"The Unfriend" by Steven Moffatt.

Burton Joyce Players.

Burton Joyce Village Hall.

While on a cruise ship holiday, Peter and Debbie befriend Elsa: a lusty, Trump-loving widow with an outrageous sense of humour from Denver, USA. They agree to stay in touch – because no one you ever meet while on holiday ever really does, do they?

When Elsa invites herself to stay a few months later, they decide to look her up online. And that's when Peter and Debbie decide to Google her and learn the truth about Elsa Jean Krakowski. Deadly danger has just boarded a flight to London! But how do you protect all that you love from mortal peril without seeming, well, a bit impolite? Because guess who's coming... to murder!

Peter is played by Danny Longbottom. Peter doesn't like to face situations head on, unless forced to do so by his wife, Debbie. He's a busy, busy man after all, and doesn't need the constant interference from his neighbour. I enjoyed the gradual increase in the eventual "red mist" brought on by the visitor, their sons and the neighbour, to which Paul brought the eruption of Peter's nerves to an eventual climax that brings him to his knees in frustration. I last saw Danny a couple of years ago and noted his comedic excellence at that time. With this character he gets to show how good his visual comedy is via his facial expressions.

Debbie, Peter's wife, is played by Claire Buckley. From the opening scene where Debbie has to badger Peter to pack his case, two hours before they are due to disembark their cruise, it's plain to see who was in charge in that relationship. Debbie also did all the digging and planning to try and cancel Elsa's visit, but you know what they say about the best laid plans! It's nice to see Claire back again with a lead role, and such a great one as this. There's a particular scene in the second act with quite a tirade, which was executed so well that it, rightly so, brought an unexpected burst of applause from the almost packed hall. As with Danny, her facial recognition of the script is perfect.

Elsa is played by Sheila Millington. I love the way Elsa twists every negative into her being the victim, but just wait until the final scene! This is another fabulous character-driven performance by Sheila, who has never been a stranger to comedy roles.

Alex, the first of the two teenage children we get to see, is played by Charlie Caudwell. Alex is the typical teenager, glued to his games console and rarely venturing out of his bedroom. Alex changes throughout the play, thanks to Elsa's advice and understanding friendship. I don't remember seeing Charlie on stage previously, but this young man is a cracking actor. He is completely natural and at ease playing a teenage boy and all the baggage that goes with a role like this. His comedy is delivered slickly and, as with the adults in the cast, facial recognition of the script and comedy moments are brilliantly projected to the audience. He is one to look out for and I am really pleased that he has moved from behind the sound operation desk, to stage front and centre.

I must also mention a skill which isn't that easy to master on stage, and that is the ability to  use a telephone and make the audience believe that there's a two way conversation happening. You could hear in your head the voice on the other end of the phone, and the spacing of the script to represent this was done perfectly by Charlie.

Rosie, the teenage daughter is played by Jessie Murdock. Rosie is another great role, and almost the opposite of Alex in several ways. There's that contrast in sons and daughters in a relationship that is such a natural part of a family with boys and girls, things that the daughter finds repulsive about her brother and his room for example are all brought to the fore in these roles. With a little encouragement from Elsa though she develops into a girl who is happy to give and receive hugs from her parents, and Elsa, and even compliments her brother to her parents. I remember Jessie from being in "Daisy Pulls It Off" by BJP and the relationship between the two teenage children in this comedy is a lovely arc to see.

It's great to see the younger acting generation being so confident on stage, especially in a comedy production, and showing incredible maturity with their acting skills. 

The Neighbour is played by Alistair Dobb. Debbie and Peter's neighbour is always popping round regarding an issue in the garden, and when I saw always, I mean every five minutes or so, adding to the stress already building from Elsa's visit. Alistair's vocal delivery is perfect with his pace and deliberation of the script, stretching out the words to wring every drop of comedy from the role. If you've ever watched the comedy programme "Friday Night Dinner", the character reminds me so much of the neighbour in that show, and especially with the vocal pacing.

The final character in the play is PC Junkin, the police officer who has been appointed to have a chat, or follow up enquiries regarding the death of someone who Elsa had come into contact with the week before joining Debbie and Peter. Junkin is played by Steve Armstrong. There's a lovely section which I can only describe as toilet humour. Well, what I mean is that the scene is all about PC Junkin asking to use the toilet with Peter and Debbie wanting to know about a certain sort of movement!!

Directed by Avril McCormick who has, along with her brilliant cast, brought this very funny piece of theatre to the Burton Joyce audience. In the original script the teenage children are both boys, Alex and Rhys, so it's really nice, and different to see a brother and sister relationship, which adds a whole new dynamic to their relationship and the feel of the play and the story. The timing and pace are brilliant, which is what comedy is all about, so nothing more can be asked of a Director when these things are in place. The audiences laughter, volume wise and quantity wise obviously shows that the whole cast and Director have succeeded in hitting the comedy nail on the head.

Set design is by Chris Mercer. The set starts off with three deckchairs which is where we first meet Peter, Elsa and Debbie. The deckchairs are removed and we go straight into the living room and kitchen of the main house. The stairs, stage left, lead up to a believable set of bedrooms off stage. A large screen shows the audience some of the things that Peter and Debbie see on their laptops. This part of the creative in the show is thanks to Dan Miller (89 Design).

I would have liked more of a separation between the on deck scene with the deckchairs and the house scene, as it looked as if the deckchairs were actually in the house itself. Maybe  having the house in the dark in the background with just the front section with the deckchairs illuminated, but I'm being  very picky here because I've seen the play before.

Stage managed by Molly Fitches.

Sound design is by Gregory Nicholas. The sound cues were all on time and a nice choice of music soundbites.

Lighting is by Jenny Cowan. A fairly simple design with the lighting design, but that is all the comedy asks for. Well operated advising of the separation of the five scenes in the play.

Prompt tonight was Kate Purdue, who was only needed on one occasion, right at the start. Well, it is opening night after all. Some people, who actually notice the prompt, may not realise what a concentration fuelled job this is, but the Prompt has to be on the top of their game to make sure that they don't have any lapses, just in case an actor has a lapse of their own. They are the vital safety net for the actor, and they have to follow every line unwaveringly.

I keep spouting on about how Directors can change the feel of a play, which is why I never tire of seeing shows that I've seen before with a different Director at the helm. They can make a play have a whole new feel, as Avril has done with her vision of the story.

For anyone who has been on holiday and clicked with another fellow holiday maker, professing that they will keep in touch, after the holiday has ended. This show is for you. It's also for anyone who loves a good belly laugh, or just needs a bit of cheering up.

"The Unfriend" is at The Burton Joyce Village Hall until Saturday 26 September.

 "Next To Normal" by Encore Performing Arts.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

Although I know the soundtrack, I've not seen this musical before. This is one of those rare musicals that doesn't have a happy clappy jazz hands feel, nor does it have a happy ending, in fact the ending has been left quite ambiguous with the writers creating an open ended finale, giving the audience an opportunity for discussion and personal decision as to what actually happens.

"Next to Normal" follows the Goodman family as they navigate the challenges of everyday life alongside Diana’s experience of bipolar disorder. Her husband Dan is determined to support her, while their daughter Natalie struggles with the pressures of growing up and finding her own identity. Combining a powerful rock score with warmth and humour, this intimate musical explores the impact of mental illness on a family, the complexities of love and the search for stability in a life that rarely goes to plan.

Diana Goodman is a suburban wife and mother who struggles with bipolar depressive disorder and severe delusions, and is played by Danielle Easter. This is one hell of a role to play as Danielle is on stage for practically all of the show. 

Dan Goodman, Diana's devoted but exhausted husband who tries desperately to keep the family stable and appear "normal" while hiding his own deep grief and strain, is played by Andrew Bould. I have never seen Andrew act with such emotion as I did tonight.

Craig Youngman plays Gabe Goodman, Diana and Dan's son. I've been reviewing Craig for several years now and have seen him play a variety of roles, and like the other five, this role tops anything done previously, and that voice is made for rock musicals.

Dan and Diana's teenage daughter, Natalie, is played by Darcie Cound. Natalie is a high-achieving, stressed-out student who feels invisible and overwhelmed by her mother's illness. 

Henry, Natalie's boyfriend, is played by Riley Halls Backler. Henry is a laid-back stoner, a romantic musician and philosopher who supports Natalie through her family crisies. The relationship between Natalie and Henry is a really nice constant throughout, both characters being positive for the other.

Dr Fine/Madden, Diana's psychiatrists who guide her through various treatments, is played by Adela Green. Adela is such a flexible actor, and these two roles, with their different ideas about medicine, shows how one actor can play two similar roles and still make both recognisably different.

This is one musical where every one of the six actors prove to be right at the top of their game. All six will probably not play another role like these, until maybe another musical comes along sometime in the future where the characters are as complex as these, and the story is as emotional and thought provoking as this.

The vocals are insanely good, and I've seen just how good this cast of six can sing by experiencing them all on stage over the years

Directed by Kheenan Jones and Ollie Turner, both on a roll with great productions currently. Kheenan and Oliver have given the audience a musical with the sobriety and seriousness that a story like this truly merits. They have brought out the raw emotion, confusion, anger and love the story has sewn through it's tapestry that Brian Yorkey, who wrote the book and lyrics, and Tom Kitt, who wrote the music created in 2008. The comedy sections really provide some nice patches of light relief. I also liked the fact that Kheenan and Ollie didn't just keep the action to the stage, utilising the several entrance and exit points in the theatre itself.

It is also a big tribute to the cast, as well as the Directors, to be able to draw out the emotions that some of this audience showed at the end of the musical.

Sam Griffiths is the Musical Director who has yet another amazing score to work with. There are about 38 pieces of music in this score and is sung through with just very few parts that do not have music involved with the story, so Sam works just as hard as any of the actors or any member of the team. The harmonies could have been multi-tracked if I'd have not heard them sung live on stage, they are that good, and there's not many times that you can say that you've heard a six part harmony performed to this standard right before your eyes, and ears.

The six piece band consisted of Sam (Keyboards), Karen Bithel (Violin), Lizzie Spear (Cello), Jamie Nowell (Guitar), Sunim Koria (Bass) and Dave Shipley (Drums), were situated at the front of the stage, which I always reckon makes for a smoother sound mix, and they look good there as opposed to be situated in the room at the side of the auditorium. It's also ideal for Sam as MD because this is a sung through musical and we all know that with these, the perfect place for an MD is right in front of the cast.

There's an incredible range of vocals that this soundtrack demands. It demands, and receives that range and quality with this cast.

Stage Manager is Katie Bird, and if you stick around the auditorium during the break, you can also see a small section of the work that Katie puts into managing the set and props, which is another credit in the programme for Katie.

Set design is by Kheenan and Ollie. The set is based in one room at the Goodman's home, but we also get a section above stage level which acts as an upstairs room for Henry, Natalie and Gabe to  share a separate spotlight from the family room downstairs. The more I scoured the set, the more I noticed just how clever it was. I won't give any further spoilers, but there's also a connection with parts of the programme which seem to be replicated on the set walls itself. The set was constructed by Rob Stott-Marshall and Emma Kelvey

Lighting is by David Price, and again there are subtle mood givaways with the colours used in the design, especially the blue and red hues. The rolling colour patterns that cascade around the walls of the set, I took to indicate in my mind, could have been to reflect an indication as to how Diana's brain and mind was working at several stages in the story. Maybe I'm seeing more into the lighting design than is there, but that is the wonderful thing about this musical, everyone will have a different understanding and recognition of various sections of Diana and the musical itself.

Sound is by Matt Haslam. You could not wish for a more balanced mix as the vocals were as clear as a bell. 

Produced by Adam Guest, who also designed the programme which has several very clever touches. Do you know why the front cover, which is designed to look like a magazine cover, has an issue number 21?

There's a really nice section of choreography in the first act, and is really the only choreographed piece in the show. Daisy Donoghue choreographed  the piece entitled "My Psychopharmocologist And I" for Dan, Dr Fine and Diana, creating an almost dream sequence for the trio.

I've deliberately tried not to give too much away about what happens throughout this play because the storyline deserves to be seen and ingested by actually watching it, and not by any level of spoilers. What I will say though is that a play like this one doesn't come around every  day, but when it does, it makes such an impact on an audience. The subject matter matters, it has the ability to be painful as an onlooker, but it's supposed to be like that, to have the impact it's intended to. It's educational and emotional, especially for anyone who has experienced even a ripple from this stone thrown into the pond of life.

Encore always choose a charity to support throughout the run of their shows and try to choose a local charity that is, in some way, connected to the show's message. This time around Encore have chosen two charities.

The Derbyshire Perinatal Mental Health Service, who support women and birthing people from 12 weeks of pregnancy to 2 years of age.

The Beeches Mother and Baby Unit, who support women and birthing people from 32 weeks of pregnancy to 1 year of age experiencing moderate to severe mental health. There's also a QR code in the programme that you can use to make donations.

The standing ovation opening night received was worth every minute of the play, and I also noticed that, if Andrew hadn't signalled that he wanted to speak, I think that ovation would have gone on even longer than it did.

This production has also been entered for the Derby Eagle Awards, presented in July 2027. I predict here and now that Encore, and this cast, should be outright recipients for the categories they'll be nominated in. Other theatre groups are going to have to go some to beat the quality of this show and the performers and Production Crew.

"Next to Normal" is at the Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton until Saturday 26 September. I thoroughly recommend ticking this one off of the bucket list, especially with a cast as talented as this one.

 "The Car Man" by Matthew Bourne's New Adventures.

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

It seemed that every time that Matthew Bourne's "The Car Man" swept into Nottingham, I was always somewhere else and missed it. I'd heard so many brilliant reports about the show that it feels like I had already seen it, but no, this is my first time of watching this spectacularly stunning piece of theatre, as far as I can remember.

Based on Bizet's "Carmen" and the 1946 film "The Postman Always Rings Twice", the scene is changed to a greasy 1950’s garage-diner in the American Mid-West town of Harmony, where the dreams and passions of a small-town are shattered by the arrival of a handsome and enigmatic stranger called Luca. He gets a job at the garage, belonging to Dino. Dino is married to Lana, who has a sister called Rita.

Luca immediately takes a shine to Lana, and that is where everything starts unravelling. One of the hired helps is Angelo, who is picked on by the others who work in the garage and Luca takes him under his wing. teaching him to fight and to stick up for himself. But things go a bit too far with Luca and Lana and Angelo gets caught up in the middle of a nasty situation.

Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into an unstoppable spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge. And soon there is anything but harmony!

I've stated many times that I love the ballet and the way that a dancer can tell a story so vividly without saying a word. I have also stated several times that I am a big fan of Sir Matthew Bourne and New Adventures work. I've not seen a New Adventures piece of theatre that I have not loved, and this dance thriller is right up there with the best of their work.

Harrison Dowzell (Luca), Ashley Shaw (Lana), Anna Maria de Frietas (Rita), Leonardo McCorkindale (Angelo), Adam Galbraith (Dino) are the main cast/dancers. 

Tanisha Addicot (Gina), Jamie Duncan-Campbell (Marco), Cameron Flynn (Dirk/Chuck/Dexter), Callum Mann (“Hot” Rod), Serena McCall (Monica), Eleanor McGrath (Mercedes), Jarrod McWilliams (Bruno),Nikolas Shikkis (Vito ), Xavier Andriambolanoro Sotiyo (Chad), Lyra Treglown (Frankie ), Jack Widdowson (Rocco) and Karishma Young (Delores/Shirley) make up the rest of the cast/dancers.

These dancers/actors/performers provide all the narrative for the story that you'll ever need. the comedy is there, the drama is there, the thrills and the danger, as well as the raunch is there. These are athletes of the stage as they are on the go every second of the performance, making every lift look as light as a feather, whether that be males lifting female, males lifting males, females lifting females, or females lifting males. This is a truly stunning piece of contemporary storytelling in dance.

Directed and Choreographed by Sir Matthew Bourne OBE. I really do not need to add anything more to this as anyone who knows New Adventures and Matthew Bourne's previous work knows that these dancers are the creme de la creme of the ballet world. This is contemporary dance crossed with ballet with not a ballet pump or tights anywhere to be seen.

Set and Costume Design is by Lez Brotherston, Both areas are superb, but, again, that's nothing as a surprise because Lez has been creating these incredible sets for as long as I have been attending New Adventures shows. The costumes, especially for the men are minimal, especially in the first act. The second act opens in a bar called "Le Beat Route" with some very stylish costumes for both men and women performers. These costumes are in complete opposition to the following scenes in the prison cells.

Lighting Design is by Chris Davey. 

The Sound design is by Paul Groothuis. 

Orchestration is by Terry Davies. The music is by Georges Bizet. the orchestration is lush.

Associate Artistic Director is Etta Murfitt

Resident Artistic Associate is Neil Westmoreland

You don't even have to be a fan of ballet, or dance, to enjoy this sexy and sizzling thriller of a show. The storytelling is exceptional, as it always is, and after watching this show, you'll be able to see just how these dancers stay in shape. If you multiply the number of abs in those six and eight packs by the cast members I wouldn't be surprised if they outnumber the amount of inhabitants of Harmony by the end of the performance. I'd also take one of those battery fans with you as well because the temperature onstage is as hot as the water in the engineers' shower scene in the first act!

Oh, and by the way, I hadn't seen "The Car Man" before, because I would have definitely remembered this show previously!

"The Car Man" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 26 September.

 "Much Ado About Nothing" by William Shakespeare.

The Theatre Royal Players.

Nottingham Royal Concert Hall.

Level 4 Foyer.

For those who are not familiar with this story, or have never seen this play before, here's a quick run through of the plot.....

Count Claudio falls in love with Hero, the daughter of his host. Hero's cousin Beatrice (a confirmed spinster) and Benedict (an eternal bachelor) are each duped into believing the other is in love with them. Claudio is deceived by a malicious plot and denounces Hero as unchaste before they marry. She faints and is believed dead, but recovers to be proved innocent by a chance discovery. Benedict wins Beatrice’s love defending her cousin’s honour, and to his surprise, Claudio is reunited with Hero, who he believed to be dead.

Some people may not understand everything that is said, but remember, these lines were written some 400 years ago. You don't have to understand every thing that is said, and the more Shakespeare you see, the more you "get it". The comedy a lot of the time is visual and physical but why miss out on the beauty of the language.

George Lamb, the Director, has given the play a completely modern makeover, while still retaining all of the comedy and beauty of the story, with a soundtrack full of camp classics; Kylie, Madonna, Cher, Abba, Lady Gaga all play a part in the musical journey of Claudio and Hero et al. In parts the celebrations were more akin to an 18 - 30's holiday (not that I know what they were like, but I can imagine) than a Shakespearian comedy.

That's the wonderful thing about Shakespeare, and I've said it many times, a good Director can set a Shakespearian story in any decade (I've even seen Sci-Fi versions of his plays) and produce excellent shows and still keep the story faithful. This is one such production. It's fun and the story even benefits from the added updates, but then I expected nothing less from George, because I've had the pleasure of seeing George's work as both actor and Director. This is George's directorial debut for The Theatre Royal Players.

This is an ensemble cast, and every actor stood shoulder to shoulder with the next cast member strength wise, so for those who aren't too sure about who the characters are, I'll introduce you to them....

Beatrice, Leonato's witty, independent niece. She engages in a "merry war" of words with Benedick and fiercely defends her cousin Hero, is played by Hatty Hunt-Blow.

Benedick, a Lord and soldier from Padua. He vows he will never marry, but is tricked into falling deeply in love with Beatrice. Benedick is played by George Davis.

Claudio is a young, heroic Florentine soldier. He falls in love with Hero, but is easily deceived into doubting her virtue. Claudio is played by Jess McWhirter.

Hero is played by Emily Giles. Hero is Leonato's gentle, obedient daughter. She is wrongfully accused of infidelity by Don John.

Leonato is played by Gurmej Virk. Leonato is the respected Governor of Messina and father to Hero.

Don Pedro is played by Tom Morley. Pedro is the noble Prince of Aragon. He acts as a matchmaking friend and general leader. Love the wig as well.

Don John is Don Pedro's bitter, villainous half-brother. He engineers the malicious plot to ruin Claudio and Hero's wedding and is played by Paula Heeley.

Conrade is played by Collette Wong and Borachio is played by Rachel Elphick, both scheming followers and accomplices of Don John.

Margaret is played by Elsa Kitching. Margaret is unwittingly used in Don John's plot. She is Hero's loyal gentlewomen and attendant.

Dogberry is the absurd and wonderfully over the top Chief Constable of the night watch, played brilliantly by Beth Yearsley. We also get to hear those powerful singing tones at the end with a Lady Gaga classic.

Verges, Dogberry's dim-witted partner on the watch, or should that be S.W,A.Tch, is played by Ross Levy. Good to see Ross back on stage again.

Friar Frances is played by Chris Stevenson. He is the Priest who proposes the plan to fake Hero's death to clear her name.

Friar Frannie/Sexton is played by Róisín Kelly. The Sexton judges the trial of Borachio’s wrongdoing, when Dogberry captures him and brings him to trial.

Balthasar is an attendant and musician played by George Lamb, who also gets to show off his singing skills as well as his musicianship.

Seacole, a member of the City Watch, is played by Karen Peckover.

First Watchman is played by Kathy Bear and the Second Watchman is played by Rob Chrich. I don't need to expand on their job description.

Production Co-ordinator is Rebecca Morris.

Technical and Front Of House are thanks to the Theatre Royal and Concert Hall Crew.

I never make any secret about my love of Shakespeare; I'm nowhere near being an expert by a long shot, but I do love a Shakespearian production, and especially when the play is in the hands of people who love what they do and understand the Bard so as to deliver an entertaining production, such as they did this evening.

The seating upstairs in the foyer of the Royal Concert Hall goes quite a way back from the raised performing area, but as this area is not raked, make sure that you get there early to get a seat close to the front, just in case you get someone taller than you, as you may need to shift from side to side to get the full view of the action from further back. Also try not to get near an open window as you will get noise bleed from the street outside.

That aside, this production is an ideal introduction to Shakespeare for younger people or for anyone who still thinks that Shakespeare is a bit stuffy or highbrow.

There's another chance to see this vibrant production next Monday, 28 September and at the price of £5 for a prebooked ticket and £7 for a ticket bought on the night, you really can't go wrong.

 "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller.

Nottingham Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA).
Bonington Theatre, Arnold.

Written in 1953 and based on the Salem Witch trials of Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693. In a small tight-knit community, personal grievances clash with lust and superstition, fuelling widespread hysteria. Miller’s classic story attacks the evils of mindless persecution and the power of false accusations.

The play isn’t wholly about supernatural happenings that may, or may not have happened in this period of history, but also about human manipulation of the mind of their fellow man.

Making someone believe in something non fact based can be a very dangerous thing, which is also why there are so many comparisons with the political world since and currently. The power of the mind is a dangerous thing!

It’s also about power, lust, respect and love as well as unfounded belief; an intoxicating blend. Fact is swirled with fiction and it’s well documented that Miller did his research well before writing this literary classic, which still stands up with the best of today’s theatrical works.

In reality this cast cannot be dissected for their individual merits because, as a whole cast, they are superb and so passionate at delivering this script. Miller's script, in my eyes, has never been delivered with such energy by such a young cast. The hatred, as well as the fear that these lines hold are released with such meaning and intent, that at times you forget that this is a play you're watching, and grow quite fearful for some of the actors on stage, almost like watching bear baiting.

Cohen Taylor plays John Proctor, the play's tragic hero. Honest, upright, and blunt-spoken, Proctor is a good man, but one with a secret, fatal flaw. His lust for Abigail Williams led to their affair (which occurs before the play begins), and created Abigail’s jealousy of his wife, Elizabeth, which sets the entire witch hysteria in motion. Cohen is one of those very confident actors who really gets under the skin of the role he is playing. I remember Cohen from last year's "And Then There Were None" as a young speed demon; this year's role couldn't be more diverse in character.

Abigail Williams is played by Melody Rhodes. Williams is the villain of the play, more so than Parris or Danforth: she tells lies, manipulates her friends and the entire town, and eventually sends nineteen innocent people to their deaths. Throughout the hysteria, Abigail’s motivations never seem more complex than simple jealousy and a desire to have revenge on Elizabeth Proctor. My favourite scene with Melody is her impassioned scene with Cohen as John Proctor; pure emotion from both.

Elizabeth Proctor is played by Matilda Stapleton. Elizabeth is faithful, in every sense of the word, to her husband, John, as well as deeply caring and sensitive, if still hurting from what has happened to her. John had an affair with Abigail when she was a servant in the Proctors’ household. Matilda has a lovely way with Elizabeth, playing the loyal wife, not wanting to drop anyone in it (too much).

Reverand Parris is played by Dominic Tomlinson. Parris is the minister of Salem’s church. He is a paranoid, power-hungry, but self-pitying figure. Many of the Salem townsfolk, especially John Proctor, dislike him, and Parris is very concerned with building his position in the community. It's always nerve racking to open a scene at the start of the play, but I don't think nerves are in Dominic's vocabulary. There's so much energy and passion with Dominic's acting, which makes him such a believable character to buy into.

Reverand John Hale, a young minister reputed to be an expert on witchcraft, is called in to Salem to examine Parris’s daughter Betty. Hale is a committed Christian and hater of witchcraft. His arrival sets the hysteria in motion, although he later regrets his actions and attempts to save the lives of those accused. Hale is played by Ged Watson, who has a wonderful way of delivering his script, which isn't the easiest I must say, but the passion in that delivery really makes you believe every word  that is uttered by Ged.

 Sophenya Mannering plays Mary Warren, the servant in the Proctor household and a member of Abigail’s group of girls. She is a timid girl, easily influenced by those around her, who tried unsuccessfully to expose the hoax. Hannah brings out the fear that Mary has in her soul, especially during the second half of the play. 

Judge Danforth, played by Hal Watson, is the deputy governor of Massachusetts and the presiding judge at the witch trials. Honest and scrupulous, at least in his own mind, Danforth is convinced that he is doing right in rooting out witchcraft. Hal has a great way of line delivery, even when using a book as a prop, as well as a prompt. There aren't many young actors who can make a script sound as natural and delivered with realism, in the way Hal did this afternoon. 

Judge Hathorne is a judge who presides, along with Danforth, over the witch trials. John Clarke releases the almost power-crazy side of Hathorne in his characterisation of the second in line Judge.

Giles Corey is an elderly but feisty farmer in Salem, famous for his tendency to file lawsuits. Giles’s wife, Martha, is accused of witchcraft, and he himself is eventually held in contempt of court and dies an uncomfortable death due to sticking to his guns. Corey is played by Kieran Rhodes who delivered a passionate performance.

Lexie Garrett plays Ann Putnam.

Rebecca Nurse is played by Polly Edwards. Rebecca is Francis Nurse’s wife, a wise, sensible, and upright woman, held in tremendous regard by most of the Salem community. However, she falls victim to hysteria when the Putnams accuse her of witchcraft and she refuses to confess.

Betty Parris is played by Brie Gooch. Betty is Reverend Parris’s ten-year-old daughter who falls into a strange stupor after Parris catches her and the other girls dancing in the forest with Tituba. Her illness and that of Ruth Putnam fuel the first rumours of witchcraft. 

Mercy Lewis  is played by Ellie Gibson, one of the girls in Abigail's group.

Allana Taylor-White plays Tituba, Reverend Parris’s black slave from Barbados. Only a minor role but Allana's subservient character acting is completely convincing.               . 

Susanna Walcott is played by Vanessa                   .

Directed by Kirk and Bex Mannering.  When a production is as tight, energetic, emotive and passionate as this, there are no more words to say apart from "Thank You". The production started off on a high and stayed there throughout, keeping me, who has seen this Miller classic in the past, on the edge of my seat.

I thought last year's "And Then There Were None" was  good, but this production is just incredible, especially when you think of the subject matter, the way the script is written and how it should be delivered, this young cast are acting way beyond their years; I've seen adult productions of the play that fall below this quality of drama.

There may have been a few little nerves from some at the start where projection could have been better, but I could tell that any nerves soon exited stage right and left and the projection was spot on from all. And I've already noted this, from every actor on that stage, but the passion in the delivery, and complete understanding of the script is simply scintillating.

This production is only being performed twice with an evening performance at 7.30 today, Saturday 19 September.

 "Shrek The Musical"

Derby Youth Musical Theatre.

Derby Theatre.

Shrek is a green ogre who lives in a swamp just outside the kingdom of Duloc. He finds out that the kingdom is becoming corrupt and that Lord Farquaad has plans to become the next King, but he needs to marry a Princess to be able to do this. Shrek makes a deal with Lord Farquaad to save the swamp but he has to first do something for Farquaad. Along with his loyal steed Donkey, Shrek sets off on a quest to rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona from her tower, guarded by a fire-breathing, love-sick dragon. Add a gang of fairy-tale misfits, and a biscuit with attitude and you’ve got an irresistible mix of adventure, laughter and romance!

And not forgetting a brilliant fun soundtrack as well. "Freak Flag", "Make A Move", "Big, Bright Beautiful World", "Story Of My Life", "I Know It's Today", "Who I'd Be", "When Words Fail" and of course the final belter "I'm A Believer".

Playing Shrek is Billy Sweet, who brought everything that you would want from a green ogre to his performance. He had comedy, he had stage presence and he has a very strong set of vocal chords; but that came as no surprise to me, having seen Billy perform in the past, notably as Pharoah in Derby Youth Musical Theatre's production of "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat", last November. Great prosthetics for Shrek and a real sweet performance.

Daniel Pimperton plays Shrek's sidekick, Donkey. I love the character that Dan brings to Donkey, along with the comedy and the accent. Dan gets some wonderful songs to sing like "The Travel Song", "Forever" and especially "Make A Move". The costume and make up for Donkey are also excellent, and whoever is responsible for the make up is a very talented individual.

Bella Syson plays Princess Fiona. Yet another wonderful voice, as shown in the opening of Act Two where Bella also shows off her dancing skills in a brilliantly choreographed showstopper of a number called "Morning Person", followed by the equally wonderful "I Got You Beat", the duet with Shrek. It doesn't matter how old you are, a "fart" gag is funny, which is what makes this particular section a musical hit.

Playing the young Princess Fiona is Ava Hickling, and I don't know how old Ava is but she already has a beautifully controlled voice.

Teen Fiona is played by Robyn Preston, and like Ava, that voice is superb. I can't wait to hear both Ava and Robyn's voices when they get older. When they sing with Bella the three voices merge beautifully.

One role that is sure to bring an actor, quite literally to their knees, is that of Lord Farquaad and this part is played by fourteen year old Takoda Liverman. Takoda I have never seen on stage before, as this is his debut for Derby Youth Musical Theatre, but what a find this man is. You can tell that he has had experience on stage due to the confidence he shows every second Takoda is on stage. He really encapsulated the character, brought out the comedy and sings brilliantly. But let's take a minute to appreciate the choreography for this role, all of which is performed on your knees.

Caitlin Smith is Gingy, the opinionated Ginger Biscuit. This requires, not only puppetry but also a certain vocal technique. Caitlin also doubles up as Sugar Plum Fairy.

Georgia Bullock plays the Dragon, well the voice of the dragon, and what a voice. Georgia is a disco diva in the mould of people like Donna Summer, Amii Stewart or Gloria Gaynor and The Dragon's big song, "Forever" has never sounded so powerful; it's not only the dragon's wings that were soaring on Thursday night.

The Dragon herself was engineered by Sarah Doughty, Oscar Drake, Rachel Casey, Sam Reed and Lauren Wells. And what an impressive Dragon she was; I'd have guessed over twenty feet high with an impressive wingspan and looking absolutely superb.

Playing Pinocchio is Riley Chambers. Talking as well as singing in the higher, more squeaky range as the wooden puppet, sorry boy, really created the right image.

This is a very big cast, so here's the rest of the characters that you can see onstage.......

Ania Rakic (Wicked Witch), Ralph Garnham (Peter Pan), Thomas Smith (Mad Hatter), Liliana Simmons-Clark (Mama Bear), Ben Mather (Papa Bear), Poppy Fawcett (Baby Bear), Bella Carolan (Ugly Duckling), Eddie Clarkson (White Rabbit), Megan Beastall (Fairy Godmother), Hannah Lake (Humpty Dumpty), Stevie Kirkham (Big Bad Wolf), Ethan Adamson, Taylen Brodsky and Teddy Osborn (The Three Pigs), Taylen Brodsky (Thelonius/Papa Ogre), Rachel Redfern (Queen Lillian/Elf), Louis Whitfield (Captain Of The Guard/ King Harold), Finley Williams (Pied Piper/Bishop) and Louie Drake (Young Shrek/Grumpy The Dwarf).

Abi Ashforth, Daisy Hamilton and Emilia Shapcott were the incredibly stylish Three Blind Mice who also contributed to another one of my favourite scenes with Donkey in Act Two in "Make A Move".

The Ensemble of Villagers, Wedding Guests, Knights, Guards, Duloc Dancers and the Rat Tap Dancers are Ruby Armstrong, Abi Ashforth, James Bailey, Michael Bately, Emily Box, Georgia Bullock, Emily Campion, Eddie Clarkson, Millie Dalziel, Poppy Fawcett, Ralph Garnier, Daisy Hamilton, Katie Kirk, Robyn Preston, Emilia Shapcott, Tia Shaw, Louis Whitfield and Finley Williams.

Directed by Holly Earl. assisted by Hope Lo Monaco. I have always said that a Director with a vision is the making of a memorable show, no matter how many times you've seen a show previously. This production certainly has some lovely subtle additions, including, either a flashback to a previous DYMT show, or a mention for another society's show coming up in the next few weeks by having a very colourful character appear from a side entrance of the theatre. There are also several nods to other musical theatre shows throughout, especially in the musical arrangements. A very clever production which gives regular theatre goers like myself a few things to notice, as well as creating a first class show for anyone who has not seen the show previously.

I will also state that near the start of the show there was a stoppage, something that Directors are never in favour of doing, but after Donkey threw himself on the floor there was a lot of crackling from the mic pack, resulting in us not getting an amplified Daniel. Stage Crew came to the stage and advised that there was a technical issue and that the scene would be restarted. Daniel has a really good projection technique but as there was a song coming up, without amplification, we may have had a problem hearing him. After a short gap, the story was taken up again. This was a brave action for a Director/Stage Crew to take, but a wise one under the circumstances.

Musical Director is Charlotte Daniel, a well respected name where MD ing is concerned. I don't know if it was Charlotte who arranged the music, but I loved listening to the slight change in musical arrangements, that maybe I had not heard or picked up on in other productions. There are several nods to other musicals like "Frozen", "Les Miserables" and "Dreamgirls" among them, so if you, like me are a fanatic of musicals, see how many nods you can spot. Charlotte heads up a ten-piece Shrek Band who sound marvellous.

Choreographed by Caroline Green Dance, assisted by Ellie Beech. The massive cast carried out the choreography impeccably, especially the tap dance section, bringing a Hollywood style feel to the choreographed scenes. Dance Captain is Caitlin Smith.

Technical Director is Kate Borrington and Technical Advisor is Chris Moss.

Set Design is fun, colourful, sparkly and brilliant, all at the same time, but there's no mention in the programme as to who is responsible and who provided the set.

Head of Wardrobe is George Cooper, Costumes thanks to Utopia Costumes.

Sound Designer is Harry Greatorex, and with all the sound experience that Harry has, we are guaranteed a spectacular, clear sound, well mixed. Sound 2 and 3 are thanks to Sophie Gitcham and Liv Michaud and Trainee Sound Technician is Sam Jackson.

Lighting Designer is by Jamie Vella and brings a real fun and colourful rainbow of light design to highlight the fun onstage. Training Lighting Technician is Corey Donnelly.

Stage Managed by Pete Roberts with Deputy Stage Manager being Izzy Longson and assistant Stage managers being Reece Bland, Hannah Casey, Rachel Casey, Oscar Drake, Findlay Parker and Lauren Wells. This is a big show but is really well stage managed by this stage crew.

There is another BSL interpreted show on the Saturday matinee by Natasha Redfern.

This is the perfect show to lift you out of the swampy doldrums and by the end of the show you'll be flying that freak flag high and proud.

"Shrek The Musical" is at Derby Theatre until Sunday 20 September.