for their men folk.I really could not pick a favourite from these six because they all delivered some cracking performances.

There are also some wonderful comic roles on the interim from Pat Richards as Ormoroyd, what a classic drunken character-driven role for Pat, reminding me slightly of the late Jimmy Jewel. Alison Hope as Mrs Northrop was fantastic as the stroppy housekeeper to the Helliwells. Gill Cooke was also at her manic best as Lottie Grady, the "would be flame" of one of the grooms, who pours petrol over the raging fires of the Silver Wedding fiasco with her Blackpool revelations.

Anne McCarroll, (housemaid),Matthew Thomason, (Frobes),Ruth Page (Maria's niece), Tom Orton ( the reporter), and Stephen herring (Reverand Mercer) complete the cast list.

Wonderful costumes and props (love the facial hair), and lovingly directed by Dan Maddison, I get the feeling that this particular play was a labour of love for Dan. And the accents were, as usual for the Lace Market Theatre, spot on. The vocal coach at the Lace Market always seem to get the regional accents absolutely right.

To sum up, this is a wonderfully warm and funny play with a wonderfully sharp script, great character actors, with some wonderful characters to play. In short it's just wonderful. T' play is on up t' Sat'day 25 July 2015 at t' Lace Market Theatre, and there's no "lah di dah" t' be seen anywhere.