"Annie" by Act One
Hind Leys Theatre, Shepshed.

My first visit to Hind Leys Theatre, and my first taste of Act One. I knew from what I'd heard and to people that I'd spoken to that Act One were good, so I expected a good show.

I didn't get a good show.... I got a brilliant show. I was really taken aback as to how good and how professional and the quality to this production. Hind Leys have a wonderful working theatre and a great cast of very talented actors.

I think we all know the "Annie" story, where little orphan Annie is left as a child on the steps of a New York orphanage ran by the nasty Miss Hannigan. Annie is taken in by the billionaire Oliver Warbucks who then chooses to adopt her. Annie is waiting though for her real parents to come back and collect her, so Warbucks runs a nationwide campaign to track down Annie's parents, which is where the greedy Hannigans try and pull a fast one.

A big cast who work so well together and apart from the main characters there are some wonderful characters in minor roles.

Adrian Dobson has changed up a few things from the standard production and I think that this production is the only one that started off showing how Annie was left at the orphanage. From that point on, I knew that it would be something just a little bit special.

Bella Ramsey (Annie) is a fizzing ball of attitude and confidence and I loved her voice. Gone is the typical Annie wig and a shorter cut which looked more fashionable. loved the fact as well that she was completely unfazed when Sandy the dog, played by Lola, decided that she didn't want to go to Annie when called and wandered off stage. Bella kept in character and waited for Lola to return to the script.

Danni Starkey (Miss Hannigan) was wonderful as the alcoholic bully; a lovely character performance from Danni who made me believe everything that she said, and another actor who oozed confidence.

Jack Cooling (Oliver Warbucks) really impressed me on many levels. Jack can act a lot older than his age and make that character believable. He is also blessed with a very mature voice and a coolness that belies his age. I noticed at the finale he held himself with the air of a performer. His chin slightly lifted, which any singer will tell you is how you're supposed to sing out in order to project with ease. He's going to go far.

Oliver Halford (Rooster) and Jemma Taylor (Lily) worked well as a pair and brought some of the comedy to the show.

Kate Muller (Grace Farrell) exuded an air of cool as Warbucks right hand woman.

I also loved the comedy and typical Britishness of Drake, the butler, played with brilliant comedy by Ben Dawson.

Some wonderful choreography carried out by Warbuck's staff, including an en pointe tap routine. Choreographer for the production was by Wendy Spencer.

The scene in the radio station on Bert Healey's show was also a nice comedy section, led by Bert himself played by Jacob Beasley.

Another lovely comedy section was the boardroom scene with President Roosevelt, played by Tom Malpass.

A massive cast, and I wish I could name check all of you because i could tell that every single actor on that stage showed their passion for what they were doing, no matter how small the role.

With such a large cast, and a wonderful set, designed by Adrian Dobson, the stage management had to be tight, and it was Kevin Spencer who made sure that there were no embarrassing gaps and kept it fluent.

The orchestra sounded wonderful under the musical direction of Hazel Needham and complemented the on stage actors voices perfectly.

There could be so many people not onstage that I also could mention but again, no space, but all of these cogs in the well-oiled Act One theatre machine worked exactly as they should and made this show a massive success.

I for one will look forward to seeing the next Act One performance because they won me over for the sheer talent, quality and professionalism of everyone on and off stage. It was well worth the three bus journey to see a show of this calibre.

“The History Boys”
Nottingham Arts Theatre

The play opens in Cutlers' Grammar School, Sheffield, a fictional boys' grammar school. Set in the early 1980s, the play follows a group of history pupils preparing for the Oxford and Cambridge entrance examinations under the guidance of three teachers (Hector, Irwin, and Lintott) with contrasting styles.

This is the only school-play in English drama that is about the process of teaching. Not just about the sexuality or politics of school life but about the daily process of opening up young minds. We get to see the heroic Hector, and the insidious Irwin - the play's intellectual antagonists who just so happen to be in the same boat sexually - at work in the classroom.

The play is also sublimely funny, not least in a scene where Hector improves the boys' French by getting them to impersonate the clients of a bordello, only to be interrupted by a surprised and astonished headmaster.

The original film paved the way to stardom for Matt Smith, Dominic Cooper and James Corden. Cassie Hall’s directed production shows some of Spotlight’s very own stars in a very favourable light as well.

The humour is as sharp as when Bennett wrote the play and the whole 1980’s feel is still very evident from the soundtrack used. What is also still crystal clear is the distinctive light and shade of the story with the repressed but evident, to the boys at least, sexuality in the all boys schooling of the period.

Robert Goll (Hector), as always commands the stage and his background in Shakespeare meant for wonderful projection and stage presence. For a sixty year old character like Hector though, Rob looked decades younger. An absolutely watchable character performance.

Alex Huntley (Irwin), i know from the University's Musicality shows and makes his local theatre debut as the young teacher who is drafted in to rock Hector's teaching boat. A good solid performance and completely believable. The passion his character has is wonderfully played out.

Mike Butler (Headteacher) gives an authoritative performance throughout and completing the teaching staff is Jackie Dunn (Mrs "Totty" Lintott. You'd hardly recognise Jackie in this role because her usual glamorous self is made under for the dowdy role. I remember Frances De La Tour from the film and there was a certain amount of 80's glamour in the character and I felt Mrs Lintott could have been made to look a tad younger. In fact Jackie could have played it looking like her usual self, young and attractive.I'd forgot what a potty mouth Lintott had though!

Joseph Smith (Dakin) played the role as the "head" boy in his stride and looked comfortable with the adoration from Posner (Alexander Tilley), and why shouldn't he, Dakin is full of confidence and knows what he wants and usually gets it.

Alexander is another actor making his debut for Spotlight and a really assured performance he gives as well. A voice of an angel with the blond good looks of the self-troubled character, making him the perfect choice for the role.

Patrick McChrystal (Scripps) is also part time narrator and Posner's pianist accompaniment. Confident and relaxed in this role, which is what I've come to expect from Paddy.

Stan Cook (Rudge) also plays a blinder as the not as clever as the rest lads. Is there a mistake in the programme as it says that Stan is only 15 years old? Really? A very mature performance with credible CV of theatre roles already behind him and this part enhances that roster of roles.

Jack Grace-Buttenshaw (Crowther) is another one making his debut in adult theatre and for Spotlight as well. A young actor to watch for in future productions.

Matty Collins (Timms) is another one of those actors i feel comfortable watching and knowing that he was in this show enforced my knowledge that I would love this production. A lovely character-driven role and we can all remember this type of character in every class.

Nathan Bell (Akthar) has a credible list of parts behind him in the Nottingham Playhouse Youth Theatre and has worked with some of this cast, and director Cassie Hall on previous productions.

Last, but by no means least (let's face it someone has to be last mentioned) is Alec Boaden (Lockwood), who obviously started acting very young as he has been acting for about 12 years and has come up through the ranks of the widely acclaimed TV Workshop in Nottingham. Alec has a busy year ahead and I hope that i get to see more of his work.

All the cast work so well and look like a class of teenage lads, which makes this play so easy to watch and true to life. The bonding of the characters and cast are plain to see.

One of Bennett's finest and much loved pieces hasn't faded with age and this cast and technical team present us with a wonderful piece of classic theatre.

There are small musical interludes from the cast, but it still gets the emotions going when the cast sing "Bye Bye Blackbird".

Did I touch on the technical team? I did so let's expand a bit. Keeping true to original, director Cassie Hall manages to keep the action going and fresh with "fill ins" from classic 80's hits which maintains the smooth scene changes with minimum fuss.

Ray McCloud (is that the correct spelling in the programme?) was responsible for the music and Amanda Hall produced.

Stage managing and keeping everyone where they should be, when they should be is smooth operator Amy Rogers-Gee and her crew.

I can't not mention the lights, which were timed to (almost) perfection ( I saw just one missed cue by a second - I can be so picky at times).by the lights wizard Tom Mowat. The ending of the stark black and white image of Hector in the spotlight was eerie and so effective. The timing of the spot to the cut off of the music was snappy.

All in all this was always going to be a success with me as I love the film and love the theatre version and this production is up there with any professional production you may have seen in the past.

A great cast who acted with conviction which created the whole feel of the period and being back in the classroom. Plus all the literature mentioned swept me back to my school days. i didn't realise that i could hark back that far to be honest, but I did.

It will leave you with as warm a feeling as Hector's cupped palm and as ballsy as well.

“The History Boys” is being performed at The Nottingham Arts Theatre until Saturday 11 February 2017.

"All The Little Lights" by Jane Upton
Neville Studios, Nottingham Playhouse.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"All The Little Lights" is on at the Neville Studio, Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 11 February 2017 and then goes on tour until May 2017, so catch this brilliant and thought provoking play while you can.

“13 -The Musical” by Erewash Musical Society Youth Group.
Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

Following a move from New York City to small-town Indiana, Evan Goldman grapples with his parents' divorce, prepares for his impending Bar Mitzvah, and navigates the complicated social circles of a new school and preparing for turning into a teenager. He moves to a new town, Appleton in Indiana with his mother and starts a new school. He’s trying to fit in and make new friends and he feels that by throwing a party for his 13th Birthday, if he can get the cool kids, and especially Brett Sampson, to attend, it might just make him “cool” and accepted.

The soundtrack is written by Jason Robert-Brown, who has written some wonderful works for the theatre; pieces like “Parade” and “The Last 5 Years” but this is aimed at a completely different audience and the story is one that we can all empathise with as we’ve all been there. Fitting in, making friends, being different, discovering girls and doing “The Tongue”.

Can I first state that this is one of my favourite adolescent musicals, and there aren't too many musicals written for actors of this age to play

Erewash Musical Society Youth group are good and this musical shows just how good they are. I've seen a few of their past musicals and every time they have exceeded the last and this is no exception.

A large cast who work so well in ensemble pieces and the leads are so confident and watchable which make them completely believable.

Evan is played by Ethan Lee. I've seen Ethan a few times but he is just so good in this role. His confidence and singing stands out and this role isn't that easy as the musical is practically non stop music. He is a likeable actor with a really good voice for musical theatre.

The EMUS are blessed with some very good singers and Emily Bridge, Patrice, who is Evans friend when he first moves to Appleton owns one of them.

As does Jorja Foster, who plays Lucy, Kendra's "best" friend. Her voice is so mature and she doesn't need a microphone to get her voice yo the back of the theatre. Lovely characterisation as well.

Kendra, the girl they all want to give "the tongue" to is played by Rebecca Groombridge, another fine young actor to watch out for.

Brett, the most popular boy in school, is played by Kai Cox. Again totally believable and we all know what it's like to be at this stage of the character's life; all those hormones!!

Brett's right (and left) hand men are Eddie and Malcolm, played by Tom Judson and Charlie Pierson. Great fun to watch right from the start with their "chat up" song and dance piece "Hey Kendra".

My favourite character in this musical has always been Archie. Archie is the boy who is disabled with muscular dystrophy and is an outcast, but he has some of the best comic lines. He uses his disability to get his way and at times some of the audience were not sure if they should be laughing at him. We're not laughing at him though, we're laughing with him. A wonderful part and Gabryl Oleshko is excellent as Archie. He has a really good singing voice and in a few years time Gabryl is going to have a very rosy future in theatre if he wants it, especially in comic roles.

There's a wonderfully choreographed piece (Katy McLaughlin) which involves the cheerleaders, Eliza Charnock, Daya Khosse and Sophie Robbins.

Technical wise, this show was almost perfect. there were a few sound issues, but with that amount of cast on stage, it's going to be an issue unless all actors are mic'd up. I only notices a couple of times where the spots weren't on who they should be, but this is first night and can be forgiven.As usual, a great job done by Dave Martin and Ben Tennett, enhancing what is an already wonderful piece of theatre.

The orchestra was, as I've come to expect from this group,were excellent. Under the musical direction of Dave Dallard the band consisting of Sam Griffiths (who can be heard in just about every musical from the last few years until forever and a day - he is so amazingly busy) on piano, Tim Wright and Chris Renshaw on guitars, Jeff Widdowson on bass and Jack Helan on drums.

Stage management were really on it in this musical and everything was fast paced and everyone was where they should have been.

Produced and directed by Alysha Gomes, this is another big hit for her and her team.

I've always found the EMUS team to be amazingly passionate and hard working in all that they do and this show just enforces this fact. They are also incredibly friendly and nice folk.

"13 - The Musical" is a grown up story about growing up with a brilliant rock soundtrack, which also uses many styles of musical genres which the cast and band showed to be equally comfortable with.

“13 – The Musical” is at the Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton until Saturday 4 February 2017 and is well worth taking the whole family to.

“Invincible” by The Original Theatre Company
Derby Theatre.

With the recession biting hard, Emily and Oliver have decided to downsize and shift their middle-class London lifestyle to a small town in the north of England. One night they open their doors and invite next door neighbours, Dawn and Alan into their home. Over the course of a disastrous evening of olives, anchovies, Karl Marx and abstract art; class and culture collide where the consequences are as tragic as they are hilarious.

Written by Torben Betts, this play starts out as a good little comedy piece but develops into something a little darker. Slowly stories from the past reveal themselves on both sides, especially when political subjects are brought up and drink starts to flow. The ending is not a totally happy one and not all the questions get an answer.

"Invincible" is billed as a comedy and for the most part it is. The comedy is very well written and is borne from the natural situations the two pairs find themselves in.

There are the expected differences in the North/South divide, the two ways of life, cultural and otherwise but as we find out they have several things in common and these start to create the cracks that appear so apparent as the play continues.

Our two Southeners, Emily and Oliver are played by Emily Bowker and Alistair Whatley. Two excellent actors who keep us guessing all the way through. It at first seems strange that Emily is so hell bent on checking on her young daughter and Oliver wants to rebel against Emily's beliefs and lifestyle and opinions. Both reasons for this behaviour is soon unfurled.

The Northern neighbours Dawn and Alan, played with equal excellence by Elizabeth Boag and Graeme Brookes. Again there is repression and secrets and ultimate heartache but how different are the pair at the end from when we first see them.

I was totally drawn in to these two couples story and their lives ina way that I've not been reeled in for a long time; maybe with it being a new story to me, I don't know but you find yourself unable to take your eyes off of this Derby Theatre stage and these magnificent actors who play out this magnetic story.

Torben Betts, I'll admit, I've not heard of before but I intend to make sure that I search out some of his many other works after seeing this classy piece of theatre.You can see why Alan Ayckbourn is such a fan of his work.

Stephen Darcy is the director of "Invincible" and he has succeeded in maintaining that mystery, tension and comedy, helping create one of the best new plays I've had the pleasure of in a long time.

"Invincible" is at Derby Theatre only until Saturday 4 February 2017 and it's one that I would recommend to anyone who loves a good story with some very good twists performed by four totally believable actors.

“Sister Act”
Nottingham Theatre Royal

Deloris Van Cartier, crowned 'Lady Fabulous' of 1978, and girlfriend of gangster, Curtis Shank. sees Shank (Aaron Lee Lambert) shoot someone who they believe has "squealed" about them to the cops. Horrified, Deloris runs away and Shank orders his men to get her and bring her back. Deloris runs to a police station and tells the desk chief about what happened.

The two recognise each other as old friends from school with Deloris calling him "Sweaty Eddie". Eddie (Joe Vetch) decides that Deloris needs to go into the witness protection program and sends her to the place he believes Shank will never find her - a convent called The Holy Order of the Little Sisters of Our Mother of Perpetual Faith. Sassy and streetwise Deloris changes the nun's lives, and they too have an affect on Deloris.

That's where it all starts.....

Now this is where the review gets subjective.

Alexandra Burke has hurt her back so is unable to perform so her understudy, Joanna Francis stepped in. Already this could put Joanna a little on edge as everybody has come to see Alexandra, but there's no taking it away from Joanna that girl has some pipes on her and can belt out a tune or two,and there are some belting tunes in this show.

Personally I didn't feel Joanna had enough Deloris attitude to clinch the deal but she did what she had to do and turned in a solid, but safe performance, and let's face it, she saved the show in Alexandra's absence.

One actor who I absolutely loved was Karen Mann as the Mother Superior. her voice reminiscent of the late Elaine Stritch for it's theatricality and the section where she was supposed to be drunk was wonderfully played. You could tell the full journey her character travelled and I loved the character and the way that Karen played her. I don't remember the character hitting the bottle before so it was a nice touch added by director, and choreographer, Craig Revel-Horwood,

The nuns were all well characterised, especially Sisters Mary Lazarus (Liz Kitchen), Mary Robert (Sarah Goggin) and Mary Theresa (Allison Harding).

Curtis' henchmen Pablo (Ricky Rojas), Joey (Samuel Morgan-Grahame) and T.J. (Sandy Geigelis) were wonderfully simple-minded, which is how the henchmen are supposed to be played. What slightly marred their big piece in the musical, where they sing "Lady In The Long Black Dress" was that a brilliant, funny song was, for me, ruined by making it overtly sexual and dirty, which it's really not supposed to be. Sorry but I've seen funnier and less smutty versions which I've enjoyed better.

Aaron Lee-Lambert, I must admit though did have a really nice soul voice in the style of Teddy Pendergrass as he sang "When I Find My Baby"

A few things didn't work for me in this production, including the actors playing instruments on stage. Now I am all for actors playing instruments on stage when there is a need for it,i.e. the character needs to play an instrument in his role. What made this musical look wrong was seeing nuns with trumpets, saxophones and trombones and Sweaty Eddie patrolling the streets with a guitar strapped to his back, just waiting to break into song. How many gangsters and henchmen do you see carrying guitars anyway?. Are they going to snuff some dirty rotten squealer out with an A Flat chord? Sorry this didn't work for me!

The scene where Sweaty Eddie sings "I Could Be That Guy" also looked a little laboured with the switch from policeman to disco star and back to policeman. Again I've seen it done better. Great song though!

But it's not all bad. the music was great, the songs were great, the staging was great, the lighting and sets were great, the glitter cannon at the end was great, the enthusiasm was great, but the whole show could have been better than great. Maybe Craig Revel-Horwood wanted to change it up a bit and make it fresher and sexier, and let's face it, this musical now can be a bit dated, albeit great fun, and I applaud Revel-Horwood for taking a chance. It just didn't work for me. It obviously worked for several of the audience who gave the cast a standing ovation at the end.

As I said at the start, this reviewing lark is very subjective and comparing one production to another is inevitable..

"Sister Act" is on at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 11 February 2017.

“Glorious”
Lace Market Theatre

“Glorious” is the story of Florence Foster Jenkins. But who is Florence Foster Jenkins?

Florence Foster Jenkins was billed as the worst singer in the world In 1940's New York, The performer who everyone wanted to see live was Florence Foster Jenkins, an enthusiastic soprano whose pitch was far from perfect.

Known as 'the first lady of the sliding scale', she warbled and screeched her way through the evening to an audience who mostly fell about with laughter. But this delusional and joyously happy woman paid little attention to her critics, instead she was surrounded by a circle of devoted friends who were almost as eccentric as she was.

Based upon a true story, the play spins from Florence's charity recitals and extravagant balls, through to her bizarre recording sessions and an ultimate triumph at Carnegie Hall.

Alison Hope plays Florence. This role shows what a good actor Alison is because I know that Alison can sing, and to play a role where the character is an off key singer is a lot harder than most people would think because you automatically want to sing in tune and not just out of key.

A great deal of character concentration is needed as just one slip could break the character. Having seen Alison in several shows I also know what a lovely generous actor she is and playing Florence has elevated her even further up the ranks of being the sort of actor any theatre company wants in their roster of fine actors. Alison rules the stage but doesn't dominate the stage.

Chris Sims plays Cosme McMoon. Another marvellous character and another wonderful performance. As McMoon, Chris has some wonderfully veiled lines to Florence and his facial expressions when delivering them are lovely to see

Max Bromley, as St Clair Byfield. Wonderfully British hammy actor, Byfield, not Bromley, and like Cosme, this character has his fair share of brilliant comic one liners.

The lovely Carol Parkinson is Dorothy, best friend to Florence. This play has almost equality where the comedy is placed because the delightfully scatty Dorothy and her dog produces an unexpected highlight in the funeral scenes.

Maria, played by Beverley Anderson is the Spanish maid employed by Florence. She has been sacked from the position three times, but as she didn't understand English, she just stayed on. Speaking entirely in Spanish, this is another joyous part. Beverley makes her debut for the Lace Market Theatre with this role, and what a brilliant solid debut it is.

Cynthia Marsh plays Mrs Johnson, the lady who plans to scupper Florence's career. Does Mrs Johnson succeed? One way to find out!. Cynthia is known for directing pieces, but here plays a lovely feisty role.

There are some fantastic costumes, primarily for Florence, but Dorothy has some pretty wacky costumes as well. the male costumes are, as you'd expect for the era, pretty damn smart.The costumes are the hard work of Barry Holland and Jean Newton and are lush.

The set itself, designed by Carole Philip is quite beautiful,especially the "ball" scene.

The lighting was designed by Hugh Philip and sound design courtesy of Gareth Morris, sublimely complementing the whole show

Directed by Roger Newnham, this is a lovely almost self-assuring play which gives you a sense of self belief in you can be or do whatever you want to be or do, as long as you have the money and influence.

It;s rare to find a play that has six characters who are as equally watchable and likeable, but here is one that does just that.

“Glorious” is at the Nottingham Lace Market Theatre until Saturday 28 January 2017 and I could sum up this incredibly engaging comedy in one word. Glorious.