"Touched" by Stephen Lowe.
Nottingham Playhouse.

"Touched" originally opened at the Nottingham Playhouse on 9 June 1977, directed by Richard Eyre. This time around, Matt Aston was the director and matt introduced modern age technology to the play to update the mechanics of the play.

The play is set in 1945 during the hundred days between VE Day in May 1945 and VJ Day in August 1945, a period which also included the election of the first ever Labour government and the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The play focuses on a group of working-class women in Nottingham, especially Sandra and her sisters, Joan and Betty. Sandra has lost a son, killed by a car in the blackout. With peace coming, she is full of hope for a different kind of future.

The play was influenced by Lowe's mother, and the play is focused on the women who were left behind when the men went to war. Their struggles and sacrifices and the bond the women had with each other and the moralities of the women.

It's a working class play written for working class people and it's nice to hear the accent performed in true Nottingham. many times you hear the accent either diluted or taken way over the top but here, it were spot on. Compliments to the voice coach, Kat Hicks. Plus you can relive some of those magical Nottingham sayings you heard from your mother when you were just a kid.

The cast, Vicky McClure (Sandra), Aisling Loftus (Joan), Chloe Harris (Betty), Elizabeth Rider (Mam), Esther Coles (Mary), Luke Gell (Keith), Sarah Beck Mather (Bridie), Ian Kirkby (Harry), George Boden (Johnny), Isobel Gilbert (Pauline), Eve Mclaughlin and Kaiya Withey didn't outshine each other, which was a good thing because they were all supposed to be equals and that really stuck out.

I'm one for taking in the whole theatre experience and noting light (Nick Richings) and sound (Julian Butler) and these two really complemented the story and production, creating atmosphere.

The sets looked a lot more comfortable than I would have imagined them to be for this period of working-class Nottingham. the clever use of cinematography on the scenery set the time line and added exterior scenery, taking you from Sandra's comfy home to the woods in Colwick in a flick of the fader, or switch or whatever these technical wizards throw to transport us to another place visually.

The ending is quite magical, but also with an overtone of shock, so keep an eye on the blossom tree before and after. The magic of theatre still excites me with touches like this.

An enjoyable trip back to 1940's Nottingham with some serious topics highlghted. I have it on good authority though some of the scenes have been changed, like the tin bath scene, slightly. Good authority? Yes, I'm married to the original "Pauline" who first appeared in 1977, when she was nine years old, at the Playhouse along with Brian Glover and Marjorie Yates.

"Touched" is at the Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 4 March 2017.

“Woman In Black”
Nottingham Theatre Royal

Written by Susan Hill and adapted for the stage by Stephen Mallatratt, this play has been in the West End for 27 years. It’s the story of a lawyer, Mr Kipps, obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the ghost of a mysterious woman in black. He hires a young actor to help him tell his story in play form, within the play. It begins innocently enough but gradually they get caught up in Kipps’ eerie past.

Having seen the play previously, it can be difficult for a newcomer to this theatre play to conceive that a piece of theatre can have the same scare factor as the film. What we must remember though is that this was first a book and to get the most from a book, you have to use your imagination, and that’s part of the secret of this play.

Many of the scenes played out in the film are described aurally as well as having sound effects to allow the viewer to conjure up images in their own mind, in some ways quite the opposite of what theatre is meant to do as most theatrical productions are very visual, but that’s where the scare factor comes from. While your mind is conjuring up the images from the sound effects and story, this allows the visual side of the play to take over and create that “sudden” image which makes you jump.

Not only that but there’s the expectation of being frightened and when that fright comes at you in the surroundings of a place like a theatre, not at the times you expect it, that’s where the true frightening experience comes from.

The choice of set is simple yet effective. For instance a smoky stage and a lighting stencil of a vast mansion are all that there is to depict the marshland beyond the deceased Alice Drablow’s manor, leaving the audience’s mind to question what might be lurking in the mist.

The show has several ‘jumpy’ moments; the use of lighting is especially effective when revealing the ghostly figure of Jennet Humfrye in several unexpected places plus the sounds from Alice can also take you by surprise.

David Acton (Kipps) and Matthew Spencer (The Actor) are really good at building, maintaining and breaking the suspense, It's the direction by Robin Hereford, the lighting by Kevin Sleep and the sound design by Gareth Owen that make this story come to life and create the shocks.

It's not all frights though as the play, before the play within the play, has several jocular moments which is a big contrast to what is to come later in the play.

Some may say the play takes a bit of time to get going but it's very clever as it builds the tension up all throughout Act One, paving the way for a tense Act Two.

The set is sparse, which is good for not being a distraction, but the props that are there, like the rocking chair are vital and you home in on this and the music box with the knowledge that they are there for a reason, helping the anticipation and the tension because you just know that there's a reason for them being there. The raked stage also makes it very easy to see everything from front to back.

You will jump, I did and I've seen it before, and the appearance of the Woman In Black at the end will unnerve you.

"The Woman In Black" will be materialising every night until Saturday 25 February 2017 at the Nottingham Theatre Royal. It's frighteningly good!

"The Giant Jam Sandwich" by New Perspectives.

I've never even set foot in The Guildhall theatre at Derby, often wondered where it was and had heard many wonderful things about the shows that have been performed there, and shows to be performed there.

So when I was asked to pop down and review New Perspectives new musical, "The Giant Jam Sandwich", I jumped at the chance to, not only see this show for children, but to break my duck by visiting the theatre for the first time.

Possible not the easiest of theatres to locate if you didn't know where to look but, having found it, along with the very helpful and friendly staff, i ascended the gorgeous staircase to a bijou little theatre with raked seating for 182 downstairs and a small balcony area seating a further 60.

The intimacy of this theatre is perfect for shows like "The Giant Jam Sandwich". In a fictitious village called Itching Down, there's a sudden onslaught of wasps, millions of the blighters.The mayor has gathered together the village folk to see what they are to do about ridding their village of them, they even call in a wasp expert, but it;s the baker, Mr Bap, who comes up with the idea of baking a massive loaf of bread and making the biggest jam sandwich ever to trap the wasps.

The characters, and there are several of them, are all played by three very entertaining actors, Christopher Finn, Sarah Ratheram and Paul Critoph. they take on the baker, a farmer, the mayor, the wasp expert and even a pair of wasps and the odd bee among their several guises.

It's great fun, and not just for the kids either as I noticed several of the parents joining in with the audience participation bits.

The songs are very well written, simple but catchy, but from a music point of view quite technical. Some of the melodies wouldn't sound out of place in a serious musical. James Atherton has done a good job on the music front, and I'm sure that all the kids will now know the instructions to how you make bread, thanks to his catchy tune.

The props were all well used (loved the helicopter and the flying tractor) and the costumes were bright and fun along with the choreography.

The set was colourful and looked simple but I know that simple sets aren't always as they seem. Amy Jane Cook designed the set, so I'm sure she knows what I mean.

Being aware that Jack McNamara was the director, I knew that this would be good as I've seen several of his pieces previously in Nottingham at the Playhouse and Lakeside. This was snappy and pacy, making sure that the kids were entertained and their focus kept throughout the production which lasts just over an hour.

The author and illustrator of the book, which I hadn't realised dated back to 1972, also has local connections as John Vernon Lord was born and bred in Derbyshire. The wonderful verses in the play are by Janet Burroway.

Now, I love a good read of the programme while waiting for the show to start and this programme is full of fascinating facts like the above as well as wasp facts and how to make bread (for the young ones), as well as the usual details about the actors and creatives. Thanks Ruth Disney for a really nicely informative programme.

"The Giant Jam Sandwich" is at The Guidhall Theatre in Derby until Saturday18 February and then goes on a mini tour to the following venues.
 Sunday 5 March at Highbank Community Centre, Clifton
Saturday 11 March at Kegworth Village Hall (on the border of Notts and Derbys) and Sunday 12 March at Create Theatre, Mansfield.

It's always nice, as a reviewer and theatre fan to step back occasionally and see something a bit different, and that is what this is, so take your kids, Grandkids, your granny, uncles and aunts because they will all love this production.

"Patience" by St. Peter's G&S Society.
Ravenshead Village Hall.

"Patience" or "Bunthorne's Bride is an operetta by Gilbert & Sullivan and, in the same way that William Shakespeare often puts theatre goers off by your experience at school, Gilbert & Sullivan can often have the same effect with just that phrase operetta.

Gilbert & Sullivan are masters at writing great comedy songs for wonderful comic pieces of theatre and this is one of their best, and also one of their little performed pieces, which is just another reason for me wanting to see it.

One other reason was that I knew that it was in the very capable directorial hands of Stephen Godward because if anyone is going to know how to present G&S on stage, Stephen was the man.

It's the story of Reginald Bunthorne, a poet, who would be the equivalent of your Justin Bieber or Harry Styles of today. He is followed by all of the women in the town who want him to be their one and only. Bunthorne though is in love with the milkmaid, Patience, who isn't in love with him.

Along comes another poet Archibald Grosvenor and becomes the flavour of the month and all the maidens follow him around which irks Bunthorne, knocking his massive ego.

A simple story of shallowness and fickleness where poets, painters and artistic designers were the pin up pop idols of the day.

Being a G&S Society, you just know that the vocals in these shows are going to be among the best, and they are, so i don't need to tell you how good these actors are with the vocals. it goes without saying that you're going to get some powerful and beautiful voices.

Rachel Wass (Patience) was delightful and funny with her little "screams".

Alex Conway (Bunthorne) debuts with the society and I love the foppish fun he brings to the stage. Being exposed to G&S from his University days he delivers a crisp and clipped performance.

Jordan Martinez (Grosvenor) is not quite so foppish but just as much fun, and looks a little less like a Kenny Everett character without the wig but also has quite an ear for accents towards the end of the performance. This is the third year for the Blidworth lad.

There are twenty maidens who are all fabulously comical but I must mention Katia Burton (Lady Angela) who absolutely oozed fun in this role.

Likewise with the six Officers, all wonderfully watchable with a great sense of fun.

Instilling the fun element in the production is director Stephen Godward and not feeling the urge to set this G&S masterpiece in a hippyfied 1960's setting or in any other era, as some have done, he keeps it to the original 1880's. After all it's the words and music that create the comedy and they are all intact.

Wonderful costumes thanks mainly to Lichfield Costume Hire and a simple but effective set designed by Stephen Godward and Norman Skelley.

Musical accompaniment was provided by pianist Piotr Wisniewski and musically directed by Lynda Harvey.

A wonderfully camp romp with some great vocal performances, a story that you can follow and plenty of laughs along the way. A real treat for any theatre and G&S fan.

"Patience" is being performed at Ravenshead Village Hall until Saturday 18 February 2017, with a matinee on Saturday. Tickets are £10.00 and children £5.00.

"Fame The Musical" by Musicality
Nottingham Arts Theatre.

It never fails to surprise me that these students can put on a show of this calibre in between all of the studies they have to do. Every year they do and it's all down to two little words that are echoed throughout this musical about graduating through the High School of Performing Arts. Those two words are "hard" and "work".

"Fame The Musical" provides an open look at the New York City’s High School of Performing Arts, where sweat and hard work are the key factors to a successful life as a performer. The plot follows a group of students across the acting, dancing and music faculties from 1980-1984 as they learn to master their craft and grow up alongside each other, rising to the various challenges that face them in school and in their personal lives.

Claire Wimbush plays Carmen Diaz, the fame hungry student with a drug addiction who falls for Schlomo, but her love for fame and the white stuff is stronger. Claire can dance, act and sing, a triple boon to any production. her singing voice highlighted well in numbers like "There She Goes", the emotion packed "In L.A." and the title track which brought the house down in the finale.

Jacob Lloyd, who I've seen several times in his roles on and off stage, plays Schlomo, the son of a renowned violinist, which he's trying to break away from, Schlomo, not Jacob. Instantly likeable character-driven role. Schlomo and Carmen perform a lovely duet in "Bring On Tomorrow" which is also sung at the end, creating a completely different twist to the words and the song, giving Jacob a chance to show the emotion in his voice.

Jake Gelernter is Nick Piazza, the serious drama student who appeared in a TV commercial once and wants to perform serious drama. Jake, like Nick is driven, I can say that with confidence as I've seen Jake act on several occasions, and in various roles which shows his versatility. He also has a fine singing voice as heard in two of my favourite songs from the show "Let's Play A Love Scene" and "I Want To Make Magic"

Emily Jayne-Dervey plays Nick's sparring partner, Serena Katz, who starts by having a bit of a crush on the character but soon gets to play Juliet to Nick's Romeo. A nice voice that compliments Jake's in their duet.

Bringing much of the humour to the musical is the "jock" Joe Jose Vegas, played by James Thacker. It takes a very confident actor to pull off this role and James has confidence oozing out of him. He looked like he really enjoyed performing "Can't Keep It Down". He's also a bit of a mover as well.

Katie Monk plays the dancer with a love of food, Mabel Washington. Great enthusiasm shown throughout her song "Mabel's Prayer",

Sally Johnston shows plenty of attitude as the dancer Tyra Jackson. In some productions Tyra is Tyrone. Sally has great attitude, and you need that when you're rapping in "Tyra's Rap" and the wonderfully energetic "Dancing On The Sidewalk".

Maria Bennett is Tyra's ally, Iris Kelly. they say that opposites attract and this is the case here. Maria has lovely poise as the talented ballet dancer.

Nikki Fish is Grace Lamb, the female drummer of the band set up by Schlomo and Rhodri Denton plays the trumpeter in the band, Goodman King, both have some comic lines to bring to the play.

And then we have the teachers.....

Jess Lacey is wonderful as the English teacher Miss Sherman. Pushy but for all the right reasons to challenge her children to get the best education possible. Jess has a great voice for the theatre and she gets a couple of chances to prove this. The first in the duet with the dance teacher, Greta Bell, in the aptly titles piece "Teacher's Argument" and my favourite song from this musical "These Are My Children". This song in particular shows Jess's full range of her vocal talents.

Amy Foden, as Greta, shows great passion in her role, because Greta is a passionate person and a passionate teacher and Jess brings this out marvellously, Another talented singer to boot.

Thomas Outhwaite is the drama teacher, Mr Myers, bringing the ever so slightly campness to the stage without going over the top. Thomas gets the level spot on with this character.

Jack Linley plays the German music teacher, Mr Scheinkopf, who also has some wonderful snide little lines which you need to listen out for. Love the accent as well.

A very capable ensemble with some very talented dancers, which leads me on to the technical team.....

"Fame", despite the other subjects in school is primarily a dance driven show and doing a cracking job of the choreography is Alleisha Furlonge-Royal.With such a large cast of varying degrees of dance experience, Alleisha has done a brilliant job and instilled such energy into the show and the dancers.

The orchestra sounded wonderful and under the musical direction of Charlotte Mann.

Directed by Kate Shields and Matt Lewinton and produced by Hannah Kitching and Naomi Batley. These four have poured many hours into this production over the last six months or so but all that hard work has certainly paid off. You can see that by seeing the show,

A realistic and well utilised, multi levelled set, designed by Joanne Blunt and well thought out lighting design by Sam Osbourne and Hannah Burne and the Nottingham Arts Theatre.

Once again you have to applaud the time and effort given by everyone involved in "Fame" because these people are all full time students, and to stage a musical like this, and of this quality in the time given, is just brilliant. So much talent which I hope will be continued in future productions, even after graduation.

"Fame The Musical" is on at The Nottingham Arts Theatre until Saturday 18 February 2017. Tickets are from £9.00 - £12.50.

"La Cage Aux Folles"
Nottingham Theatre Royal.

Georges and drag artiste Albin, star of la Cage Aux Folles, live an idyllic existence in the heart of St Tropez. But behind the curtains of this sparkling all-singing, all-dancing cabaret they provide at "La Cage", all is about to change.

Georges’ son Jean-Michel announces his engagement to the daughter of a bigoted politician, determined to close down the local colourful night-life. Drama is only just around the corner when a meeting of the parents forces them to cover up their vibrant lifestyle to get the blessing of the marriage from Jean-Michel's fiancee's father. Will Albin be able to play the role of his life to ensure that Jean-Michel can marry his love?

I've seen John Partridge before on stage so I knew that this role, as Albin, would be right up his street. John though surpassed everything that I had expected. He played Albin with a Northern accent, reminiscent of Billy Pearce, and pumped so much comedy and emotion into the role, there were many with tears in their eyes by the final bows. His voice has such amazing range and power, carrying off all of the tunes with the greatest of ease.

His talent for ad-libbing with his interaction with the audience made the "La Cage" show real; as if we had been transported to St Tropez itself for the cabaret. He makes you feel the emotions that Albin was going through, making you forget that you were watching John Partridge, and instead that you were watching Albin.

Basically he made you feel the love story between Georges and Albin, and that fight to be accepted for who he was. A fight that for many people today still rolls on. He shows Albin's strong, confident side as well as Albin's insecurities. One hell of an emotional piece of theatre, an emotion shown on John's face during the standing ovation at the end.

Georges was played by Adrian Zmed. Lovely to see the role not taken over the top but just the right amount of "camp". Adrian's singing voice was a nice compliment to John's, with some nice light and shade moments. His vocals and acting made this a very easy watch.

Playing Jacqueline, the restaurant owner, was the wonderful Marti Webb; a bit of a legend when it comes to musicals.

Dougie Carter, as Jean-Michele, is also the owner of a fine voice and has several moments to show this off to, especially the upbeat "With Anne On My Arm" and the sublime reprise of "Look Over There".

Jean-Michele's fiancee, Anne, was played by Alexandra Robinson, and her parents played by Paul F Monaghan and Su Douglas, two actors with a great sense of fun and also cracking voices.

I must also mention Albin's maid/butler Jacob, played wonderfully by Samson Ajewole. What a wonderfully fun supporting role.

The ensemble were simply the best, and you know when sometimes you may see one who sticks out from the cast, well not here. Every single one of those dancers and supporting cast were seamlessly excellent.

The set was fantastic, like something out of a Hollywood movie. Gary McCann, the set designer was also responsible for the incredible costumes that have to be seen to be appreciated. Glitz and glamour by the bucketload.

Bill Deamer did an amazing job with the choreography, again reminiscent of one of the old Hollywood flicks.

A cracking sound and orchestra, under the musical direction of Mark Crossland, and while we're on the subject of the music, there are some wonderful songs in this soundtrack.

Not only the one we all know "La Cage" for, "I Am What I Am" but the singalong finale of "The Best Of Times" as well as the aforementioned songs "Look Over There" and "With You On My Arm" and the comic "Masculinity".

This musical is for anyone who loves a great night of entertainment from a cast who really know how to work their socks off. It has Hollywood stamped all over it, everything you could wish for from a big, bright, glamorous, glittery show with equal amounts of comedy and pathos. If you don't cry from laughter, you'll just cry.

I really can't praise this show enough and I am so happy that this production was my first experience of "La Cage", having not seen the film, only having the soundtrack to gauge the feel of the piece.

"La Cage Aux Folles", starring John Partriodge, Adrian Zmed and Marti Webb, is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 18 February 2017.This is one musical not to be missed for so many reasons.

"Strangers: A Magic Play"
The Lofthouse, Lace Market, Nottingham.

I think that I can honestly say that I've not seen magic and theatre linked in this way in the past. Magic itself is a type of theatre and these four individual scenarios all have two themes running through them; magic and strangers.

I'm not going to go through the four scenarios, because I don't want to spoil the plays for anyone who wants to see "Strangers". Two of the scenarios involve the environment of a public gathering, and these are where the typical image of the magic performance is shown, including a certain amount of audience participation.

There are card tricks shown on a table and on the stage, both of which are pretty impressive, especially to someone like me who loves the whole mystery of magic. My only advice on the card trick shown on stage is to have the area better lit. Not sure if this was an option in the Lofthouse space but you'd be able to see the cards that were being held. I had to really peer to see the outcome of the trick and I think a little more light on the cards would have had a more instant impact. Great trick though!

The other two, and again I'm going to try not to give any spoilers here, use magic in a more story based theatre way, The first on the desert island may turn a stomach or two but is effective in what it was trying to achieve.

The last story contained more of a standard magic routine wrapped in a story-line. It also had a feel of the supernatural, which I loved, well that was the way I saw it. I'd love to tell you what the story line was but, like a good magician, I do not want to reveal what happens.

As I said, for me this is a new concept combining the two are forms and they work really well together. Joe Strickland, a finalist in the Magic Circle Young Magician of the Year, has pulled a cracker of a show, like a proverbial rabbit, out of the hat and given both theatre and magic a nice twist. 

We were advised at the end that this show was part two of a work in progress production, and that's a brave thing for any production to say, but a wonderful thing to have experienced and to see the growth of the piece.

It's part two because Joe and the rest of the cast, Louis Nabil Djalili, George Waring, Kate O'Gorman, Natalia Gonzalez and Lois Baglin have already taken "Strangers" to the Edinburgh Fringe and received a really good review, so if you don't want to miss a piece of theatre with a difference, and you don't want to travel to Edinburgh to see it, pop down to The Lofthouse on Warser Gate in The Lace Market.

"Strangers: A Magic Play" is on until Wednesday 15 February 2017at 7.30pm. Tickets are only £5.00. Go get them before they vanish as well!