"Jane - England's Nine Day Queen" written by Kim-louise Sparks

by Prism Theatre.
Sawley Memorial Hall Community Centre.

This is a completely new, never seen before piece of theatre written by Kim-Louise Sparks about Leicestershire born Lady Jane Gray. It's quite a rarity for me to see a completely brand new shiny musical, but here it is.

"Jane" is the story of Lady Jane Grey who reluctantly became Queen, but for only nine days due to a conspiracy where she was forced from the throne, in favour of Mary Tudor, and executed, along with her husband for treason. That's the potted history of Lady Jane Grey but the story line through the musical is very detailed as it's all done via this sung through piece of musical theatre. Kim-Louise, who wrote the songs as well as the storyline has obviously delved deep into the history of this woman, and those surrounding her, on both sides, and has created a history lesson in song that educates and entertains all at the same time.

I love that the music covers various styles and has so many catchy hooks running through it. Twenty six new pieces of music that will sound great on a soundtrack recording, especially with these singers, mixing classic musical theatre style tracks with toe tappers, and there's even a touch of rap going down on one of the tracks. I was very privileged to have heard four of the songs from "Jane" - "What Now", "Still I Stand", "Tudor Pawn" and "Her Name In Stone" - a few weeks ago which really whet my appetite for the rest of the songs, but there are many more standout songs here like "The Pieces Move", "Jane", "For England" and What Will Remain"; but it's really difficult to pick just a few of my new favourites.

I've seen all of this cast in various pieces of theatre over the years, so I don't need to tell you how good they are acting wise or vocal wise, and they bring their amassed talents to these new roles and the new songs. They all manage to keep your attention, especially those like me who don't know a lot about Lady Jane or this historical happening. There are also no standout performances for the main reason that all of the performances stand out.

Louise Potter (Lady Jane Grey), Matt McAuley (Lord Guildford Dudley/Thomas Wyatt the Younger), Dan Bates (Prince Philip of Spain/ Thomas Brydges, the Tower guard), Rebekah Dean (Lady Mary Tudor), Graham Buchanan (John Dudley/Henry Grey - Jane's father), Philippa Buchanan (Frances Grey - Jane's mother), Hannah Gorton (John Feckenham/Sir John Brydges), Grace Deakin (Katherine Grey), Emma Kerrison (Mary Grey), Alistair Langton (King Henry VIII)*, Brooke Meadows (Queen Consort Anne Boleyn)*, Penelope Dean (Princess Mary Tudor)* and Everley Meadows (Young Mary Tudor)*

Directed and choreographed by Kim-Louise Sparks, who also sourced the brilliant costumes, and I must say I loved Frances Grey's boots. There's a song, which may have been "Tudor Pawn" where there was some brilliant fanography going down. Kim-Louise also created the wonderfully informative programme which has many historical facts included as well as everything else you could want from a programme.

The set is basically a bare black backdrop with several props brought on and taken away, but who needs a full set when the story behind the musical is such an interesting one.

Production Assistants for the show are Rebekah Dean and Matt McAuley. Matt is also responsible for the Tech and Lighting design.

Vocal Coach is Emma Kerrison.

Graham Buchanan is the Fact/History Checker.

Martin Lewis is the Performance Technician - he is  in charge of the sound and lighting and video operation. Two free standing microphones picked up the majority of the speech and vocals, but this cast are well versed in projection. Sound wise it was nice to note that Martin listened to the sound mix of the backing tracks and the live vocals and at times adjusted the backing so as not to drown the on stage vocals. Lighting wise was a nice mix of colorful flooding and more intimate shades and spotting. 

Andrew Chick was responsible for sourcing props for the show as well as the videography - there was a slight technical hitch with the video, so we didn't get the full effect of this on opening night, but I am sure that this will be sorted out for Saturday's performance.

I must also mention two of my favourite people who were Front Of House on Friday night; Beth Yearsley and Becky Morley - lovely to see you both.

I noticed online that tickets for Saturday are dwindling, so if you want to get in there at the start of something so fresh and original, grab those remaining tickets while you can. As I said at the start, it's quite rare to see a musical that is completely new, and especially written by someone with as much talent, and love of history, as Kim-Louise. It's also a chance to see a collection of talented performers that make up this cast.

"Jane - England's Nine Day Queen" is being performed at Sawley Memorial Hall Community Centre in Sawley until Saturday 14 February.

*These parts were pre-recorded on video.

 "The Beekeeper Of Aleppo" by Christy Lefteri.

Adapted for the stage by Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler.

Nottingham Playhouse.

This beautiful play was last at the Nottingham Playhouse in 2023 and now it's back with a few new additions to the cast, but the story and the history behind this play has not changed. It does though give someone like myself, who saw it the last time it was here, a chance to notice more of the story that we may have missed while we were concentrating on the main storyline of the refugee issues and how people are treated. This time around it felt fresh and simultaneous storylines leapt out from the stage, making this viewing even better than the first time.

The play’s narrator and protagonist is Nuri Ibrahim, a man from Syria. He and his wife Afra have fled from Syria due to the violence of the Syrian Civil War. After a long journey, they have managed to reach London. They are living in a lodging house with other refugees, as they wait to learn whether or not they will be granted asylum.

The main storyline focuses on Nuri and Afra’s journey, which is told in a series of flashbacks as he goes through the immigration process. They lived a peaceful life in the Syrian city of Aleppo. They had a seven-year-old son named Sami, and this time around I was more focused on what happened to Sami through Nuri and Afra's eyes. Nuri worked as a beekeeper, which he found very fulfilling. His partner and mentor in this business was his cousin Mustafa. After violence of the war began to spread and to affect Aleppo, Mustafa sent his wife and daughter out of the country. Later, when Mustafa’s son was killed, Mustafa decided to flee the country as well.

At the end of the play, Nuri and Afra reunited with Mustafa and his family. Nuri and Afra have not yet been granted asylum, but they remain hopeful. They also hope that they will be able to return to

a peaceful Syria one day.

It's a beautifully written, powerful play full of compassion, love, loss and hope and will not fail to touch you. This is a story that will be topical forever, unfortunately for the people involved in the migration and immigration process.

This really is an ensemble piece of theatre, so I am going to mention the whole cast on the same level of excellence.

Adam Sina (Nuri), Farah Saffari (Afra), Joseph Long (Mustafa/ The Moroccan Man), Aram Mardourian (Nadim/Fotakis/Ali) whose parents grew up in Aleppo, Alia Lahlou (The Immigration Officer/ Doctor Farouk/ Dahab), Dona Atallah (Mohammed/ Sami), Princess Khumalo (Angeliki/ Lucy Fisher) and Mohsen Gaffari and Helena Massoud as the ensemble. Aram and Joseph were in the 2023 production.

There's a different Director for this production with Anthony Almeida taking over; the original Director being Miranda Cromwell. I managed to spot a few little details in this production that I hadn't seen in the original. Whether this is because they are new to the production, or maybe I just hadn't noticed them in the 2013 production. It's an incredibly touching story and the whole stage direction is excellently done.

The Set Designer is Ruby Pugh. This is a multi-faceted set which is really well utilised, with windows, hatches, a chair and a bed all incorporated into a Syrian style landscape, and also includes a poppy garden towards the end of the play.

Ben Ormerod's lighting design defines the high and low points of their journey, which combined with the video design, which is projected onto the set itself, creates an atmospheric feel throughout. The Video Designer is Zsalt Balogh for Palma Studios. 

Sound Designer is Tingying Dong. The playhouse auditorium is a wonderful capsule for sound, whether it be for live bands or a theatre production, musical or otherwise, and the richness of the music flows from the speakers and engulfs you. That clarity and quality is also in the soundbites we get to hear along the way, especially in the flashback sections of the play.

The gorgeous original music has been composed by Elaha Soroor, transporting you to Syria, London and Yorkshire all with the same authentic style of music.

When you see and hear what Nuri and Afra went through to escape probable death; their battle to find a safe place to live, you can't help feel a variety of emotions, including human guilt at the way these people were treated in several stages of their journey. You also feel a sense of hate in at least one part of the play. Another theme of the play, which is revisited several times is Nuri's loss and his guilt which, in my mind, is reflected in his interactions with Mohammed, as he comes to realise the loss of his own son, Sami. There's quite a ghostly feel surrounding this area, which doesn't quite become apparent until later in the play.

This is a piece of theatre which will make you think long and hard about the world we live in, and the way some of us treat our fellow man. And a lesson we should all learn by way of this superb production. It also brings the political side of the story more up to date with certain names being thrown into the mix; another small way that the Director has managed to refresh the narrative, and also to point out that thirteen years on from the last time "Beekeeper" was on this stage that, maybe not an awful lot has changed and that this story is ongoing in 2026.

I also love the lesser narrative of just how important bees are to our environment, and while we still have bees, we still have a future and we still have hope.

"The Beekeeper Of Aleppo" is at the Nottingham playhouse until Saturday 28 February.

 "Ladies Down Under" by Amanda Whittington.

Arcade Players.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

Here's a play that I've seen a couple of times before and this production reminded me just how much fun it is and how funny the script by Nottingham's Amanda Whittington is.

"Ladies Down Under" is the follow up to "Ladies Day", this is the story of four ladies, Pearl, Jan, Shelley and Linda who have won half a million pounds at the races and they decide to take the holiday of a lifetime to Australia. It's a voyage of discovery for all four and they all discover something about the others and themselves. The other play in this series is "Ladies Unleashed".

Karen Robbins is Pearl who has to make the journey and discovers all sorts of new things while down under. She has just discovered something personal about herself which is the reason why she had to make this particular trip.

Caroline Byatt as Jan, is due to meet Joe, her boyfriend, at the airport in Australia and when he doesn't show up, Jan believes that she has been dumped, which couldn't be further from the truth.

Rheema Orme-Hawksley is the designer label loving Shelley who's also on the look out for a fella on this trip. She has a complete turnaround by the end of the four week holiday and she has grown into a whole new woman, and there's a surprise for her at the end as well.

Linda, played by Ellen Horton, also comes away from the trip a changed woman. At the start of the trip she is like a little mouse who wants to please everyone. At the end there is a distinct change to her whole appearance and attitude after meeting Koala Bare and Bondi Bitch!

Alex Chalk plays Bill, one of the airline stewards, along with Nick Hallan as Ben. Both Bill and Ben are very camp characters and both actors deliver a gem of a scene before the take off commences. You wouldn't want to fly with them!

Nick dons a set of high heels and frock as Bondi Bitch, And a very convincing drag queen he makes as well! Pair Nick up with Alex as Koala Bare and you have a dynamite drag duo, Alex's outfit is very Kylie "Showgirl" outfit with skyscraper heels making him tower over the other actors, although to be fair Alex is tall in the first place. Bondi and Koala, along with Pearl, Jan, Shelley and Linda do a wonderful version of the camp classic "I Am What I Am" at the city's Pride carnival, which get the whole audience clapping along. A real class act!

Jason Parker plays beach bum/surfer Shane who runs into these ladies down under, as well as Tom, the heroic fireman who has to deal with a bushfire which opens the play.

Ali Langton plays Joe, who she has come over to visit but discovers that he is not easy to locate.

Gary Lever plays the role of Danny, the outbacker who befriends Joe and also does a bit more befriending by the end of the play.

Charlie is an old "hippie" character who is friends with Shane. A wonderfully British person who plays the bongos, and is another great character filled performance by Nick Hallam who, with the help of additional props, looks nothing like his other two characters. 

Produced and Directed by Rob Byatt, it is slick, it is funny, it runs the whole gamut of emotions; mostly humour and happiness, but Amanda Whittington is just so good at injecting a dose of slap in the face melancholy, and then turns it around for more humour. Only one scene, near the end kept us waiting with an empty stage, but that was due to costume changes for our four ladies from the big scene prior to the closing airport departure lounge. It gave the audience a chance to settle back down from the rigorous hand clapping and whooping of the Pride scene. Rob also had several cast members enter the auditorium handing out Pride flags to wave in the carnival scene, and danced and paraded rainbow scarves at the front of the stage, creating even more of a fun atmosphere.

Set designer is Rob Byatt and Damon Pipes, who was also the Stage Manager. A full wall video backdrop which changed scenes from the airport to the outback to the city scenes, moving the action on and also letting us know where the scenes were taking place. The Stage Crew were Roberta King and Terry Thornhill, who did a great job of moving the props on and off stage smoothly, among the other parts of their job description.

Sound and Lighting is by Mike Beedham and Dave Martin. Not that much need of mics in this show and the cast showed how good their projection was and on the whole the mic'd section was good also. Great lighting, especially during the Pride section. The lighting also added to the  time of day scenes for the evening and dawn lighting around the campfire.

There were some great props, and quite a few of them as well. From surfboards and bongos to various luggage, departure lounge seats and a very realistic campfire and barbie with, from what I could see actual snacks on the barbie! These were thanks to Beverley White and Mina Munns.

A wonderful wardrobe selection as well as make up, especially for Nick and Alex's drag scenes. the make up was thanks to Hannah Reason, Heather Weaver and JJ McCormack, who was also the Drag Consultant.

The singing section also used the talents of the vocal coach, Rita Thornhill and those scenes were choreographed by Rheema Orme-Hawksley. Both the singing and dancing were great fun and certainly got my toes tapping.

I've mentioned it probably in a few other reviews but I am a big fan of Northern humour and this is proper Northern, as is the humour and the accents - apart from the Aussie accents of course. It's an absolute joy to watch comedy done as well as this and so naturally delivered and performed as well. It took my mind off the rain and the potholes and the diversions and the roadworks on the way to Long Eaton and set me in the right frame of mind to drive back home.

"Ladies Down Under" is at the Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton until Saturday 14 February.

Photographs courtesy of Nicola Tuxford.

 "Double Indemnity" by James M Cain.

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

It looks like the weather outside had been ordered especially for opening night for this show (Tuesday) because the misty and rainy evening created halos around the street lights providing that uneasy feel, which continued on stage. The unease, not the mist and the fine rain!

This adaptation has changed some of the names from the original film, but they do not protect the innocent, nor the guilty.

The classic Hollywood thriller has been adapted for the stage by Tom Holloway. Los Angeles, 1930’s and amidst the wreckage of the Great Depression, Walter Huff, a sharp-eyed insurance salesman, has built his career spotting scams. But when he meets the dangerously seductive Phyllis Nirdlinger to discuss her husband’s life insurance policy, he finds himself drawn into a web of lust, greed, and betrayal. Together they plot the perfect crime: murder the husband, cash in the policy, and disappear into the Californian sunset..... but how much faith and trust do they have in each other?

I've never seen the film from 1944 which starred Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray and Edward G Robinson. Widely regarded as a classic, Double Indemnity is often cited as having set the standard for the "film noir" genre and as one of the greatest films of all time. The title refers to a "double indemnity" clause which doubles life insurance payouts when death occurs in a statistically rare manner.

Phyllis Nirdlinger is played by Mischa Barton, who makes her UK stage debut in this play. Without knowing the story or seeing the film, you can just tell that Phyllis Nirdinger is a bad un by her physicality and how she speaks. Obviously, or so it looks, Mischa Barton has studied this character well and possibly the film noir genre because that is the whole vibe she projects. I'm probably in the minority as being one of the few men who has not seen Mishcha previously; I haven't see "The O.C." as I don't watch that much TV, but she has the ability to demand that all eyes should be on her while on stage.

Ciaran Owens plays the part of Walter Huff, the insurance man who, along with Phyllis really believed that they could carry out "the perfect murder" and then run off into the distance with the big payout. Wonderfully creating those old scenes that we see in this style of 1940's detective movies, Owens also nails the quick speak method of addressing the audience and the other characters in the play.

Barton Keyes, Huff's boss who works out that Nurdinger couldn't have intended to commit suicide by leaping from the train, even with a fractured leg and crutches to get the insurance policy payout, suspects Phyllis and an accomplice was responsible. Keyes is played by Martin Marquez. Love the accent and the gruffness and the doggedness of the character.

Gillian Saker plays Usher, Waitress as well as Nettie, Huff's secretary.

Joseph Langdon is Mr Norton - the overall boss of the claims office, Nino - Lola's boyfriend - and Joe Pete 

Oliver Ryan is Mr Nirdlinger, Jackson - the man who claims to have seen Nurlinger on the train - and Jack Christholf.

Lola Nirdlinger, Phyllis' step-daughter who suspects that Phyllis has something to do with her father's death, is played by Sophia Roberts.

Simon Victor, Estelle Cousins and Patrick Fleming make up the ensemble.

Directed by Oscar Toeman, this is an interesting one because you don't get to see that many plays of this genre, and you try and think what you would do in the role of Director. What I really liked about the direction of "Double Indemnity" was the creation of the feel for the era; you really got the feel of the 1940's, and not just by the costumes and scenery style, it was just something about the whole feeling and look. I also liked the way that the phone calls were conducted between the characters. The sound was created live to make the people talking on the phone actually sound tinny, as they would by phone. This effect was used brilliantly without the use of physical telephones, keeping the actors free to roam the stage and be unhindered by additional props.

The Set and Costumer designer is Ti Green. Costumes straight away placed the characters in the era required and the set, sparse as it was looked great. there's part of the Hollywood sign almost acting like a shield at the back of the set which had a metallic and industrial feel. The props were almost skeletal; the car and the train both created the setting and physical appearance of the object but were easy enough to transport away from the stage with ease.

Lighting Designer is Josh Gadsby and Sound Designer and Composer is Dan Balfour. I often combine these two areas as one because they are the equivalent of the bass and drums creating the rhythm section of a band. The sound and lights are what creates the rhythm of a play, and they blend so well together here to create an almost creeping atmosphere to the play.

Now, I don't know how the film closes, as I haven't seen it, but I was expecting a rather different, and possibly more dramatic ending. I say more dramatic because nothing actually happened; the lights faded to blackout and someone at the back of the theatre started the applause. I won't say what was the lead up to the faded blackout but after such a dramatic performance throughout, I half expected there to be either a gunshot or a splash but.............

"Double Indemnity" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 14 February.

 "Things I Know To Be True" by Andrew Bovell.

Lace Market Theatre.

Here's another play that I've not seen before, but will never forget.

Bob and Fran Price have four adult children: Pip, Mark, Ben, and Rosie. Each child has his or her own unique struggles and secrets that they try to keep hidden from their parents, but Fran has a knack for knowing what is true in each of their lives. Over the course of a year, the children try to redefine their lives separately from the hopes and dreams of their parents, what is real and genuine in the Price family falls apart under scrutiny, and Bob and Fran must redefine their relationships with their children and with each other. 

It’s a story about growing up, letting go and learning that the people we love most are often the ones we understand the least.

I'd had a bit of an insight into what the play was about by chatting to Director Jonathan Cleaver, so I knew that it was going to be a production very different to so many plays produced by the Lace Market Theatre, but I didn't realise how emotional the story was going to be, and how personal the story was to me.

It has a very different feel to so many other plays with the closest comparison I could come to was "The Curious Incident Of the Dog In The Night Time" in the way that the choreography of the piece is played out. Developed by The Frantic Assembly, the Frantic Method is "direction through movement and promotes an acute physical awareness that can be implemented in moments of stillness just as it can be in the physically spectacular", something I certainly have not seen at the Lace Market Theatre before.

Bob is a gentle, retired father, steady and reliable, who finds solace in his garden and rose bushes. He struggles to adapt to modern life and his children's changes, representing traditional, possibly rigid, values. Played by Frazer Wanless he shows Bob to emotionally surf through life, but towards the end of the play there's an emotional explosion with one of his children. There's also a surprise revelation for him, but this in turn reveals that he was more savvy about what goes on within his family than is seen from the outside. The final scenes are heartbreaking. This is probably the most emotional role that I have seen Frazer play, but he also brings a great deal of laughter throughout the story.

Fran is a nurse who has sacrificed her happiness for her children. She harbours deep regrets, often taking her frustrations out on her eldest daughter, Pip. Fran is manipulative as well, particularly in enabling her son Ben, but is also deeply loving which goes to creating a somewhat conflicting character. Fran is played by Sarah Taylor and as with Frazer, this is the most emotional part I have seen Sarah play. What happens at the end to Fran is completely unexpected and comes like a punch to the gut.

Pip, the eldest daughter, is a successful but stressed-out education bureaucrat who feels trapped by her responsibilities as a wife and mother. Pip is played by Charlie Osborne who straight away, due to the physicality Charlie brings to her character, enables you to see that something is not quite right; like a coiled spring you can see and feel the tension. When she reveals to her parents what her future intentions are, there's an explosion of fury and disbelief from Fran, which as we discover later in the play is completely misplaced.

Mark is played by Jude Hodgson. A character who undergoes a significant transformation in the play. Mark's storyline highlights the parents' lack of understanding and emotional support. You can understand their ignorance because of their background and their own family past. They initially think one thing and brace themselves for Mark's admission, but they are way off the mark with what Mark has to reveal, and that causes a big family rift with Fran. This is Mark's first stage role for about six years and this marks Mark's debut for the Lace Market Theatre. Incredibly powerful role which is sensitively presented.

Ben is played by Louis Harrison. He is the youngest son, portrayed as reckless and restless, possibly seen as spoiled and babied by his mother. He engages in dangerous, illegal activities to fund a lifestyle he cannot afford, showcasing a desire to escape the mundane life his parents lead and to engage better with his work peers. Louis is a recently joined member of the Lace Market Theatre, which gives the theatre, and the audience, two new male actors who prove to be well versed in emotional acting. Louis makes you feel pulled between several emotions, and you find yourself siding with both his father as well as his mother's reactions as Ben.

Rosie is the youngest child, who serves as a lens for the audience to view the family's secrets and struggles. Rosie is played by Rosie Randall. Rosie, the character, is the first to provide her monologue to the audience. This in itself shows as a big thing, back story wise, but is quite insignificant when you hear everyone else's. I say that  but of course, with being the youngest child will seem a major issue. I love that Fran, on being surprised by Rosie's early return home, straight away believes something is wrong; well she is right, to an extent.

Directed by Jonathan Cleaver, he brings such an achingly beautiful piece of theatre to the stage; I can see why Jonathan is such a fan of this play and why he was desperate to direct this gorgeous piece of theatre. Jonathan and the cast create wonderful humour, and then can have you in tears. This is proven by the young woman on my row visibly and audibly sobbing at the closing scenes. He brings out the lightest of scenarios, and then throws you into the darkest pit.

Andrew Bovell, the writer, shows everybody the inner workings and thoughts of every parent, especially a parent of a certain age, as with Bob and Fran. He shows the love, the anger, the frustration and the disappointment when one of the family doesn't turn out the way that they would like their child to be. It also shows that the children have their own minds and the secrets that they keep from their parents. It shows that we, as parents, don't know everything about our children and how difficult it can be  for a child to speak to their parents, and we don't know the ins and outs of our kids' minds.

The set design is by David Babington and effectively shows the turning of the seasons by the six rose bushes, which you'll understand when, and if you can get a ticket for this production. There's also a tree in the set which is important, especially the roots of the tree which can be seen on stage, but significantly reminds us of our own family roots. Or am I being too deep?

Lighting by Hugh Philip, Allan Green, Phil Hogarth and Amy Bermudez and is extremely important and effective in this show. Strands of lights drape the stage which flicker quite a bit, and they are supposed to, maybe to indicate the flickering emotions of the whole family. It's quite difficult to explain just how effective the lighting is for this particular show, and is best seen for the effects they conjure up.

Sound by Simon Carter is also an extremely important part of the show. the reading of a letter which incorporates and highlights a special memory and feeling from Pip to Fran is spine tingling. The rest of the soundtrack heightens the emotions incredibly, reflecting how the characters are feeling.

I mentioned the movement side of the play and I adored the synchronicity in this area. Sarah in one section shows a lot of trust in the rest of the cast.

Stage managed by Kathy Bobkowska and Melanie Marriott.

The costumes are thanks to Sharon Phillips.

There are so many parts of this play that fell into line with my personal life, which in a way was slightly unnerving, but maybe I am just like many other people all over the world who has gone through similar situations as Bob has. It will give you plenty of things to talk about after the play has ended, and may give you a clearer understanding of your children, or your parents. For me though, you know that Roberta Flack song "Killing Me Softly With His Song", well this was the play version of that song for me., even if some of the situations may have been different, that's how it made me feel. That's how Jonathan and the cast made me feel.

"Things I Know To Be True" is at the Nottingham Lace Market Theatre until Saturday 14 February and is a must see for anyone who loves emotional theatre or simply great theatre.

Contains strong language and adult themes.

 "Frozen Jr."

Uncommon Productions.

Long Eaton School.

I've never really been a massive fan of this musical, maybe I'm too old to appreciate the Disneyness of the story. I'll let you into a little secret; I also was not a massive fan of the musical "Cats", until my third time of seeing it, after which everything fell into place and then I loved it, and still do. I'll let you into another secret, this is the third time of me seeing "Frozen Jr".... stay tuned folks!

When Queen Elsa accidentally sets off an eternal winter in the town of Arendelle, her younger sister Anna (along with her friends Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven) goes off on an adventure to find her sister and save the kingdom. Facing an unsuspected villain, unpredictable ice powers, and something new waiting round every corner, Anna must fight alongside her friends to bring back summer. "Frozen" reveals how true love can come in many forms, and can at times be deceptive, that the bond between sisters is something truly special.

"Frozen Jr" has been performed at Long Eaton School since Wednesday with two different casts alternating. When I was at school there were, as far as I can remember, no proper drama classes and the stage in the hall was used for the morning assembly and the annual production, open to the privileged few to perform. How times have changed, and in my mind for the better.

Young Elsa is played by Jessica Carruthers, and while we don't see that much of Jessica, her version of Young Elsa was swift but quite poignant due to the magic she held in her hands which separated her from her younger sister.

Young Anna is played by Martha Briggs and  this role stuck in my mind for the playfulness of the character, always wanting to build that snowman with her elder sister, as well as the disappointment in her voice when she got no response from behind the door that separated her from Elsa.

Queen Elsa is played by Paige Bone, isolated in her ice palace, cut off from Anna, after their parents had died, Paige depicted the loneliness well and what I also loved was the make up she wore made her look cold and drawn; the costume of silver also helped to bring out the ice queen image, and of course it's Elsa who gets to sing the most famous song from the musical. "Let It Go" is a massive song for an adult to crack, but Paige absolutely nailed that song as well as that note at the end. Paige has a really nice folky tone to her voice which made the song feel and sound just that little bit different, and I liked the difference.

Anna is played by Isobel Pickering. Anyone who knows Isobel and her family know what a tough few years she has had, which I'm not going to go into, but Izzy's performance in this show showed the inner strength that she has, a strength that exploded from the role. Blending the sadness and frustration of being apart from her sister with the fun of finding love, or so she thought with Hans in the song "Love Is An Open Door", which always requires greet timing with your singing partner. Between Isobel and Paige, they really showed the bond and the strength between sisters.

Sarah Armstrong played Queen Iduna, another quick appearance along with Holly Oldershaw, who played King Agnarr, Elsa and Anna's parents who made the decision to keep the sisters apart so that Elsa could not cause any further harm to her sister.

Madelynne Woodroffe plays prince Hans. Prince Hans "falls" for Anna but that's where the twist comes in, as we discover later on in the musical. Quite rightly identified as a baddie of the musical who received several "boos" from the packed Long Eaton School audience at the time, but a massive round of applause at the final bows.

Olaf is the magical snowman who the two sisters created when they were younger and played by Violet Graney. Looking at the programme before the show I wasn't sure if Violet would be dressed as a snowman, but no, Olaf turned out to be a rather wonderful puppet, operated by Violet, who also dressed the part, all in white.

Kristoff, an ice harvester, almost put out of business by Elsa's extreme frost, is played by Rowan Jackson. I last saw Rowan playing an Ancestor in last year's production of "the Addams family", so it's good to see him as a more major character with Kristoff. A very confident young actor who has a nice line of comedy, especially with his sidekick Sven, the reindeer, played by Dexter Yates. Dexter looked as if he was really enjoying himself with some of the lines and the choreography that Sven was given. A good comedy pairing with Rowan and Dexter.

Pabble was played all week by Amy Taylor and Lily Bradley took the role of Bulda on Friday evening.

Oaken, the shop owner and trader is played by Rowan Brown, a brilliant comedy role for them. The song "Hygge" perfectly represents this along with the fun choreography Oaken and family perform, putting broad smiles on everybody's face.

Emily Taylor plays the Duke Of Weasel Town - oops, sorry Westleton. Quite an angry character when first introduced, but you would be wouldn't you if people keep getting your name wrong? That character trait does change later on in the musical though and a nice character filled role for Emily.

And last, but not least is The Bishop, played by Keeley Rickerby.

The citizens of Arendelle/ Oaken family are played by Matilda Mills, Excel Anamalu, Nicolena Morales, Arietta Morales, Isla Ingham, Livvy Mae Houghton and Yasmin Cuthbert.

The Ice Chorus consist of Darcie Price, Lily Ann Goddard, Leah Bestwick and Lyla Mae Houghton.

The Hidden Folk were played by Mia Allen, Olivia Hill, Leah Thomas, Margaux Shaw, Antoni Penev, Jakob Screen and Joshua Tomkins-Bell.

Produced and Directed by Mr Beardmore, who had a big task to follow from last year's "The Addams Family", but he certainly managed to top that. "Frozen" I now realise is one of those musicals that a certain generation grew up with and absolutely love, so the choice to perform this, this year was inspired. The whole cast performed with great maturity, and you could just feel that they loved performing this year's production. A rapid set of scene changes executed really well made the story and time fly. Helping out in Directing duty was Holly Oldershaw, one of the students.

Musical Directors are Miss Hall and Miss Attenborough. These ladies have really done good with this cast because the singing was a joy to hear, and the students timing was to be applauded all round.

Choreography for this show is by Miss Thrower, Mr Beardmore and Martha Briggs. Another area of production that has been smashed out of the ballpark.

The set was designed by Mr Mendham and used a split level stage to be able to depict the ice castle, and to give the cast an additional platform to use to show travel, and of course so that we could all see them when it came to the final bows. <r Mendham also had a bit of help from Student set designers Aimee Fothergill and Madelyne Woodroffe.

The Costumes are brilliant. From the regal dresses for Anna and Elsa, to the rather marvellous Olaf and Sven, and everything in between. Miss Hall is responsible for these brilliant creations.

Lighting Design is by Ruby Didwell and Maddie Taft with Sound Design by Lewis Cuthbert and Emma Webster Tams.

I touched on the effect the make up had on making Elsa look drawn with worry and cold, and that, as well as all of the other make up is thanks to Lily Bradley

It was a packed out audience on Friday, and I found out that the previous two days were the same, showing that all of the publicity worked wonders. The student Head of Publicity was Imogen Scott, and I must thank Lisa Pickering for asking me over to review.

As I said at the start, "Frozen" has not been up there in my Top 5 favourite musicals but, after tonight, this cast have defrosted more of that coldness I felt for this show; in fact, I really enjoyed this production. It must be something about third time lucky, or seeing a show three times. Whatever the reason, I drove back to Nottingham humming "Let It Go" all the way back.

"Frozen Jr" ended its' run tonight.

 "Guys n Dolls" by Erewash Musical Society Youth Group.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

One of the greatest Noo Yoik based musicals of all time, and one of my all-time favourite musicals on stage or on film.

"Guys n Dolls" is the story of Nathan Detroit and his doll Adelaide and Sky Masterson and his newly discovered doll Sarah, who is in the process of saving souls. Will Sky's soul be one soul she can't save, or will Sky give up his gambling evil ways and succumb to the word of the Lord?

Based on the stories and characters written by Damon Runyon, the action starts in Runyonland where Nathan is looking for a place to hold his latest "crap game". The only way he can think of raising the funds to pay for a venue is to bet Sky $1000 that he can't take a "doll" of Nathan's choice to Havana for dinner, and Nathan chooses Sarah Brown from the mission.

In the background Adelaide, Nathan's fiancée for the last 12 years, wants to get married and they plan to elope, but all does not go to plan while Nathan is still planning the latest "crap game".

This is Hollywood though so it's all bound to end up happily ever after, and it does, leaving you with a fluffy, warm, squidgy feeling in your tummy.

Sky Masterson, suave, smart, handsome who unexpectantly falls for Sarah Brown, the Missionary leader, is played by Oliver Nolan. I stated in my last review of Oliver as Poseidon in "The Lightning Thief", that he was officially cool, and he takes that "cool" up another level as Masterson. He looks cool, he acts cool, he has a cool accent and he can sing, and I am sure that his voice has gone even deeper.

Sarah Brown, the Sergeant of the local Mission who falls for Sky, is played by Izzy Cole. Oh My God what a voice! Her voice takes me back to those classic musical women, people like Kathryn Grayson (look her up on Google/YouTube); so pure and clear and beautiful to listen to. Love the way that she acted out the rebuffs of Masterson's advances and the slap she gives Sky in the Mission hall looked incredibly real. I also loved the Havana scene as this had been done in a slightly different way, which I'll mention later. Everyone was talking about Izzy's voice in the interval.

Livvi Hickling plays Miss Adelaide, long time love of Nathan Detroit and a lead performer at the Hot Box nightclub. Another wonderful voice and I liked how Adelaide was not presented as some high winy-voiced airhead, as she was in the film. Livvi also has the choreography nailed, especially in the number "Take Back Your Mink" plus "Adelaide's Lament" was given a lovely subdued feel. The duet Adelaide does with Detroit in "Sue Me" is also another highlight for me.

Nathan Detroit is played by Elis Moore. Elis has an ear for accents, and you know how much I love a well presented accent. A very broad Bronx/Noo Yoik accent which at times, when the script required a faster paced speech, the accent never suffered but the clarity of the speech became mashed, which would be truly realistic if listening to any heavy accent when the owner of that accent becomes excited. I've always been a fan of Elis's vocals and his comedic abilities, and both are well utilised as Nathan Detroit.

Nicely Nicely Johnson is played by Noah Hickling. Just like his name suggests, he is the nicest and cheeriest of the gambling crooks. High-spirited and a bit naïve, but sincere and genuine. Nathan’s loyal friend and lackey. This young man has one of those mobile faces and he can make you smile with just a change of expression. I have really been impressed with his vocals in past shows but in this show his vocals are true musical theatre vocals. It's not easy to maintain a constant accent like Nicely's, but to also sing in accent is even more difficult but Noah does both brilliantly. Just listen to "Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat", one of my favourite scenes in this production. Plus the rapid wordplay in "The Oldest Established" is performed, not just delivered. This young man is becoming an all rounder with his vocals, acting, dancing and comedy skills; Noah is more than ready for leading man parts.

Blake Hagan plays Lieutenant Brannigan, the hapless B - Movie type cop, chasing his tail trying to catch Sky, Nathan and the rest of the players.

Heather Beardmore plays Harry the Horse who is entertaining Big Julie while he is upstate.

Benny Southstreet is played by Harry O'Boyle. Nathan’s right-hand man and a gambler himself. Smart, slick, always moving and shaking, but with what he thinks are Nathan’s best interest at heart. Another consistently excellent character acting job by young Mr O'Boyle.

Yasmin Aldous plays Rusty Charlie, the gambling sidekick of Nicely Nicely and Benny Southstreet. These three roles are so well cast because they all require actors who are naturally funny and can sing in three part harmony, as showcased in the opening "Fugue For Tin Horns".

Jessie Gatehouse plays Big Julie, who is in town to "shoot crap", not a bad loser, it's just that he always likes to win! With a moustache and beard drawn on to her face, Jessie is completely transformed into this greedy gangster. Another fine stage combat scene is where Sky punches Big Julie during the "Luck be A Lady" section, and the timings on that punch was impeccable by both Oliver and Jessie that it looked incredibly real

Lowri Moore is Angie The Ox, another one of the gamblers.

Myla Statham-Browne is General Matilda Cartwright who has come to town to tell Sarah and the Missionaries that they have to close this missionary post down but not even Matilda B Cartwright fails to not fall under the spell of the beguiling Sky Masterson, and allows them to prove the success of the missionaries.

Arvide Abernathy, Sarah's Uncle and fellow Mission worker, is played by Gabriella Tilley. There's a lovely scene in the second act where Sarah confesses to Arvide that she does love Sky, but she will not see him again. Arvide expresses his faith in Sky's inherent goodness and urges Sarah to follow her heart and sings "More I Cannot Wish You"

Agatha is played by Jessie Jerram, Mollie Jerram is Martha, members of the Mission group.

Xander Thorpe plays Joey Biltmore, the owner of the garage where Nathan wants to hold the secret crap game at.

Emily O'Boyle is the Master of Ceremonies who introduces Miss Adelaide and the Hot Box dancers.

The Hot Box dancers are played by Lowri Moore, Eloise Chamberlain, Yasmin Aldous, Sophie Forman, Lauren Hazledine, Clarissa Armitage, Juliette York and Tayla Dilks. The choreography for these dancers is fantastic and these young actors create a Hollywood nightclub style vibe in both big numbers "A Bushel and A Peck" and "Take Back Your Mink"

Rose Staniford and Eva Woodcock have ensemble roles.

Directed by Anna Fitzpatrick. This is the full version of the musical but with a few trimmed bits I noticed, which I felt enhanced the enjoyment of the show. The section in Havana had been trimmed slightly and I loved the flow and stage combat of that section which was almost balletic. The pace was perfect as was the comedy and the wonderful accents from everyone.

Choreographed by Sophie Robbins and assisted by Katie Chamberlain. So many choreographic highlights in this production for me. The crap game in the sewers was done in silhouette and was almost cinematic. The Havana scene had a big impact with it being trimmed down flowing into the fight scene with Sarah and the Havana dancers. This is one of those wonderful classic musicals where there are lots of choreographed scenes and every scene was just a joy to watch.

Musical Director is Martin Lewis, who knows his way around where musicals are concerned, and his experience, on and off stage, reaps so many dividends when it comes to big scale musicals such as this. The score sounded classy, which is something that martin brings to any MD job.

The soundtrack is full of classic musical theatre songs that have become favourites in the Great American Songbook; songs like "If I Were A Bell", "A Bushel & A Peck", "I've Never been In Love Before", "Luck Be A Lady", "Sit Sown You're Rocking the Boat", "Marry the Man Today" and of course the title song.

Costumes were thanks to EMUS Committee, friends and family and were marvellous. I loved the smart suits for the gamblers and also loved the costumes for the Hot Box dancers.

Set Designers are Mark and Bill Robbins.

Sound design and operation is by Dave Dallard, assisted by Jack Clark, and everyone who was mic'd up in the production was heard perfectly, and no missed mic cues.

Lighting design and operation is by Richard Chamberlain, assisted by Dave Martin. A colourful musical which was complemented by a colourful lighting design.

Having had the pleasure of reviewing EMUS for quite a while now, I get to see the theatre journey that these young people travel down. I see them grow and their talents get better and better. I hear the male actors' voices breaking and their development and growth from ensemble to leading man roles. I also get to see the ladies blossom and their voices get stronger and fill out. This musical is an absolute classic, and not the easiest one for a youth group to take on, but I think that I can honestly say that all the actors have moved up another rung of their dramatic ladder and have given audiences possible one of the best productions from EMUS on Thursday night. If you've already got tickets for the rest of the run, you are in for an absolute treat. Don't gamble on tickets being available because I bet they'll all be gone by Saturday!

"Guys 'n' Dolls" is at the Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton until Saturday 7 February.