"Chess the Musical"

Nottingham operatic Society.

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

What could possibly be interesting about a musical about politics and the game of chess? If you've never seen this musical before, that may be a question that you may ask yourself. This is a musical which is based around a chess board and may be politically motivated, but this is also a musical about falling in love, as I’m sure you’ll find out by coming to check it out.

The story involves a politically driven, Cold War–era chess tournament between two men—an American grand-master and a Soviet grand-master—and their battle over a woman who manages one and falls in love with the other. “Chess”, although political in its plot, at its’ heart is a love story.

Written by Benny and Bjorn from Abba with Tim Rice adding lyrics you are guaranteed on an amazingly good soundtrack. But a soundtrack that is intricate in its' composition and not easy to sing, which is why it's not performed that often, especially by local theatre groups.

Several of the songs you will already know as “Nobody’s Side” was a minor chart hit for Elaine Paige, “One Night In Bangkok” was a massive hit for Murray Head and “I Know Him So Well” went to number one for Barbara Dickson and Elaine Paige”. But the cherry on the cake with this soundtrack is the gorgeous “Anthem” and the powerful and emotive "Pity The Child".

Right, let me start off by saying OMFG!!!!! This production is  as if the Heavens had opened and a heavenly choir had descended to earth via the roof of the Theatre Royal, the vocals and orchestra were that good! The power, the drama the everything.... Now allow me to elaborate and dissect the four letters of OMFG, and I don't apologise for the "F" either.

I came out of the theatre at the end and was talking to a lady I'd met a couple of times before at the theatre and she was absolutely flabbergasted when I told her that this was not a professional touring production; never had her flabba been more gasted! In fact I've now seen three big musicals in two days and any one of them, in fact ALL of them could have been mistaken for professional West End productions, the area, and myself, have been spoilt for talented performers this week.

Anatoly Sergievsky is played by Kirt Hammonds and brings out the steely Russian brilliantly. Anatoly is at the top of his game on the world’s game stage. Driven by his ambition to be the best but unwilling to show the man behind that hardened exterior. That though starts to change when he meets and falls in love with Florence, and what happens out of Russia, stays out of Russia, until his wife and family are used in the political game of Chess. Kirt shows the push and pull of Anatoly’s personalities with great intelligence. His version of "Anthem" was spine tinglingly good, in fact every song he sang was spectacularly good. The passion and the power from that man's body just rocked my tingle meter. And guess what, he looks like a Russian and his accent is as if he had been brought up in Russia.

Playing Frederick “Freddie” Trumper, the American Chess champion, is Ollie Last. Ollie's vocals are also spine tingling and countered Kirt's deep tones with a clear higher register that could cut glass. His version of "Pity the Child" was so packed with emotion, I was half way to a standing ovation when he had finished. Trumper is fiery, exploding on stage, but clearly shows by the end of the show just how far he had come with quelling his temper. The opening of Act Two, which featured Ollie singing "One Night In Bangkok" was probably the best staging of that piece that I have seen, so awash with colour and energy, and combined with Ollie's excellent vocals which brought out the sarcasm of the lyrics. And what a great wig!

Florence Vassy is played by Lucy Haigh. Lucy has a belter of a voice that just gives you tingles when she lets fly with some of her notes. Florence isn’t your usual musical female parts. An intelligent, strong female character who is at the centre of this love triangle. I have always been a fan of Marti Webb's voice and Lucy's voice sounds so similar to Marti's; I'm also a massive fan of Lucy's voice, who wouldn't be?

Cat Perry plays Svetlana Sergievskaya, Anatoly’s estranged wife. You don't get to see that much of this character but as part of the duet, "I Know Him So Well" with Lucy, they set the hairs on the back of your neck rising, their voices blend so well. The duet between Cat and Lucy in "I Know Him So Well" was another one that sent the tingle meter going again.

The Arbiter, the man in charge of the Chess matches is played with authority by Chris Heeley. Chris opens the whole musical with "The Prologue/Story Of Chess", which I couldn't remember in the productions that I had seen before. Part of the Ensemble came onto the stage dressed as the chess pieces and made for a very different show opening. Chris has one of those very recognisable voices that really stood out, even in the ensemble. There's a steely calm about The Arbiter which comes across so well with Chris.

Simon Theobald plays Alexander Molotov, Anatoly's conniving second who is apparently also a manipulative KGB agent! Simon has such a command of voices and accents and, like Kirt, delivers the perfect accent. His vocals are full of power and his stage presence commands you watch and listen to everything that he says and does on stage. Another top class performance from Simon, but then I expected nothing less from such a legend.

Walter de Courcey is a member of the American chess delegation, a representative for Global Television, and a covert CIA agent, is played by Daniel Bogod, who I last saw in "Guys n Dolls", and has a marvellous voice for this role.

The Reporters are portrayed by Nathan Curzon, Kate Taylor, Nathaniel Halls, Emily Trappen, Oliver Wheddon, Joanne Lale and Rosie Poesl.

The TV Presenter beamed onto the suspended piece of scenery is played by Owen Patten.

The Civil Servants, who have a brilliant comedy scene are played by Jarrod Makin, Owen Patten, Andrew Rushton and Jack Lawrence.

Leonid Viigand, Anatoly's final chess challenger, is played by Shaun Hanrahan.

An excellent ensemble made up of  Adele Lee, Alexandra Hazard, Amanda Dixon-Smith, Andrew Rushton, Christine Boothe, Danniella Anderson, David Hails, Emily Trappen, Emma Shute, Emme Gunn, Evie Midgley, Hannah Haywood-Cupitt, Ian Pottage, Jack Lawrence, Jarrod Makin, Joanne Lale, Kate Evers, Kate Taylor, Kate Williams, Laurel Jones, Louise Fiddes, Louise Grantham-Lang, Louise Johnson, Marcia Wood, Nathan Curzon, Nathaniel Halls, Neil Ledward, Nick Smith, Oliver Wheddon, Owen Patten, Paul McPherson, Ray McLeod, Rosie Poesl, Ruth Greaves and Shaun Hanrahan.

This Ensemble take on so many various roles and choreography styles, as well as some very acrobatic tumbling (I think this was Nathaniel).

Directed and Choreographed by Justine Lee. What can I say, it's the perfect production, there's absolutely nothing at all to fault with this show. It's perfect. The choreography is also perfect and I loved the opening and everything else choreography wise right up to the final bows, which I am really proud to say I started, and it wasn't just to show off my black and white chequerboard jacket, black and white tie, white shirt and black trousers either - I do like to dress appropriately for the theatre. In all seriousness though, how many times and how many superlatives can you outdo "PERFECT".

Musical Director is Jonah Williams. Everything Jonah does, and is associated with, is the equivalent to calling him King Midas. It is so lovely to hear these lush arrangements being played live by this twenty-six piece orchestra. And listen out to some of these pieces to spot a few "borrows" from other Tim Rice pieces from "Jesus Christ Superstar" - I spotted chords and melody from the song "Everything's Alright", as well as a couple of other numbers.

Costumes thanks to Wardrobe Manager Marion Fisher with Wardrobe Assistants Adele Lee, Emma Shute, Kate Williams and Linda Croston.

Excellent wigs thanks to Nottingham Operatic Society Wig hire and Lucy Haigh and Joanne Lale.

Set design is not mentioned in the programme, as far as I can see but is on a triple level, and with the size of the cast would need to be a multi-level staging to accommodate them all, when they are all on at the same time.

Stage Management is really important with this being such a big show and there are four Stage Managers listed. They are David Price (Theatre Royal), Matt Allcock (Company), Nigel Newton (Deputy) and Alison Hope (Assistant), all ensuring the smooth running of the stage.

Props are thanks to Caroline Harper and Ray McLeod.

Sound is by Rob Ketteridge. Sometimes the sound at the Theatre Royal can be slightly disappointing, but not when you have a superb soundman like Rob at the helm. Crystal clear and best of all punchy and ballsy, which is what a musical of this status needs, but sometimes the sound engineer may be a bit shy at giving it the punch it requires, Not with Rob. The music is dramatic and volume adds to the drama. Thank you for that fearlessness where the volume was concerned.

Lighting Design, which is absolutely spectacular, is by Tom Mowat. Follow spotters are Cathy Bodman and Simon Carter.

The Video footage we see in this show is by Matt Powell, again another busy man as he is also performing each night this week at the Duchess Theatre in another musical banger "Sweeney Todd". Talent will always be in demand by people who recognise it.

Production Manager is Vicky Johnson.

The charity that Nottingham Operatic Society are supporting this year is Young Lives Vs cancer and £1 from every programme sale will go to the fund, so please buy a programme when you come to see the show, and there's something for everyone in this one.

"Chess" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 31 October. At these prices you won’t need to pawn a thing to be able to afford the ticket price, You’ll feel like a King with your Queen, you’ll have a great (K)night out, but the way tickets are going you may need to check, mate, that there are some available.

Photography by Martin Holtom and Stuart Reekie.

 "Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street".

Beeston Musical Theatre Group.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

Set in modern day England, this supply and demand musical details the return of barber Sweeney Todd, previously known as Benjamin Barker, to London after 15 years of exile, He's back to take revenge on the corrupt Judge Turpin who banished him, and by conspiring with a local baker, Mrs. Lovett, who is in desperate need of fresh meat for her pies, he wreaks his bloody revenge, but not without some heartache for Todd along the way.

Tim Yearsley as Todd, has an air of menace about him from the minute he strides on stage, and that menace stays with him right to the grisly end. He's angry and his tunnel vision of getting his revenge on Turpin and Beadle Bamford is quite frightening. His distorted features often staring out to some unseen victim really makes you feel on edge. Great to see Tim back on stage in such a strong and powerful role and also wonderful to hear those rich operatic vocal tones, delivering some of Sondheim's finest words.

 Sara Evans is Mrs Lovett and, paired with Todd , they make a formidable pair, as dangerous as Bonnie & Clyde but with some lovely comical segments, especially in the song "A Little Priest" where they are comparing the tastes of the pies with various professionals as the fillings. Again, a wonderful voice and a lovely comedy character role, and that laugh is irresistible.

The young sailor, Anthony Hope, who befriends Todd at the start and falls in love with Johanna, who is really Todd's daughter, is played by Jordan Silver. His voice has got stronger since the last time I had the pleasure of seeing and hearing him on stage in "Rent" and as a leading role in "Footloose" a couple of years ago, and is showcased on the song to his love "Johanna". A lovely clear, strong timbre to his voice which is very pleasant to listen to and just right for this style for musical theatre. This is Jordan's debut for Beeston Musical Theatre Group.

Johanna, played by Harriet Campion, has an amazing strong operatic voice and whether in her solo number or complementing  Jordan's voice when duetting with Anthony, Hattie has been perfectly cast in this vocally challenging role.

Judge Turpin is played by a master of theatre, as well as musical theatre, and plays a mean invisible typewriter as well, but not in this. Adam Guest steps into the role late on in rehearsals, but he is no stranger to this musical. Adam is so far removed from the character of Turpin, who is so sinister in his controlling relationship of his ward, Johanna, even punishing himself over his sickening thoughts of her. Adam is also Assistant Director for the show.

Jonas Fogg, who owns the asylum where Johanna has been placed by Turpin, is played by Andy Bulmer, a small part but makes up for it as part of the Ensemble.

Tobias Ragg, who has Pirelli as his master is played by Arden-Caspar Jennison. Arden is another actor who has a strong voice, especially with those big notes, and at other times sings with such innocence, showing the versatility in his vocal technique. I've said it before but Arden has one of those faces that allows him to play parts much younger than his actual age, and what a boon that is for any actor. He shows that ability in this role and you can believe he is of a younger age character wise, all the while making the character of Ragg completely believable and innocent.

Adolfo Pirelli, the comedy character of the musical is also quite the deceitful one as his role switches from Italian barber to Northern blackmailer. This dual nationality is pulled off with a wonderful comedic element by  Craig Arme. Craig, like Tim has a wonderful operatic range and is put to excellent use as Pirelli.

Eleanor Carty plays The Beggar Woman. Even though the role is quite a flirty fun role, Eleanor also shows the sad, desperate and lonely side of the woman, and I won't spoil it for anyone who doesn't know the story, but she has a secret that is revealed at the end, but only after her death.

Thomas Telford is Beadle Bamford, again a pleasure to watch because not only does he have the element of being one of the villains of the show, he brings a certain amount of comic relief to the musical, especially in one scene that he shares with Sara and the organ, showing off some quite high vocals. This role marks Thomas' debut performance with Beeston Musical Theatre Group.

A tight ensemble who produced a wall of sound when all singing together. The Ensemble are made up Thomas Judt, Elsa Kitching, Jess Liddle, Arran McKay, Ruth Maddison, Robert McAuley, Maisie Cutts, Charlotte Gerlernter, Jake Gerlernter, John Hand, Mina Holtom, William Howarth, David Artiss, Naomi Batley, El Brown, Chris Bryan, Alice Cammell and Jane Cottee.

Technically, this can be quite a difficult show, mainly due to the disposal of the bodies but among the various changes in this production, this is carried out using a different approach.

Directed by George Lamb who has turned the visual side of this musical on its' head. I've seen traditional and Steampunk versions of "Sweeney Todd" but this is a very modern version with laptops, mobile phones, electronic payment methods for shaves and the pies etc, and when I saw the photos, of the modern attire, I didn't know if I would enjoy the musical as much as I wanted to but the modern clothes approach and modern technology has taken absolutely nothing away from the sinister storyline, and in a way even adds to it, showing that set ups like this could happen today, and possibly does! And all done in just FIVE months, among the other projects that George has had on the go is a testament to the hard work and commitment that George injects to all of his projects.

The Movement Director is Charlotte Drewett-Holden. Charlotte describes this show as "deliciously dark", a phrase that I think sums this up perfectly and the movement side of the show is extremely importan to showcase some of the characters. take for instance the Beggar Woman who has a very distinctive, almost macabre like way of moving about. This in complete opposition to Todd who always extends himself to his full height to show the power and importance of the character. Very often the way that a character moves around the stage and the theatre is as important as the script the character has to deliver, and when both areas come together as it did in this story, the results are magical, as well as deliciously dark.

Musical Director for this production is Sam Griffiths. Sondheim has a knack for creating atmosphere in his music and bringing the fun, or darkness out of the music is something that Sam is completely at home with. I've been present when Sam has been MD for previous "Sweeney" productions, and every time I manage to spot something new in his arrangements of the music and/or vocals. A Musical Director has the ability to keep someone like myself on their toes with these changes, and Sam is one MD who never fails to do that. That said, Sondheim is notorious for his complexity in his music, and it's no easy job to deconstruct one of his many layered pieces and put it all back together and still make it sound fresh to the ear, and succeed in the beauty of the score. The thirteen piece band sounded absolutely lush.

Set Construction is by Damon Pipes and brings that modern feel of the story, as well as the darkness of the story to life with Mrs Lovett's massive oven where all the pies are created and baked. the Rostrum hire is from A Stage For Hire.

Wardrobe isn't mentioned in the programme. This is a very modern costume design which brings the story visually into the modern world so I presume that the majority of the costumes have been provided by the actors themselves

Sound Production is by Dave Dallard who mixes everything perfectly. I was sat in the balcony section of the theatre and heard every word spoken and sung.

Lighting design is by Steve Greatorex, who is a very busy man this week with lighting design. A wonderfully dark design that brings out the danger and sinister feel of the modern day revenge and cannibalism storyline, and really makes you feel the heat from that oven via the lighting at the back of it.

Katie Bird is Production Manager and part of the Backstage Crew, who also consisted of Fiona Elias, Paolo Elias and Beth Yearsley.

This is a very modern, but extremely classy production, and just because you've seen previous productions, don't let the modern clothing etc put you off because the style and excellence is all there, as well as a superb soundtrack.

Beeston Musical Theatre Group are supporting BANA UK (British Acoustic Neuroma Association) throughout the run.

"Sweeney Todd" is at the Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton until Saturday 31 October, and an ideal run up to Halloween.

Photography by Martin Holtom.

 "We Will Rock You" by Queen and Ben Elton.

Kristian Thomas Collective.

Derby Theatre.

Written by Queen and Ben Elton, the musical tells the story of a globalized future without musical instruments. The year is 2300 and a handful of rock rebels, the Bohemians, fight against the all-powerful Globalsoft company and its boss, the Killer Queen; they fight for freedom, individuality and the rebirth of the age of rock.

Scaramouche and Galileo, two young outsiders, cannot come to terms with the bleak reality. They join the Bohemians and embark on the search to find the unlimited power of freedom, love and Rock! Oh, and the last buried musical instruments, just to make sure that rock music can be reborn.

The musical includes around 24 of Queens finest hits such as "Radio GaGa", "Killer Queen", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "I Want It All", "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", "Flash", "Fat Bottomed Girls", "Under Pressure", "Seven Seas Of Rhye" and of course, "We Will Rock You".

It was my privilege to watch the dress rehearsal of the show on Tuesday afternoon, before the show opened on Tuesday night, and what a production it is. It was also fascinating to see, and hear the checks the sound operator goes through before the show started, what an education on my part.

 It is always good to see Curtis Salmon return to the stage, and he does so in style as Galileo, Galileo Figaro, to give him his full title. In between running his business Curtis likes to return to the stage, and picks his shows very carefully, and this role and show highlights many things. First his ability as a leading man is exemplary, he combines the comedic elements of the character with the gentle romantic parts of Galileo. His vocals have never sounded better and Curtis shows what a great voice for rock music he has, sometimes gentle, the next full out rock. It always seems a treat to see Curtis in a musical, because it now only happens so rarely, the last time I think must have been in 2024 when he took the role of Tunny in "American Idiot". I hope it's not another two years before we see Curtis tread the boards again.

Scaramouche, Galileo's sidekick, is played by Alana Fay Moran. This show is full of treats and Alana is another sweet treat. I love the Essex style accent that she has given to Scaramouche, a direct opposite to Galileo's soft RP accent - well they do say opposites attract do they not? Alana and Curtis's vocals blend so lovely as well in both the rockier numbers like "Hammer To Fall" as well as the softer rock ballads. Love Alana's comedy side in this show and also the chemistry that she has with Curtis on stage.

Killer Queen, who is the Globalsoft leader as well as the iPlanet, has done everything to make sure that the planet is free of proper musical instruments, or so she thinks, but she didn't quite beat The Bohemians and The Dreamers. Killer Queen is played by Hilary Leam (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Evening) and Tiffany Jackson (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday Matinee), who delivers a very sassy version of "Another One Bites The Dust". In dress rehearsal I had the absolute pleasure of experiencing Tiffany's performance and what a performer and singer Tiffany is. I had the pleasure of hearing her sing a section accapella fir the sound test, and that bit straight away made me sit up and listen, but during the show Tiff shows what an incredible soul infused, gospelly set of vocals she owns, delivered with attitude and fun. I love this woman's voice! And I must mention the gorgeous costume she wears throughout, shiny sci fi sass, what a design. Tiffany proves that being evil can be great fun!

Khashoggi is the leader of the Globalsoft officers, whose only purpose is to rid the iPlanet of proper music, and that includes anyone who tries to stop him from doing his job, and is played by Stephen Mura. Stephen has one of those voices that demands you listen to, and what a falsetto range he has. Khashoggi is played with a brilliant posh accent, pronouncing "ass" as "arse", and that adds another topping of comedy to this panto style villain.

Buddy, who is a former librarian, so has read everything there is to read about real music. He has to escape the Globalsoft police and Kashoggi in order to help Galileo and Scaramouche. Buddy is played by Gary Peake. Buddy injects a lot of the comedy into this above average jukebox musical and Gary as a comedy character actor is second to none.

Laura Spencer plays Oz and really shone with her focused song "Only The Good Die Young". Oz, along with stage partner Brit, is looking to save the world from the restrictions laid down by Globalsoft and to keep "real" music alive.

Zak Charlesworth plays Brit, the "biggest, baddest psycho killer that ever got down funky", adds to the comedy, and with Oz, is responsible for bringing Galileo and Scaramouche to the Bohemians. This has to be the role that is so far removed from anything else that I can remember Zak taking on in the past, and shows what a flexible performer he really is. Brit, or Britney Spears, is like one of those over enthusiastic puppies that just want to please their masters. Zak has always said that he's not much of a dancer but here he has quite a bit of choreography to perform and does so brilliantly. The vocal technique is also different to a lot of what Zak has done in the past and that is also nice to hear. And he also suits comedy characters very well also. I've seen Zak many times over the years and have seen him wear some great wigs in his time, but this one for Brit has to be the best.

The four Teen Queens, who sound like they have just stepped off the bus from "The Only Way Is Essex" are played by Amy Wicks, Ashleigh Dudson, Ellie Simmonds and Poppy Cook. Brilliant fun and full of character.

A superb ensemble, and when they all sing as an ensemble the power and strength is awesome. Emily Corner, Gabby Sculthorpe, Giacomo Ciccognani, Jane Magee, Joanne Kay, Laura Diamond- Jones, Liam Ellis, Lydia Thacker, Matt Powell, Abbie Faulkner, Adela Green, Amy Wicks Ashleigh Dudson, Becky Pearcy, Betsymae Kirkland-Ball, who is also Dance Captain, Bethany Neville, Charleigh Hurst, Claire Collishaw, Ellie Simmonds, Molly Parkinson, Matthew Lawson, Natalie Weetman, Poppy Cook, Sinead Parkin, Shannon O'Donnell, Sophie Lowe, Wendy Austen-Giddings.

Directed by Alysha Gomes , this production is full on, and elevates the story above the standard jukebox musical. It uses sections of the original Queen songs which makes them sound less of a karaoke session and more of an affectionate tribute to Freddie and Queen. Each character played by the Ensemble members were also memorable alongside the main characters. Again, there were a couple of things that I noticed seemed fresh and new about the musical, and I loved the inclusion of Dolly Parton's name among the list of legendary musicians recounted in the Bohemian's rock n roll Hall Of Fame.

Choreographed by Kristian Cunningham. I don't really need to say more because there has never been a musical that Kristian has choreographed that has not been of the highest standard, and this is yet another to add to his choreographical CV. It's exciting, it's wonderfully staccato in parts and most of all it's incredibly entertaining.

Musical Director and keyboard Queen is Charlotte Daniel. Queen songs, like Abba songs, are not the easiest to sing, mainly due to the harmonies, but this cast, under the musical direction of Charlotte, did a cracking job of this show, and showed anyone who didn't know what brilliant performers they are, just what brilliant performers they are. Charlotte heads up a powerful sounding band made up of Gabryl Oleshko (Keys), Rob Hill (Guitar), Jake Shelton (Bass), Andy Shelton (Drums) and Millie Gilks (Tambourine). The music of Queen, like Freddie is full of drama and Charlotte and Alysha have brought that drama out in the music and the staging.

The set design, by Proscenium, is stark at times, but that is how I would imagine the world to be like, clean cut and full of precision, nothing out of place. It's a two tier staging which leaves the main part of the stage free for the main action while background action, like the brainwashing of the Bohemians can be carried out on the upper level, again making for a clean stage setting. 

There's a lovely video design over this setting which brings Freddie back to life as we see and hear him in part of "Bohemian Rhapsody". This design is thanks to Matt Powell. 

Sound design is by Harry Greatorex and Lighting Design by Stephen Greatorex with Jamie Vella as Lighting Associate. Both areas bring the vision and sound of this futuristic epic to glorious life. the sound is always brilliant at Derby Theatre because the acoustics are perfect, and the lighting brings excitement to the show. Together the Greatorex Brothers put the Great into the creative side of theatre. 

Follow Spots are not the easiest of lighting to operate and get right, but in the hands of Oscar Drake and Gabriella Tilley, they make sure that everyone who should be are highlighted as they should be. 

Carol Lawson is Props Manager and part of the Technical Crew who are Tom Hopcroft and Lucy Young.

I touched on just how good the wigs are in this show and they really are. Khashoggi, Brit etc are completely transformed by these hairy works of art, and that is all down to Lauren Honeysett's wig designs.

The costumes are equally out of this world. The cast is huge and every cast member is adorned with some brilliant, and at times fantastically outlandish costumes from the needle of Jan Brockhurst, but the piece de resistance just has to be the costume for Killer Queen. 

This show is not just a show for Queen fans, this show is for fans of amazing music, and the story is not too shabby either. A stark warning to all internet freaks who may just be losing touch with the real world, as well as real music. It's also sends out a message that being yourself and being different is no bad thing, fitting in with the "status quo" is not always the option to go with, and just to enjoy who you are; at the end of the day we are all different and we all have a tale to tell, and this musical gives you permission to be the person you want to be and do what you want to do.

A jukebox musical with a strong message and story, full of some of the best rock anthems ever made by one of the best bands in the history of music, performed by an outstandingly talented cast of human beings.

There's also a BSL signed show on Thursday 29 October, signed by Sebastian Probert.

“We Will Rock You” is at Derby Theatre until Saturday 31 October. Prepared to be well and truly rocked!

 "Titus Andronicus" by William Shakespeare.

Nottingham Lace Market Theatre.

This is my first time of seeing this mighty Shakespeare play, laced with murder, bloodshed, and cannibalism, in fact it's the bloodiest of all of Shakespeare's tragedies. Written around 1594, this is also one of the Bard's earliest tragedies.

The Roman general Titus Andronicus returns from war with four prisoners who vow to take revenge against him. They rape and mutilate Titus' daughter and have his sons killed and banished. Titus kills two of them and cooks them into a pie, which he serves to their mother before killing her too. The Roman emperor kills Titus, and Titus' last remaining son kills the emperor and takes his place. And that's just a quick summary of the action because the body count is massive by the close of the play!

Paul Spruce is the mighty Titus. General of Rome and father of Lavinia and Lucius, among others. Titus has spent the last ten years fighting Rome’s enemies and winning honor for his country. He is first held up as a model for his staunch reverence for traditions, but it is this strict adherence to tradition that causes his enemies to take revenge against him. Feigning grief-stricken madness, he pursues revenge to the end. 

Jennifer Foley is Tamora. Queen of the Goths and mother of Chiron and Demetrius. We first meet her as a distressed mother begging for her son’s life. However, Tamora quickly becomes associated with barbarism, savagery, and unrestrained lasciviousness in her pursuit of vengeance.

Gavin Gordon plays Aaron, Tamora’s lover. Aaron presents himself as an irremediable villain, one who delights in fashioning meticulous plots that lead to bloodshed. Other characters in the play associate his dark skin color with villainy, and Aaron proudly affirms the stereotype. Gavin has a real feel about Shakespeare, having seen him play Claudio a while back at the Lace Market Theatre. Aaron is part narrator for the play and provides much of the comedy, something that Gavin also seems at great ease with.

Louise Wiseman is Marcia Andronicus, Roman tribune of the People and sibling of Titus Andronicus. Unlike the other Andronici, she’s a politician rather than a soldier. Every time she speaks, she is the voice of reason and calmness, standing in stark contrast to the crazed speeches of the other characters.

Chloe Martin is Lavinia, he only daughter of Titus Andronicus. Lavinia gets caught up in political affairs when Saturninus offers to make her his empress. But because she’s already engaged to Bassianus, she spurns him, which causes a  nasty physical retribution plot in order to get back at Titus. On a personal level, I'd have liked a bit more projection, which is a bit ironic as Lavinia doesn't have any lines after part the way through. If you know the story, you'll know exactly what I mean.

Jack Leo is Saturninus, the eldest son of the late emperor of Rome. Titus enables his rise to the throne, but Saturninus shows no gratitude. Instead, he feels threatened by the people’s political support for the Andronici. However, he does attempt to bring about peace by offering to marry Lavinia. But when she spurns him for his brother Bassianus, Saturninus grows eager to get the family out of his way. In marrying and empowering the captive Tamora, he helps set the play’s plot of spiraling vengeance in motion. Jack, via Saturninus, also provides some humorous moments, especially with the physicality of the role and facial expressions.

Natalie Webster is Lucia, Titus’s daughter, and one of the few to survive by the end of the play. She defends her sister, Lavinia, from their father after she runs away with Bassianus. She tries to free her captive brothers Quintus and Martius, for which she is banished from Rome. The people of Rome support her over Saturninus.

George Eustace plays Demetrius, and Dan Blurton plays Chiron. Tamora’s sons. They murder Bassianus and then brutally attack Lavinia. They are shown in this play to be nothing more than engines of lust, destruction, and depravity. They are finally killed by Titus, who has them returned to their Mother and Step Father in the goriest of methods. I can't remember seeing either of these young actors in the past, but you can feel the passion that both bring to the stage.

Jake Turner plays Bassianus, the younger brother of Saturninus. He steals Lavinia away when Saturninus wants to make her his empress, which sets into motion the events that lead Titus to kill his own son and Saturninus to despise the Andronici. He is murdered by Chiron and Demetrius, but Quintus and Martius are framed for his murder, which leads to their deaths. Jake also plays Pablius, Marcia Andronicus’s son. Jake also plays the part of a Guard.

Charmaine Mayeto-Medina play Martius, Titus's son, and Young Lucius, Lucius’s son remains in Rome when his father goes into exile. Young Lucius is a bigger role.

Sarah Godwin plays Quintus, Nurse, the Midwife to Tamora. Aaron kills her after she delivers his and Tamora’s dark-skinned lovechild. Sarah also plays Goth.

Laura Sherratt is Mutius, Valentine, Goth and a Guard.

Martius, Quintus and Mutuis are Titus’s sons, among the four who survived the Roman war with Scythia. Titus kills Mutius when he blocks his father from pursuing Lavinia and Bassianus. Later, Martius and Quintius are framed for the murder of Bassianus, and Saturninus has them beheaded. 

David Dunford plays Aemilius, a Roman nobleman in Saturninus’s service. David also plays Tribune.

Dan Hogarth  plays Clown, Caius, Tribune and Roman Lord.

Zeus Aartje is Alarbus.

It's also great to see a nice mix of new faces on stage alongside regular faces.

Directed by Clare Choubey. Clare has made this play, which on paper may come across as quite an intricate and confusing piece of work, but Clare has really made the story very simple to follow, even to someone like me who has not seen the play before. 

Clare brings out the comedy segments in this tragedy excellently, especially with Aaron, Saturtinus and Titus, especially in the scene following the interval regarding "hands". It's a fairly lengthy play, by Shakespeare standards, but it doesn't seem like you're in the theatre for two hours and fifty minutes, including the interval. This is all due to the storyline, entertainment value and an engaging cast.

Set Designer is Guy Evans. You are greeted by three sides of the stage draped in blood red and all of the props and scene extras introduced and removed to decorate the stage for scenes. The colour for the scenery is enough to set the bloody scenes, and there's plenty of them. Guy is also the Production Manager, plus he was part of the set building and painting along with Pippa Turner-Rowe and Jennifer Foley.

Props are supplied by Lesley Brown and Sue Roberts.

Fight Co-Ordinator is Kaitlin Howard.

Lighting design is by Philip Hogarth with the Lighting Assistants being Allan Green and Hugh Philip.

Sound Designer is Simon Carter and Sound Design Assistant is Jennifer Foley. A nice use of sound effects and creepy music.

Stage Manager is Guy Evans, making sure that the flow of the scenes are of a good pace, which keeps the show moving on. Assistant Stage Managers are Mary Sullivan, Ksenia Tsymbal, Nathan Cochrane and Yayla Sahin. You can normally tell the enormity of a production by the amount of stage personnel there are.

With this play being the bloodiest of Shakespeare plays, you can expect a certain amount of blood, so this show has a Blood Specialist in Nicole Driver. I will admit that if you are a bit squeamish, the amount of blood is not that little, and looks very realistic, and it's the right colour for fresh blood. And in the scenes where the blood actually flows, it certainly looks very realistic and of the correct consistency.

Costumes are by Maddie Gould, Sharon Philips and Melanie Hamilton, and as you can see from the photographs, by Ben Sherwood Photography, there's no expense spared where the costumes are concerned.

I've seen quite a few of Shakespeare's plays over the twenty-six years of theatre going, and this really is up there with my favourite Scottish play. It has every thing that you would want in a Shakespearian tragedy; there's comedy, brilliant characters, comedy and plenty of blood and murders of various intensity.

And I don't know if it's me getting used to hearing the way that Shakespeare writes, but I really didn't have any issues understanding the script. Whether that is me now getting used to it, or it could be the way that the script has been adapted or used by Clare to make the language of The Bard as simple as it can get. Plus, it also helps to have a cast who understands the script and performs it, not just delivers it, but that is what all of the drama groups in the area specialise in when presenting William Shakespeare.

As it's also one of those plays that is quite rarely performed, don't miss this opportunity to catch this production; you will NOT regret it!

"Titus Andronicus" is at the Lace Market Theatre in Nottingham until Saturday 31 October.

 "I Was A Teenage Bisexual" by Polis Loizou.

Neville Studio, Nottingham Playhouse.

This is such a fun show to watch, especially if you're a fan of those kind of vintage schlock horror movies that are so good you cringe. Blend that in with some poetry and a dollop of folklore storytelling, and you get one of the most watchable pieces of theatre you could hope to see, as well as a piece of theatre that sends a positive message into the audience. If you like your horror entertainment with the silliness of "Scooby Doo" and the dark comedy of "The Evil Dead" then this would have been the show for you.

Written and presented by the award winning and local theatre maker Polis Loizou, this show explores what it's like to be a bisexual man in modern society, along with all the flack that goes with it. 

All Junior, a teenager in a small town wants is to be an ordinary bloke. He gets picked on at school and his Dad wants him to be a bit more alpha male. Junior has body image issues, and realises that he may not be the same as all of his school fellows; he also has been having dreams about things that he is unable to tell his Dad, or his school friends. And then there's all of those bodies that seem to turn up, which bring about suspicions as to who might be responsible for them!

Think Vampires or even Gothic man made monsters, well that's what the townsfolk have in mind, but what could possibly be the connection between these deaths and a teenager struggling with body image and his sexuality? Keep in mind that this is a small town and the way that they envisage someone who may be a little different to them, could be seen in their eyes as being slightly alien...even a bit of a monster!

Junior may be the main character of the story, but there are other characters, mainly played by Polis, who alters his voice to match the characters he morphs in and out of. He changes his physicality for the different characters, making every character unique. Voice overs are also utilised in the show, and they work really well, especially when it comes to the back-and-forth interactions between Junior and his Dad.

What I did like was the positioning of the speakers from where you heard Junior's Dad's voice emitting from. These were situated higher than the set which made the voice sound like it was bearing down on Junior, also making Junior look up to the voice, therefore giving a sense of the Father being taller and talking down to him. The voice over of the Dad also gives you scope to imagine what this character is like, and there are certain things in what he says, and how he says them, really paints a picture that is not so rosy, like someone who might just have something to hide!

The show itself is pacy and Polis packs a lot of entertainment in the seventy minutes of stage time.

Anyone who has seen a show at the Neville Suite will be aware that it's a cosy bijou performing space, and the set reflects this with just a few props, a bed, a desk, bookcase and a computer. The bed and headboard itself will get you thinking about the story, and Junior, and fits in with the feel of the storyline. Responsible for this, and the Costumes are Alex Hopkin-Spratt.

Directed by Matt Miller, keeping the pace tight, and one of my favourite scenes involves the video screen set in a forest and Junior running from something, which works extremely well.

The video and projection is by Joss Affleck and this helps to move the story to various locations in the storyline. Love the idea of the old Hammer Horror film feeling of the video background.

The lighting is by Esther Warren, who seems to be getting around a bit this week as she also is involved in another small show at the Studio part of the Nottingham Arts Theatre.

The sound and composition are by Amanda Priestly, and I always say that the sound and lighting team always add that little bit extra to the atmosphere of any play, and that is so right in this case. I also love the music played as people were filing into the theatre space, all suitably spooky. It just makes the whole experience special when there's thought gone into the pre show music.

Dramaturg by Ben MacPherson.

Stage managed by Elena Sirett.

Produced by Nia Ashcroft

Using comedy to cleverly shine a spotlight on identity, being different and coming of age opens a door to young people who may feel that they are different, and a show like this may just open that closet door wide enough to give a person the confidence to open up about their feelings to someone. I hope so anyway.

"I Was A Teenage Bisexual" is only at the Neville Suite on Saturday night and is an Arts Council-funded piece of theatre.

Photography by Dan Govan.