"Grease The Musical" by Zak Scott Productions Summer School.

Squire Performing Arts Centre, Nottingham.

I may not have had a leather jacket to don, but I automatically raided my pink attire and hair gel and systematically made my way to Squire Performing Arts Centre as fast as greased lightning to watch one of my favourite electrifying, fun and frothy musicals that transported me back to my teenage years, "Grease". Now, when I say that, I mean that I was a teenager when the film was released, not that I was at school in the late 1950's!

After all these years, and the amount of times that I have seen show on stage, this musical is still amazingly good fun and everyone knows the complete soundtrack in full. “Summer Nights”, “You’re The One That I Want”, “Sandy”, “Hopelessly Devoted To You”, "Greased Lightning", “Grease”, “Beauty School Drop Out” and my favourite “There Are Worse Things I Could Do”. First performed in 1971, seven years before the film version starring John Travolta as Danny Zuko and Olivia Newton-John as Sandy Dumbrowski, it's lost none of its' frothiness.

We all know what to expect from "Grease" so I don't really need to tell the story of the musical. What I can tell you is that this production encapsulate the whole feel of the era, 1959, and of the "belonging" to the separate gangs, The "T Birds", the leather jacketed "lads" gang, and the "Pink Ladies", the all more refined collection of ladies who have sleep over parties and discuss the teen idols of the day and make up.

What makes a difference to a show is the vision of the Director, and Creative Director Zak Charlesworth has made subtle changes that make this production feel very fresh. He has omitted the "Alma Mater" opening scene and opened with Danny and Sandy, as in the film. This production is a blend of the original musical and the film, with the songs in almost the original order with the additional songs from the film slotted in as per the movie version.

"Grease" is a sexy film, let's not sugar coat it, a group of High School teenagers back in the 50's were just as emotionally rampant as teenagers are today. Many of the productions that I have seen on stage have played that side of the story down, some even leaving out "There Are Worst Things I Could Do" to skip over the possible pregnancy, but this production doesn't shy away from the attraction of the opposite sex, but does it with plenty of humour.

What also makes this show extra special is that, with it being a Summer School production, it's all put together in one week, a fact that belies the quality of this show.

Danny Zuko is played by Nathan Crookdale. I last saw Nathan as Lurch in "The Addams Family", and this role is as different as you can get, and so is the vocal style and level. As Lurch he showed a baritone level, and in this we hear a different vocal technique with a smooth falsetto, as highlighted in the song "Sandy", showing that Nathan has a great range vocally. I also loved the arrogant stances that he takes, blended with some sharp Michael Jackson-esque moves. Nathan is  a very confident actor, singer and dancer who really manages to bring the character to the surface.

Sandra "Sandy" Dubrowski is played by Neve Johnson. Her vocals, and especially in "Hopelessly Devoted To You", have a lovely delicate feel to them, contrasting with the more fun vocals of "You're The One That I Want". The image change from good old Sandra Dee to the final version of Sandy is a massive transformation, and from where I was sitting, looked just like the Olivia Newton-John vision at this stage. It shows just how much effort has gone into the costume and wigs to create those iconic Grease images.

Phoebe Litherland is Betty Rizzo. Rizzo is one spunky lady who is in charge of what she does. The whole "girl power" image that Stockard Channing created in the film is here, brought to the stage by Phoebe. I can see and hear the work that Phoebe has invested in this role because the accent is perfect, as is the whole attitude and stage stances. Rizzo's song is the aforementioned "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" and was like listening to Stockard Channing, note perfect.  The wig and costume completes the image of Rizzo to a tee.

Eddie Clarkson is Kenickie. When the film was made, John Travolta wanted to sing "Greased Lightning" even though the car belonged to Kenickie, so it's right that the musical goes back to the original version which allows Eddie to belt out the brilliant "Greased Lightning" with all the suggestive hip wiggles and thrusts required to visually show his intentions with his car, "Greased Lightning". This whole scene with the car's transformation is also a fresh version of the scene with an ensemble starting the upcycle and the rest of the crew making an entrance in a very colourful costume change.

Doody, one of the younger members of Zuko's crew, and boyfriend to Frenchy, is played by Stevie Kirkham. There's a really nice naivety about this character with a lovely boyish response to Doody asking Frenchy out to the dance. There's also another one of those changes that I had not seen in previous productions in "Those Magic Changes" scene where Doody is "playing" the guitar to the rest of the lads. 

Niamh Syson plays Frenchy. Oh, I love this character because she is such a simplistic person. She wants to be a beautician but fails at that, confirmation coming from Teen Angel in the dream sequence, surrounded by plenty of ensemble angels. A lovely fun role that Niamh excels at.

Teen Angel, who gets just the one song in the show, "Beauty School Dropout", but what a song, is played by Samuel Perrin. I think that Samuel is a new name to me, but what a way to catch my attention with his comic ability in this role. He has a lovely comic face which transfers to the role, making Teen Angel an even more fun role to watch.

Quillen Parker plays Roger, or "Rump" as he is nicknamed. Why does he have this nickname? Because he is the best "mooner" in school. Don't know what a "mooner" is? Look it up or come and see "Grease". The song "Mooning" has a lovely falsetto part which Quillen hits well. Roger is a "proper lad" and that fun and playfulness shows perfectly via Quillen's skills. I've seen Quillen in several musicals over the last few years and have seen him mature on stage. His voice has matured and deepened well and his comedy delivery is second to none. Quillen is a really expressive actor and even if he was in a silent musical, you'd know every emotion his character would be feeling. It also shows just how much fun this young performer is having on stage.

Finlay Tomlinson is Sonny, a wonderful comedy role for an actor and Finlay, like Quillen, looks to be enjoying every second playing Sonny. It's a fun performance with plenty of energy and quite an animated character, forever chasing skirt. If you've seen Fin on stage previously, you may have to take a second look because he looks so different. Fin's trademark hairstyle has been slicked back and he doesn't wear his glasses in this role. He seems to have shot up in height again and is looking very trim. This young man is another that I have seen on stage many times and he still manages to make me smile, especially as the testosterone filled Sonny. This is another role that he has absolutely smashed in all departments.

Jan, the compulsive eater, is played by Isobel Pickering. Izzy is one of those actors who always looks natural on stage, and that makes the comedy just flow from her. The scenes in the sleepover scenes are lovely to watch as are the scene where we first properly get to see Jan at school where she makes sure that none of the food left about is wasted.

Hermione Cumbers is Marty, the "beauty" of "The Pink Ladies", looking more mature than the rest of the ladies, that is until she opens her mouth. A nice cheeky performance from Hermione.

Alex Povey plays the nerdy Eugene. Yet another actor who I've had the pleasure of reviewing and watching his acting skills grow. The slicked back hair and nerdy spectacles, as well as the costume was enough to get me checking in the programme who was playing this particular role, as he was completely unrecognisable. This is another one of those really fun roles which Alex plays with lots of gusto.

Talking of fun roles, Lucy Gordon is Patty Simcox, the athletic and attractive cheerleader who also, and quite naturally, has an eye for all of the jocks, including Danny, even though she knows that Danny has eyes for Sandy.

Maddi Woodland is Miss Lynch, the Rydell High Head Teacher. I really can't commend the costume, make up and wigs team enough with this character. It was like looking at a mature woman addressing the school in full Head Mistress mode. Maddi's physicality is excellent as Miss Lynch.

Vince Fontaine, the fast talking radio DJ, is played by Jamie Higgins. I have always been an admirer of U.S. DJs of this era. The Weird Beard, Johnny Holliday, Joey Niagra and Hunter Hancock; radio presenters who talked as fast as the rock n roll music they played, and that took skill to never be lost for words and rhyme what they were announcing. I was really impressed by the speed that Jamie rattled his way through Fontaine's speed speak and he looked the part of the DJ who comes into the young girls room every night......via Station WAXX.

Cha Cha, Kenickie's blind date for the prom, is played by Lexi Hart, the best cha-cha dancer with the worst reputation, Cha Cha that is not Lexi. the scene with Eugene where she is trying to teach him to Cha Cha Cha is as comical as ever.

Johnny Casino is played by Riley Chambers. A singer who performs at prom night, providing the music, with his band, for the dance competition. The last time I saw Riley on stage was at Derby Theatre, with a false beard, I think. This time around he is at the top of the stairs in the corner, so hopefully next time I get to see him on stage, it will be a bit more centre stage and without a beard. Decent singer just waiting for a bigger role.

The Radio Girl is played by Avaani Babra, who looked fabulous, on or off the radio. There was a slight sound issue in Avaani's scene, but nothing could spoil hearing that lovely voice.

The Announcer was Siena Thorpe.

An energetic and fresh-faced ensemble added more meat to this rich stew consisting of Amelia-Jane Chamberlain, Alice Whitaker, Bethany Stockdale, Clarissa Armitage, Evie Perks, Isla Baskill-Conroy, Katie Winfield, Keeley Rickerby, Libby Stockdale, Lottie Ellis, Lucy Coulson-Jones, Megan Price, Molly Price and Violet Graney.

Choreographed by Shannon O'Donnell who has a reputation for exciting and energetic choreography, so this show sill have been a Godsend for Shannon. The big ensemble numbers were performed so smoothly, and as you can see from the above, this is a big cast. I think my favourite piece was for the "Greased Lightning" scene, and I really commend the decision to keep the sexiness in the choreography because that made this show more real than some others. 

Set Design is by A Stage For Hire, and as soon as you walk into the auditorium, the set hits you right between the eyes. I won't give any spoilers, but let's just say that the two tier set with the two big doors where "Greased Lightning" makes its' entrance does not disappoint.

Technical Director is Roydon Charlesworth.

The car is supplied by Sculpture Studios, and as I mentioned earlier, the transformation scene is done in a novel way. No spoilers.

Musical Director is Sam Griffiths, another legend of, not only local theatres, but transatlantic fame, so you just know that anything to do with the music side of a show is in excellent hands with Sam, and it was tonight (Wednesday).

Costumes for the show have been provided by Friends and Family of Zak Scott Productions, and as I have already alluded to, they are excellent.

Make up is uncredited, but I know that it's often the norm for the actors to do their own make up sometimes. Never the less, whoever is responsible, they all looked fabulous.

The wigs used in this show are equally fabulous and are thanks to Simon Theobald and Carol McTernan.

Props have been supplied by Claire Collishaw.

Sound design is by Future Techs, which is a team of young people who are trained via Squire Performing Arts Centre and Zak Scott Productions in order to provide training in areas concerning to the technical side of lighting and sound design and operation. Not everybody wants to be centre stage and this programme provides young people an opportunity to be part of a show like this. Let's face it, where would a show be without sound and lighting? It also provides an incite into stage management as well, providing the technicians of the future.

Lighting Design is by Abby Cattow. Only one slight light slip up in the second act but apart from that a great job done. LX Hire from Encore and Dave Martin.

Production Manager is Ellie Simmonds.

Producer is Zak Scott Productions.

When you see a musical like "Grease" as many times as I have, you can't help but notice changes, some magic, some less magic, but what makes this musical so very magical is the story, the strength of the acting and that brilliant soundtrack. You will not be disappointed at all and you'll leave the theatre singing away to several of the big hit songs, and they'll stay with you for long after you've got home. It'll be "the word" on every theatre goers lips this week, and mine as I'll be telling everyone about it.

It's the one that you want to see on a warm Nottingham Summer night.

"Grease The Musical" is at Squire Performing Arts Centre until Saturday 15 August.

 "Anybody For Murder" by Brian Clemens and Dennis Spooner.

Tabs Productions.

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

Here we go again, it's that time of year when Nottingham welcomes back Tabs Productions and their Colin McIntyre Classic Thriller Season; this time around with three weeks of fun and thrills. Not only do you get an incredibly talented cast, but you get an incredibly lovely group of people as well.

As soon as I saw the set I straight away realised that we could be in for a classic farce, due to the five doors on set, and a thrilling farce it turned out to be with a multitude of twists and turns, even up to the very end.

On a remote Greek Island, a scheming husband, Max Harrington, is set on murder. He is planning to collect his wife Janet’s life insurance, but she just won’t stay dead! He wanted to enjoy life with his girlfriend, Suzy, when old, practically forgotten family friends Mary and George arrive on their Greek island with news that Janet is the beneficiary of a huge fortune, and soon everyone is hell bent on murder. Mary is second cousin, but Janet is first cousin, so it would only be right that the millions left in the pot should all go to her, Mary on the other hand feels differently and wants her hands on the money, money, money. The only thing that stands in their way is the presence of a neighbour who knows a thing or two about murder, crime writer Edgar Chambers.

There's always at least one play in the season where Tabs get to showcase their comedic side and this is the one.

Max Harrington, the cunning manipulator with murderous intentions, is played by John Goodrum. Max  practically skips across the stage while trying to do away with Janet; you could almost see the £ signs in his eyes as his mind starts to work double-time. He has a dream, which quickly becomes a bit of a nightmare (or is that next week?). In every production John is in, he always brings a  massive sliver of comedy to his performance, and this play is right up John's street as he gets to show off his wonderful comic skills. 

Janet Harrington is played by Karen Henson, who also directs this wonderful slice of farce. Karen makes her only stage performance this season in this play, and what a memorable one, but how many times can Janet meet her Waterloo?. Karen has a natural comedy streak, on and off stage, and that with the character's speech impediment made this a lovely character-driven role for Karen, as well as the audience.

Girlfriend Suzy Stevens is played by Sarah Wynne-Kordas. Suzy is not the sharpest tool in the box, and as well as that attribute, Sarah delivers some brilliant physical comedy pieces to this role, a real super trouper. 

George Tickewell, the less than competent lawyer, is played by David Giltbrook. Every character in this play shines comedically throughout, and even though George is heavily under the thumb with wife Mary, that in itself is funny to watch, there are some great stand-alone comedy splashes from Mr Giltbrook. Voulez-vous dare to talk back to Mary?

Mary Tickewell is played by Susan Earnshaw. As long as I have been a fan of the Classic Thriller Seasons, I have been a fan (ando) of Susan Earnshaw. I was going to say that Susan is one of the finest natural actors going, but this bossiness in Mary must take a lot of working at because Susan is one of the loveliest of ladies off stage (as are all of the female actors within Tabs). That said, it must be great fun to boss and command people around for a living, well at least this week. The whole physicality of this role lets you know that she is the boss in this relationship.

Edgar, the thriller writing, Ouzo drinking neighbour, is played by Jeremy Lloyd Thomas. Edgar gets a lot of inspiration for his "worst selling crime novels" from Max; maybe more than Max seems to realise! As always, Jeremy delivers a class performance just by walking on the stage. Mamma mia, as the Greek say.

Who out of the above will be the winner who takes it all?

Set Designer is Sarah Wynne Kordas, and anyone who has seen the sets that Tabs Productions use will instantly know what amazing sets they produce. This one gives a typical Grecian feel to the apartment, even the exterior backdrop made you feel the warmth of the sun seeping through those patio doors. Inside the room, which is a two tier set, for reasons that will be clear when the story unfolds. I chatted with Sarah in the bar afterwards, extolling my admiration of the work that she puts into creating the sets and especially the vast array of props. I was also told some theatre secrets about some of the props, which I will not reveal.

Sound design is by David Giltbrook and Lighting Design is by Conal Walsh. Both experts in their respective fields. Love the Greek music as well as some of the other songs which allowed my tongue to become firmly fixed in my cheek. There are several lighting changes, nothing dramatic, allowing us the knowledge of the time passage and development of the action.

Stage Managed by Fran Gardiner and Alison Willcox and Production Manager is Duncan Hands.

The play has Brian Clemens' writing and comedy all the way through it. Not your typical thriller but a wonderful farce with a clever script, brilliantly acted and with more than a nod to another piece of theatre set on a Greek island... some of the music and one particular costume may just give it away!

All I will add to the above is watch the salt and beware of goats!

"Anybody For Murder" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 15 August.

And as I hear you cry gimme gimme gimme more thrillers, then you only have to wait until next Tuesday when you can see the second instalment of this year's season with "The Nightmare Room"

 "Waitress The Musical" written by Jessie Nelson

Nottingham Royal Concert Hall.

I don't know if it was just my senses working overtime, but when you entered the auditorium, there was a gorgeous and mouth-watering smell of cake.... or is it just the magic of theatre?

"Waitress" is based on the 2007 film of the same name written by Adrienne Shelly. It's the story of Jenna, a pie maker and waitress in a local eaterie, Joe's Diner, who is trapped in a marriage to Earl, that she wants escape from. Things get worse for Jenna as she discovers that she is pregnant with his child. She yearns for bigger things and dreams of owning her own diner one day and making a fresh life on her own, away from Earl. She sees a possible way out, financially, if she won a pie baking competition in state.

With help from her diner friends, Becky and Dawn, she has to overcome the obstacles in her way to be able to reach her dreams. She then falls for the charming Dr Pomatter. But that's another problem – he’s married as well!

Carrie Hope Fletcher is Jenna. The most well known song in this musical, which by the way is full of wonderfully crafted songs, is "She used To Be Mine". Carrie delivered an emotion packed and tear jerking performance of this glorious ballad. I've seen Carrie in several roles, but I think this has to be my favourite. There's a lot of fun to be had with Jenna, as well as a lot of sauce, then she delivers a dollop of emotion with a side plate of sadness. The acting is pure West End quality and her voice is at times as fragile as a cobweb as she holds the audience in the palm of her hand. Pure class.

Les Dennis plays Old Joe, whose rendition of "Take It From An Old Man" was perfect. Les is a wonderful character actor, again I have seen Les play many roles in theatre over the years and his ability to make you believe in the character he is playing, and not that you're watching Les Dennis the actor, is a skill in itself. Just watch as well for the nifty moves he shows as he grooves off the stage after the final bows.

Becky is played by Sandra Marvin who opened the second act with "I Didn't Plan It", after a certain transgression was revealed, was a belter. Brilliant comic timing in every scene and a face and smile that could replace all the lights in lighting gallery. 

Dawn, played by Evelyn Hoskins, was equally as comical, with that high pitched voice and her repressed urges, brought to the surface by Ogie, a man she meets online for a five-minute date which then lasts for the rest of the show. Both geeky, but the perfect geek match. Another cute, geeky but irrepressible character who will have you smiling from the first scene to the final bows.

Ogie is played by Mark Anderson. You could tell from his face and demeanor just the kind of character you were going to get with Ogie. Brilliant fun and a perfect match for Dawn. I imagine that Mark and Evelyn had great fun in rehearsals, and on stage, with these roles.

Dan Partridge is Dr Jim Pomatter. In my mind, Dr Pomatter verges on being a sexual predator, and the comical sections made it seem quite wrong to laugh, but laugh I did all the same. All morality went straight out of the doctor's room window. But if both Jenna and Jim weren't married, this would have been a match made in heaven. Fabulous vocals and a lovely slice of comedy is what is prescribed, and that is what you get. If you think that you may have seen Dan somewhere before, then you may be right as he played the role of Charlie Price in "Kinky Boots" last July in the UK tour of that show.

Nurse Norma is played with great comedy by Ellie Ruiz Rodriguez.

Mark Willshire plays Earl. Earl is controlling and jealous of the attention Jenna showed to her friends and the reciprocation of the attention. He even made Jenna promise not to love the expected baby more than she loved him. Earl is a seriously flawed character, and the ending for him is possibly one that a new mother may not have taken out of fear of possible retribution, but Jenna found the strength in her new position of responsibility to do what she deemed to be right for her, her new baby girl, and their future. Roles that are not so nice to play out are often the most meaty, and Mark delivers a lot of meat. There are very few redeeming features with Earl, but we do get to see a glimpse of just how much he loves Jenna, but is that love or insecurity?

Dan O Brien plays Cal, who runs the pie shop. A non-major role but always seemed to be there in the background, and his dalliance with Becky made that scene unforgettable.

The Swing and Ensemble members are Will Arundell, Yochabel Asante, Amelia Atherton, Alice Croft, Jamie Doncaster, Daniel George-Wright, Will Hardy, Bailey Hart, Olivia Lallo, Emma Lucia, David Mairs-Mackenzie and Ellie Ruiz Rodriguez.

The soundtrack is written by the incredibly talented Sara Bareilles and includes the gorgeous "She Used To Be Mine", which was delivered with such heart-felt emotion. Other stand out tracks from the soundtrack for me were "Never Ever Getting Rid Of Me", "Bad Idea", "You Matter To Me", "Take It From An Old Man" and "Everything Changes".

Directed by Diane Paulus who has a made a few subtle changes from the last time that I saw this musical, one of them being the omission of Jenna's little girl right at the end. This is left out so there are no young actors needed to play this role. The rest of the show is so quick moving; I had actually forgotten just how swift the scene changes are. Everything about this musical is precise; from the prop settings and scene changes to the assisted costume changes on stage, the timing is as tight as you could ever wish for.

Musical Supervisor and Arranger is Nadia Digiallonardo with orchestrations by Sara Bareilles. The musicians are on stage, but in a corner of Joe's Pie Shop, almost as if they were the Pie Shop's house band. They sounded great and were perfectly mixed, sound wise, to the vocal styles of all of the vocalists on stage, lead and ensemble vocalists. I say that because the last time I saw this musical in the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, I recall that the acoustics, or the sound mix, was not as sharp as it was tonight. This time around it was perfect.

Choreographed by Lorin Latarro. When I ;last saw this show I didn't really notice that much of the choreography, maybe because I was concentrating on so many other areas of the production, but there is some excellent choreography here. The contemporary feel to many of the scenes which feature the main characters, shadowed by the ensemble, are created so tenderly that I found myself often holding my breath. The big choreographed pieces are equally as exciting, power wise, but for a different reason. The timing in the big numbers are stunning and a lovely contrast to the tender scenes.

The set design by Scott Pask was immense. The clarity of the back drop, which filled the Concert Hall stage from stage to roof. It was so realistic you wanted to wander on stage to open the doors and wander out beyond the diner. The props, big and small, from the serving feature to the kitchen/baking sections are so realistic, they were as if one of those big cranes that you see in an amusement arcade had swooped down and removed them from a real life pie shop. There are also so many props of a smaller variety in this show, including some delicious looking cakes with some equally mouth-watering names.

Lighting Designer is Scott Billington. A lovely variety of lighting techniques are employed to create the various moods for the show, most of them being bright and colourful, but just a few which deepen the mood, especially when Jenna and Earl were together as a pair.

Sound Designer is Rob Bettle. As I mentioned earlier the sound tonight was absolutely spot on, unlike the time when I last saw it here when the acoustics just didn't produce the sound that we all experienced tonight, opening night. Crystal clear and as well mixed as one of Jenna's cakes.

I must also commend how quickly and covertly a little accident on stage was cleared up.

This musical has the perfect recipe for a great night out at the theatre. With comedy as well as sadness, brilliant acting and a great soundtrack, it's as easy as pie to see why this is the massive hit it is.

If this is going to be the first time of seeing this musical, I can promise you that you're in for a sweet treat. If you've seen it before, then you are going to love your second helpings as much as your first course serving.

"Waitress The Musical" is at the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall until Saturday 15 August.

 "The Tempest"

Nottingham Shakespeare Company.

St John's Church, Carrington.

Shakespeare’s final play is a pot pourri of emotions. Close to a Mediterranean island, a storm overcomes a ship that carries King Alonso of Naples, his son Ferdinand, and his brother Sebastian. They were on their way home from Tunis to Italy when the storm hit, and their ship is demolished in the process. Shipwrecked with them are the courtier, Gonzalo, and the Duke of Milan, Antonio.

From the island, Prospero, the former Duke of Milan, and his fifteen year-old daughter, Miranda, watch the storm and the shipwreck. Miranda fears for the ship's crew, but Prospero assures her that everything is fine. He decides to open up about his past, telling her how twelve years previously, he had been deposed in a coup by his brother, Antonio.

With the aid of Gonzalo, Prospero had escaped in a boat with the infant Miranda and his books of magic. They travelled to the island and made it their home, while the only native islander, Caliban, was made their slave.

The only other inhabitants of the island are the spirits including Ariel, whom Prospero had rescued from imprisonment in a tree. Since Antonio is on the boat that is now shipwrecked, Prospero hopes finally to rectify his past. As Miranda sleeps, Prospero plots with Ariel about his role in the shipwreck and what to do with the men now that they are on the shore.

With Shakespeare it’s very open to interpretation from the Director as well as the audience, which is why we see so many different versions of plays like “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” set in various eras and styles. This is one reason why Shakespeare is still as popular today as it ever was, and something that Nottingham Shakespeare Company do so well, proven by the turnout for their touring productions.

I've been a fan of the Nottingham Shakespeare Company for a few years now and love the way that they very often bring a new vision of Shakespeare's works to the streets of the East Midlands, and my chat with Mary, Amanda and Director Ali a few weeks ago, whet my appetite for this production, even though I have seen "The Tempest" several times over the years. There's comedy, magic and romance, and this time around set under the Big Top of a circus with Prospero as the Ringmaster.

Tom Salyers is Prospero, who was once Duke of Milan until his brother Antonio usurped his position and had Prospero cast out to sea in a small boat with his young daughter Miranda. Prospero and Miranda landed on an island where the only other inhabitants are spirits and a strange creature called Caliban, who he now controls by magic in this circus. I have seen Tom several times performing Shakespeare, and what Tom doesn't know about The Bard probably isn't worth knowing. After all, he holds a Master of Fine Arts in Shakespearean Staging and Performance from the University of Exeter, and has been performing Shakespeare for over twenty five years.

Ferdinand is played by Fred Baker, who you may recognise from his latest roles at the Nottingham Lace Market Theatre. Ferdinand is the only son of Alonso, King of Naples. When the ship seems to be breaking up in the tempest, he swims ashore and believes his father drowned. He falls in love with Miranda at first sight but Prospero thinks they have fallen in love too easily. Prospero uses his magical powers to make Ferdinand a slave and forces him to carry logs. Ferdinand puts up with this so long as he can see Miranda. Eventually, Prospero rewards his loyalty by releasing him and agrees that Ferdinand and Miranda can marry. Fred's physicality with the logs is both realistic as well as comedic, and great fun to watch.

Madeeha Kamall is Antonio, Prospero's younger brother. Prospero trusted him to help rule the dukedom of Milan but Antonio used this trust against his brother and secretly plotted with Alonso to overthrow Prospero and have him and Miranda removed from the city. Antonio owes a debt to Alonso for his help and wants Sebastian to become King of Naples instead so that he can be released from that debt. Getting everyone in the mood for the circus, Madeeha performs a couple of sets as one of the two aerialists before the circus begins, and you can't help but look on in awe of the smooth twists, turns and balancing all done in the air.

Warren Hunter returns to the Nottingham Shakespeare Company as Stephano, butler to Alonso, King of Naples. He was washed up on the island alone and wanders around drunk until he meets up with his friend Trinculo, who is hiding under a cloak with Caliban. Stephano shares his wine with them and Caliban thinks he is a god. Stephano agrees to kill Prospero, rule the island and become Caliban’s new master. However, Ariel watches them and makes sure they do not cause any real trouble. 

Richard Tann-Watson is Gonzalo who returns to the stage after a decade long hiatus with his first foray into Shakespeare, and his debut for Nottingham Shakespeare Company. Gonzalo is chief advisor to Alonso, King of Naples. He is remembered by Prospero for his kindness in making sure that supplies, clothing and books were put aboard the boat when Prospero and Miranda were cast out to sea. He tries to keep Alonso positive as they search the island for Ferdinand and is aware that Sebastian and Antonio make fun of him. 

Trinculo is played by Natalie Rayner, another actor making their debut with the NSC. Trinculo is a jester and serves Alonso, King of Naples, and was washed up alone on the island after the shipwreck. Looking for shelter, he ends up crawling underneath Caliban's cloak with him. His friend Stephano then discovers them and they meet Caliban. Stephano is persuaded to kill Prospero, by Caliban, and Trinculo reluctantly follows along with their plot. Here's another brilliant debut, and I won't spoil it if you plan to see this show, but Trinculo's image resembles a very well recognised and famous clown. Thankfully this clown does not remain silent, and I love the accent given to the character.

Alonso is played by an actor that I have seen several times on stage, Saurav Modak. Alonso is the King of Naples. He helped Antonio to get rid of Prospero and take his brother’s place as Duke of Milan. He has two children, a daughter called Claribel and a son, Ferdinand. His fleet of ships is returning to Naples from Tunis but they are caught in a huge storm. Travelling with him is his son, his brother and other nobles. They are all washed up on the island after the storm, although Alonso thinks Ferdinand has drowned. When Alonso finally meets Prospero, he apologises and makes him Duke of Milan again. When he is reunited with Ferdinand and finds out about his engagement to Prospero’s daughter Miranda, he is delighted. Saurav also doubles his roles as Juno.

Mary Sullivan makes her Nottingham Shakespeare Company debut as Miranda, Prospero's daughter and his only child. She was cast out to sea with her father when she was three-years-old and knows nothing about the world except what her father has taught her. Prospero hopes she and Ferdinand will be attracted to each other. When they immediately fall in love, he pretends to be angry and makes Ferdinand a slave. Once Ferdinand has proved he deserves Miranda, he blesses their engagement with a magical show.

Amelia Renard is Caliban, who also makes her NSC debut. Sycorax, a witch, was abandoned on the island and gave birth to a son, Caliban. When she died, he was left alone on the island with only the invisible spirits for company. When Prospero and Miranda arrive on the island, Caliban lives with them as part of the family but when Prospero catches him about to sexually assault Miranda, he throws Caliban out and treats him as a slave. Caliban wants revenge on Prospero but is afraid of his magical powers. When he meets Stephano, Caliban believes the drunken butler can kill Prospero and become a better master to him. He tries to lead Stephano to kill Prospero but Ariel and Prospero defeat his plans.

Lauren Treharne plays Sebastian, and I am sure that I was told that Lauren also makes her debut with NSC with this role. Sebastian is Alonso’s brother and one of the men who is shipwrecked on Prospero’s island. He is callous and impressionable, and he plays henchman to Antonio’s villain. He is an instantly dislikable character from the moment we meet him. Cantankerous and unhelpful during the shipwreck in the early scenes and shows a clear lack of empathy when he blames the grieving Alonso for Ferdinand’s alleged death. 

Magda Knight is Iris, one of the spirits summoned by Prospero during the masque celebrating Miranda and Ferdinand’s impending marriage. She is the goddess of the rainbow and the messenger of the Gods, which means she bridges the gap between the mortal world and the magical world. Magda also plays Bo'sun, who is in charge of the doomed ship. The start of the play sees all the passengers and crew of the ship tossed around in an impressive way, especially as the tossing and turning is all done on level ground, but still managed to make you feel just a little seasick thanks to the dramaturg of the piece.

Adelaide Marshall is the playful Ariel. Adelaide, like so many of this cast, is making their debut for the Nottingham Shakespeare Company. Ariel is the chief spirit of the island and controls the other spirits. Prospero found him imprisoned in a pine tree where he had been left by Sycorax, who died before Prospero arrived. In return for being freed from the tree, Ariel now serves Prospero and carries out his magical orders. Prospero promises Ariel that if he does everything he is asked to, he will be set free. At the end of the play, when Prospero has achieved everything he wanted with Ariel’s help, he says goodbye to Ariel and sets him free. What a debut, and what an addition to the Company's roster of Shakespearian actors.

So many Nottingham Shakespeare Company debuts, which shows the respect that these actors have for this company in delivering excellent pieces of theatre written by The Bard.

Directed by Alistair Fiori-McPhee, assisted by Jonathan Mansfield, both making their Directorial debuts, and like those actors who are also debuting, are brilliant at these new roles. I've seen both Alistair and Jonathan act with the NSC and have raved about their performances, and here now is a chance to rave about the visions that they both have regarding this production. They have made a classic Shakespearian piece of work even more comical and presented a fresh view of the story while keeping the traditional side of it as well.

Produced by Esther Warren, who worked the sound as well. Sorry I didn't get chance to say "hello" earlier.

Costume Mistress for this show is Katrin Salyers. The costumes were as fabulous as the story itself, all of the costumes holding a little bit of magic of their own.

Joe Perry is the Musical Director and Composer of the original music heard throughout the non stop ninety minutes of Shakespearian shenanigans.

Props are sourced by Jean Fiori-McPhee and, as with the costumes, are fun to note and to see how they are utilised within the story.

If you've seen "The Tempest" previously then you will obviously know the story, but this vision of the story within a circus style environment is a lovely new slant, especially with the parade of circus characters towards the end of the play. I've also stated in the past just what a difference experiencing Shakespeare in the open air is. Nottingham Shakespeare Company did provide chairs for the presentation in Carrington, but this may have just been for this venue, so make sure, if you can, take a fold up chair to sit on. Make an event of the show, as the two ladies just in front of me did, by taking a picnic hamper with you so you can eat and drink while you enjoy the show.

Photography by John Smalley of Vapour Trail Photography.

The local tour of "The Tempest" ends on Sat 8th August at The Embankment, Nottingham.

You can see the full list of venues and performances in the flyer attached to this piece.

"The Wizard Of Oz" by Kaleidoscope Players.

Adapted by John Kane for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

We all know the story of the young girl, Dorothy Gale who lives on a farm in Kansas with her Aunt Em, Uncle Henry and little dog, Toto. It tells the story of how a tornado sweeps her, her home and Toto to a magical land called Oz, how she manages to eradicate the Munchkins from the Wicked Witch of The East by flattening her when the house lands on her.

On the way to meeting the Wizard, so she can get back home to Kansas she meets, and helps The Tinman, Scarecrow and The Cowardly Lion while the quartet have a few adventures on their way.

The atmosphere of the show starts as soon as you step through the doors of The Duchess Theatre as you're greeted by Ozians, clad in shiny green waistcoats.

Hannah Bradford is Dorothy Gale and is totally Dorothy all the way through. She has the accent and I am so pleased that she did not try and sound like Judy garland when she sang. Hannah has a lovely voice and delivered all the character of Dorothy. Many times I have seen the actor playing this role and trying to get that garland twang, with varying degrees of success, but Hannah's voice was all we needed for Dorothy. There's fun as well as fear in Hannah's performance and the retention of innocence just makes the perfect fit.

Amy Bradford, Hannah's sister, plays The Scarecrow/Hunk. A lovely character filled presentation and Amy knows how to get the maximum comic effect for Scarecrow by using her face, as well as that lovely knockabout physicality needed for the role.

Zoe Shepherd plays Tinman/Hickory. So much to like with this role. I loved the robotic style dancing and the whole physical side of the character. She really makes you believe that she is made of metal. I also loved the costume for Tinman as it's a more modern look, moving towards that steampunk vibe.

Evie Barfield is the Cowardly Lion/Zeke. Full of character, and again a slightly more modern adaptation of Lion which omitted the line that everyone connects to the character, "put 'em up, put 'em up". I didn't notice until the drive home. Evie looked to be having great fun bringing this character to the stage, and I know that the audience were having fun watching her have fun.

Rachel Robinson brought Toto to life on stage; that puppet looks so realistic as well! What I especially liked about this role is that, often I try not to notice the puppeteer, but in Rachel's case, I wanted to notice her, as well as Toto, because what you imagine Toto would be feeling inside is the exact emotion that Rachel displayed visually. The yap was pitched just right as well for a Scottie dog, which I am sure was the breed of this particular little pooch, and the lever that created the wagging tail was in overdrive, so I am sure that Toto was a happy chappie for the majority of the adventure.

Lucy Cadney is Aunt Em/ Glinda. From the busy farmer's wife fretting over a faulty incubator to the gentle, stress free good Witch, Lucy displayed a variety of emotions between the two characters, all the while looking exquisitely lovely in the process.

Martin Church plays Uncle Henry as well as the Guard looking after access to the Wizard. Again, two characters that are as far apart as you can get. The hard working Farmer and the jovial Guard of the Wizard's lair.

Kerry-Ann Roe is Miss Gulch/ Wicked Witch. I don't know why but I love the nasty characters, probably because they are so much fun to play, and everyone loves a baddie, don't they? Kerry-Anne's Wicked Witch costume is another excellent example of bringing the character up to date, once more with a steampunk style costume. Wonderfully wicked in both character forms; she made you want to push Miss Gulch off of her bike she was so nasty.

Rob Simpson is The Professor as well as The Wizard Of Oz. I love the accent that Rob provided for The Professor as well as the vocal effects for The Wizard. I must mention as well how the Wizard appeared to our four heroes. It was a four piece section of abstract art is probably the best way to describe it which moved like a giant puppet face. The timing of the puppetry to Rob's voice shows that a great deal of work with the timing has obviously gone into this part.

The Ensemble consist of Alice Goodall, Tessa Raum, Josephine Walker, Michelle Bradford, Theresa Hartwright, Julie Black, Caitlin Wright, Beth Margett, Freya Mosley and Ron Murfin. They made the stage feel more full with their presence and really boosted the choreographed numbers brilliantly.

Alice, Tessa and Josephine brought a lovely sassy feel to their roles as trees, and I loved the tree costumes.

Michelle and Theresa also turned puppeteers to bring the crows to life with some realistic cackling and cawing.

The Junior Ensemble consist of Charlotte, Alex, Jessica, Rosie, Callum and Madison who doubled their parts as Munchkins. I must mention Alex separately as he also played the part of Nikko, the leader of the Flying Monkeys. A wonderfully cheeky and energetic performance which I especially enjoyed.

Directed by Alice Goodall and Tessa Raum and they utilised every part of the auditorium, with characters using the main aisle as entrances and exits, as well as the two side aisles and the auditorium doors. The show was pacy, and even in the scene changes they made sure that in the blackouts on stage, we had musical accompaniment while the scenes were being set up. They succeeded in bringing an updated version of an old classic without taking away any of the pieces that make this musical the classic that it is.

Musical Director is Bethan Davies-Taylor, who, along with the cast, created some gorgeous and harmonious sections throughout. There were sections that reminded me of when I was a kid, sitting on the sofa on a Sunday afternoon and watching the old musicals on television, and these harmonies took me right back there.

Set Design, which is absolutely lovely, is all down to Tessa Raum and Jason Kramer, who is also the Technical Director and responsible for the puppetry. 

Prop creators are Lucy Cadney, Kerry-Ann Roe, and Deb Weetman. 

Amy Bradford is the show's Movement Director,

Choreographed gorgeously by Amy Bradford, Josephine Walker and Evie Barfield.

Costume Designers are Denise Brown, Lucy Cadney, Zoe Shepherd, and Deb Weetman. They could have so easily have stuck with the original patterns for costumes, but no, there's a lovely mix of traditional and steampunk, bringing a fresh, more up to date feel about the show's image. 

The animation sequences on the backdrop are created by Tessa, who has donned many hats in this production, and surely a qualifier for next year's Eagle Awards. Sometimes the moving film backdrop can take away from a production, but not in this case. The video sequences create much of the magic, especially of course the "twister" sequence, and the introduction of the Wicked Witch flying through the air on Miss Gulch's bicycle. Blended in with these images, the ensemble also added to this with various broken parts of the farm and a cow whirling past from one side of the stage to the other.

Sound Designer and Operation was by Dave Dallard. When got right the acoustics in the Duchess is excellent and you can hear every word spoken and sung. Well, here was another of those nights. The clarity and mix between vocals and music was just right, and the volume was spot on, which created an added layer of excitement, especially in the twister sections.

Lighting Designer and Operation was by Aaron Mace. We went from quite a drab wash of colour at the start, which was the perfect way to introduce the overall feel of the musical, but then once we reached Oz, it was like an artist's palette of colour, and continued in that way through to the end.

With having such a busy week, theatre wise, this was the earliest chance I had to see the show, but I am so pleased that I didn't miss out. You can see the hard work that Kaleidoscope Players have put into creating such a fantastic piece of theatre. "The Wizard Of Oz" is performed on a regular basis, and it's so nice to see the thought that is behind creating a slightly different look and feel about a show.

"The Wizard Of Oz" comes to the end of its' yellow brick road this evening when the final performance commences at 7.30.