"The 39 Steps"

A Derby Theatre and Hull Truck Theatre Production

Derby Theatre.

Have you ever done those facial exercises that have left your cheeks aching? That is the sensation I had leaving Derby Theatre on Friday night. I had just seen the funniest play you will see this year. 

This is a comedy play that I have seen several times, but this surpassed any production I'd seen previously, and the reason for that I can safely say is the additions to the original script and the fabulous cast; anyway let me expand on that......

Inspired by Hitchcock's classic tale, this romantic thriller is a fast-paced ride through the signature world of the Master of Suspense. 

Richard Hannay is visiting 1940s London when he meets Annabella Smith, who is on the run from foreign agents, after a disturbance at a music hall. Later that night, Annabella is murdered and Hannay must then try to break the spy ring and prove his innocence. From an epic train chase to a feisty love interest, Hannay has his work cut out for him as he searches for the truth about "The 39 Steps".

From the streets of London to the wild landscapes of Scotland, this cast of five take us through a fast-paced adventure racing through daring escapes, clever disguises and unexpected twists.

Richard Hannay is played by Ryan Starling. He has a history of performing some great comedy plays, written by some of the best Northern writers and playwrights. This has obviously honed the comic timing that we see in "The 39 Steps". The clipped British accent adds another layer to the comedy, as does his many crashes of the fourth wall. In another scene Ryan slips into a Basil Fawlty style of script delivery. Ryan is also a Nurse away from the stage, which sounds about right, because he had this Friday night audience, and myself in stitches all night!

Annabella Schmidt, an exotic secret agent, is in dire need of Hannay’s help, because her life is in danger, is played by Sophie Bloor. Annabella is the first of several roles that Sophie plays in this production; she also is Pamela Stuart, a beautiful woman who is lured into Hannay’s adventure but is sceptical of his claims of innocence. The scenes between Sophie and Ryan have an unending hilarity, and in a couple of scenes they looked to be having just as much fun as we, the audience, were having. I've said so many times that you can see one show and then the next audience see a different show; that could be the case here. Part of one scene includes Hannay describing Ilkeston women, resulting in both actors corpsing (breaking character and laughing), especially with Sophie coming from Ilkeston. There are so many scenes with Sophie and Ryan that is pure farce.

James Keningale and Kathryn Perkins are both billed in the programme as "Clown". This description for me doesn't quite cover the amount of roles both cover; I lost count of the various characters both actors play. Let me put it this way, Every other role other than the two main characters are played by both Kathryn and James. There are some very quick costume changes, including one, for both actors in the second act, which was completed in seconds. 

James and Kathryn opened the night by introducing themselves and telling us of the other actors, as well as some of the characters. We then see James as the MC for the show where we first meet Mr Memory, played by Kathryn, or should that be "Mr Memoror" who knows every fact whether that be "historor" or "geographor". The MC and the Memory Man  also have a brilliant to and fro, call and response section. "Thankoo, thankoo".

James and Kathryn morph into Mr Crofter, a deeply jealous and suspicious Scottish farmer who houses Hannay for a night while he is on the run as well as Margaret Crofter, the farmer’s wife, a shy young woman who dreams of life and adventure in the city. They play the spies chasing after Hannay and Pamela, Mr McGarrigle and his wife, Mrs McGarrigle,  a wonderfully frustrated woman who really needs her bells rung!

Other roles include The Sherriff to whom Hannay went to, to report the dealings of Professor Jordan, as well as Professor Jordan and a brilliantly deep voiced Mrs Jordan, the Milkman who helps Hannay get away unnoticed near the start of the play, and again another lovely piece of physical comedy involving the milkman's jacket and the Chief Inspector.

We're also told in the introduction before the play actually starts that interwoven into the play are mentions of many of Alfred Hitchcocks' biggest movie hits, which was also great fun to spot, although not that subtle. Also listen out for a nod toward Abba and The Great British Bake Off.

The introduction also advises that there's a fifth actor, who isn't very good - their words not mine - but the actor will be mainly the stage crew, but not to worry as "they won't be noticed". It became very apparent just why Tom Mitchell wouldn't be noticed, but I'll leave that for you to find out why! Loved the "hammy" script delivery as Chief Inspector Albright. He may not have been that "visible", but he certainly made his mark on this show!

Directed by Cal McCrystal who has done the impossible by making a fantastic comic thriller into an incredible comic thriller with added sprinkles, farce and rich tea biscuits, plus a brilliantly comical balloon modelling section by James. The pace is so fast that by the time that you've acknowledged which actor is playing which role, they have gone offstage and have reappeared in a different costume and a different character, often different gender as well. This is classic comedy thriller mixed with the physical comedy of pantomime.

Keeping the pace up on stage is partly due to stage management and Anthony Fearnley as Stage Manager along with Assistant Stage Manager Holly Wincott, Deputy Stage managers Leila Stephenson and Elizabeth Harvey plus Company Stage Manager Daniel Ellis really saw to it that the pace was set just right. With the speed of the set changes and props coming on and off stage, it's no surprise that this crew were kept on their toes.

I loved the projections that we saw throughout the show. Chris Lince's video design is like another cast member, especially the wonderful video of the planes hunting down Hannay.

There are so many costumes in this show, well there are so many characters, and there's also a lot of props.

Set Design is by Jen McGinley and here's another very clever section to this play. Along with the video design the set design really needs to be seen to get the full effect of this design.

Composer and Sound Designer is Ivan Stott. This is another piece of a jigsaw which completes a whole picture of just how good the whole play looks and sounds. It's also very clever to miss-time some of the sound effects for comedic effect. Reminiscent of productions like "The Play that Goes Wrong", sometimes a deliberate miss-cue of sound effect can create laughter. It's like hearing Les Dawson playing his piano just slightly off key; it's funny but takes great timing on behalf of the creator.

Lighting design is by Ian Scott. You get a proper feel of the time period with the lighting design, which is yet another jigsaw piece to complete the perfect jigsaw.

As I said at the start, it's the funniest play you'll see this year. The cast are possibly the hardest working quintet of actors on stage; they certainly earn their pay with this show. With the fourth wall breaking and a different audience every show, you can guarantee that you will not see the same show twice, so maybe go and see the show more than once.

Give your chuckle muscles the best workout they're gonna get for a long time. My cheeks still ache.

"The 39 Steps" is at Derby Theatre until Saturday 17 October.

 "The Girl On The Train".

Ravenshead Theatre Group.

Ravenshead Village Hall.

Adapted from the 2015 novel written by Paula Hawkins by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel.

Here's a play that I've seen a few times before, but it's one of those thrillers that is so good that you have to see again. The run is sold out, so unless you have a ticket already, the only way you can see this production is to risk getting a returned ticket. Not only that but every Director with vision will bring something new to their production, and shows several of these actors in a different light.

Rachel Watson longs for a different life, a more glamorous life than what she has. Her only escape is watching the perfect couple, Megan and husband Scott, through the train window every day, happy and in love. Or so it seems from her view from the train window. Then Rachel finds out that the woman she’s been secretly watching, has suddenly disappeared, and she finds herself as a witness and even a suspect in a mystery in which she will face bigger revelations than she could ever have anticipated.

 Naomi Cope plays Rachel Watson, who makes her debut for Ravenshead Theatre Group in this role. Rachel likes a drink and she has memory issues; she is also still burning a flame for her ex-husband, Tom, constantly phoning him and popping round at all hours, in short, making a proper menace of herself to Tom and his new wife Anna. One thing that Naomi brings to the stage is a strong sense of visual reaction to what happens to Rachel. In particular, there's a scene where Rachel is pushed against a wall with her assailant's hands around her throat. If you're as old as me and can remember the Coronation Street scene with Deidre and Ken when Mike Baldwin calls, this scene in this play reminded me of that scene for the reaction that Anne Kirkbride, who played Deidre, gave. Naomi is a real find as she brings a wealth of experience on stage with her.

Eddie Gray plays Tom Watson, Rachel's long suffering ex-husband. Megan actually minds Tom and Anna's baby sometimes, so they know each other. But they did not know where the connection to Rachel comes in, until the story starts to unfold. Eddie is one of those actors who, if you've seen Eddie on stage previously, may be surprised at the growing intensity of this character role, with shadows of a previous award winning role that he has played recently.

 Helen Berry is Anna Watson, Tom's new wife, with whom he has a baby with. Tom and Anna seem to have a blessed life; a lovely home, new baby, Tom has a job that enables him to support Anna, meaning that she can tend to their baby's every need, but also allowing the baby to be looked after when the pressure of motherhood gets just a little too much for Anna. 

Daniel Andrews plays Scott Hipwell. As with all murders, the first instinct is to blame the husband. He isn't an art fan, and Megan is a true artist, but pretends to understand. He is completely distraught with his wife's murder, so distraught that he takes the first opportunity given to snog Rachel, who he doesn't comprehend why she is even there and only half believes her story of how Megan and Rachel know each other. We discover though that Scott has a violent temper, and a potty mouth, when secrets come to the surface!

Daria Kisieieva is Megan Hipwell, who also makes her Ravenshead Theatre Group debut. Megan has issues, which is why she is seeing a therapist, professionally of course. It's through this relationship though we learn more about Megan and the secrets that have been buried deep. Could one of her secrets be her downfall, or at least answer some of the questions that the online rumour-mongers have started to spread?

Adam Nayar is Dr. Kamal Abdic, Megan's therapist, to which patient confidentiality seems to be something unheard of. He is very similar to the man that Rachel spotted from the train window kissing Megan. What kind of therapy is Kamal providing his client in her own home? And with this therapy, does he hold the answers to all of the raised questions, or is he someway involved in Megan's disappearance and murder?

Andy Cook is Detective Inspector Gaskell, who provides quite a bit of the comedy value in the play, but does he also provide any answers to the riddle of Megan Hipwell's murder?

Karen Hall plays the Police Officer and Train Passenger.

Directed by Rob Hurst, who yet again delivers a stylish thriller which throws several red herrings into this fishy tale. Even having seen this play before, I still could feel the tension, not only through the storyline, but also within the audience. Assisted by Mandy Buckley, between them they create an air of mystery which cascades from the stage, creating an air of tension and unease throughout the room.

Rob is also the Set Designer, and what a set design it is. There are several different scenes ranging from Rachel's flat, the Watson's flat, the Hipwell's flat, Kamal's office, the Police station, the underpass as well as the train carriage that all transforms via furniture changes plus prop management and a clever use of hanging scenery. Although the results are visually very clever, some of the scene changes may have taken a wee bit longer than Rob and the Stage Crew may have liked, especially the curtains that didn't want to behave themselves, this is opening night and I know that for the rest of the run, those changes will become tighter. 

Props are provided by Rob Hurst, Anne-Marie Hurst and the Cast. I especially loved the chairs used in the scenes in the Hipwell's room; very stylish, but that shouldn't come as a surprise as Megan is an artist, so obviously has style.

Stage Crew consist of Stage Manager Ann-Marie Butler with Sue Bishton, John Birch and Karen Hall.

Lighting design and operation is by Iain Walton and sound design and operation is by James Disney.

The voices used for the telephone message recordings are courtesy of John Birch, Rob Hurst, Anne-Marie Hurst and Lucinda Buckley.

Prompt for the show is Mandy Buckley, who was not needed but of course, but a vital role for any production.

One thing that is always excellent are the programmes, designed by John Birch.

For audience members who may have seen this play before, you may be able to spot a few visionary additions by the Director. For those who are seeing the play for the first time, you are in for a real treat, especially if you love a good thriller, presented by a great cast.

"The Girl On The Train" is at Ravenshead Village Hall until Saturday 3 October.

 "Mamma Mia".

Nottingham Royal Concert Hall.

You just can't beat a really good feel-good piece of theatre, and this is one that I wouldn't take a chance on missing. I don't need to have a dream to predict how successful this show is going to be over the next couple of weeks, because everyone likes the music of Abba, don't they?

20-year-old Sophie is about to say I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do to the love of her life, Sky, and be his Dancing Queen. The invites have been sent out and is ready to host the most idyllic wedding ever on a fictional Greek island, in the sun. But Sophie is also on a mission to discover who her real father is, as she wants him to give her away at the ceremony.

Donna Sheridan is Sophie's mother and is played by the gorgeous Jenn Griffin. What a lovely voice Jenn has and for me, the highlight of highlights was "The Winner Takes It All". That is a brilliant stand alone song but this arrangement is spine tingling, combine that with Jenn's vocals and you just don't get any better than what you hear on this stage.

Lauren Woolf is Rosie, and  Sarah Earnshaw is Tanya, the former band members of the band Donna & The Dynamos; Donna being the third of the trio. Rosie and Tanya are great fun and the chemistry between these life long friends are electric. Both women have supertrouper voices which they show off in various scenarios. I do love the scene with Tanya and Pepper which brings out the maneater side of Tanya.

Richard Taylor Woods is Sam Carmichael, Simon Victor plays Bill Austin, and Arvid Larsen plays Harry Bright, the three prospective fathers. Sophie had found their names in Donna's diary for around the time of Sophie's conception and had sent them invites to the wedding. Does Her Mother, Donna, Know? No, she doesn't until they are already on the island! What a wonderful trio of actors, and what a performance, and they can all sing better than their film counterparts. Then again, even I can sing better than Pearce Brosnan!

Hazel Baldwin, who plays Sophie Sheridan, is blessed with a beautiful voice and throughout you find yourself having her back, willing her to tie the knot with Sky. For anyone who has seen this musical, or the film, we all know how that ends, albeit a happy one. There is a real mother/daughter chemistry between Donna and Sophie, and that is thanks to the obvious chemistry between Hazel and Jenn. And the wedding dress is gorgeous, by the way!

Samuel Downey plays Sky, the fiancé. Well let's face it, a lot of ladies in the audience will have gone home very happy tonight for watching Sam in just a pair of pants. It's one of those musicals that everyone is beautiful, a bit like a Grecian Baywatch but without the slow motion running on the beach. But seriously, Sam is another well matched actor and you believe that his character is madly in love with Sophie, and his voice isn't bad either! "Mamma Mia" also marks Samuel's professional debut.

Rachel Seirian who plays the part of Ali, and Lex Richardson, who is Lisa, play the bridesmaids. What a bundle of fun these two are. They bounce onto the stage, full of energy and cheekiness, injecting their energy, fun and cheek into the first full song of the show, "Honey Honey" along with Hazel.

Ashton Sharp is Pepper, Sky's best man. Here is an actor who knows how to have fun on stage and he shows this by always having a cheeky look on his face and a twinkle in his eye. His dance moves are not only athletic and energetic, but amazingly good fun to watch, especially in the "Does Your Mother Know" section, where Pepper gets to be up close and personal with Tanya.

Albert Green plays  Eddie, Sky and Pepper's friend. Another ladies' man, but then again aren't all of these lotharios on this Greek isle? This musical is definitely one for the ladies. Another fun character.

Only one thing that I found slightly odd is that all of these young men live on a Greek island, spend many hours diving and wander around in just shorts, but only a couple actually had some kind of suntan!

Richard Vorster plays Father Richard, who pops up at the end for the wedding.

A large ensemble who dance their socks off, if they wore them, they would have been danced off, and creating, when all is said and done, a Taverna load of fun and energy. You just want to get on that stage and party with them, they are that kind of crowd. 

The Ensemble are made up of Ashleigh Jones, Rubi Mai Brown, James Brice, Aled Davies, Ryan Ebbrell, Gee Gillam, Marisa Harris, Jay Jobarteh, Sullivan Martin, Sarah McFarlane, Rachel Oates, Adam Stickler and Maisie Wignall. Brook Blackford Jenkins, Bethany Lythgoe, Megan Spiers and Luke Stone are Swing cast members with Megan also being Dance Captain and Luke being Assistant Dance Captain.

Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, this is a party that everyone needs an invite to. It's fun, very camp and, what I realised this evening, went so fast; slipping through my fingers, you might say. 

You may have already surmised that the choreography in this show, by Anthony Van Laast, is great fun to watch, matching the energy of Abba's music and creating another layer of fun throughout.

We can thank Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus from Abba for the music and lyrics and Catherine Johnson for the book.

The set is designed by Mark Thompson, simple by design with two main pieces of scenery which is rotated for alternate scenes. Simple but very affective and easily moved into place.

The lighting design by Howard Harrison, and sound design by Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken, help create this incredible party atmosphere. It's almost like being at a concert.

The show producers are Judy Craymer and Richard East.

Musical supervision, additional material & arrangements by Martin Koch. It's these arrangements which bring out the wonderful lyrics of the Abba songs and, unlike many jukebox musicals, the words fit well into the story, whereas some jukebox musicals seem to add the songs for no particular reason, maybe to fill a gap. Here it's different because listen to any Abba song and they tell a story, and that is what is so special in "Mamma Mia", it tells a story. Carlton Edwards conducts the Mamma Mia band.

Ramping the volume up also made it feel like a concert, and by the end of the show, where we were treated to three Abba classics with all the cast, that is how it felt with everyone on their feet singing and dancing along.

There's a Touch Tour on Saturday 3 October at 1.30 as well as an audio described/captioned show on the same day for the matinee performance.

There's a sign language interpreted on the Thursday 8 October evening performance.

I've seen "Mamma Mia" a few times previously but just adore the music of Abba and this musical story, so for me it never gets old. 

"Mamma Mia!" is at the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall until Saturday 10 October so exchange your money money money for a few tickets so that you can enjoy this super trouper of a show. Don't let it slip through your fingers, or you may need to call for an S.O.S!

 "X" by Alistair McDowall.

Nottingham Lace Market Theatre.

Billions of miles from home, the lone research base on Pluto has lost contact with Earth. Unable to leave or send for help, the skeleton crew sit waiting....and waiting.

As the crew waits, long periods of isolation cause time to distort, reality to unravel, and psychological terror to set in as they start to see things in the dark outside. And I'm sure that digital clock isn't quite right either!

As time goes by, the crew start to distrust the others and lack of contact from earth, in fact any outside communication, starts to play with their heads. Is there really someone looking through the window at them? Are their memories really playing tricks on them? And who is the person who keeps emerging from underneath the sink? Are we all really here at all?

Tom Pluse plays Clarke who carries poignant, mournful memories from Earth. In the claustrophobic void of Pluto, his emotional eloquence breaks. Alongside Gilda, his dialogue eventually deteriorates, but that's not all that fractures in this environment. Tom's character looks to be having the most fun out of them all. He is loud, brash and has some of the best comic lines, and this is a play which has a lot of humour in it, to my surprise, but humour can only carry a person so far before his environment starts to play tricks with his mind!

Malcolm Todd is Cole, an extreme mathematician. He realizes that the base's clocks are secretly resetting and that time is no longer operating as it should. He recognises the crew's doom, tracking the mathematical and temporal decay of their environment. Cole's short and long term memory is the target for whatever, or whoever is playing tricks within Cole's head. Malcolm also gets to deliver some explosive, and quite scary outbursts at times, a little like Gilda.

Mary Sullivan is Gilda. Constantly on the verge of tears and deeply stir-crazy, her mental stability unravels as time loops and breaks. Mary really makes you believe that the cracks inside her mind are turning into chasms, her, or I should say Gilda's, explosive and emotional outbursts are quite wonderful, reminiscent of many 1960's sci-fi shows that I used to love to watch.

Ally Saunders is Mattie, the systems manager, who spends much of her time maintaining the base's life support systems. Mattie sweeps in and out of the storyline until all of a sudden she's not there!

Richard Young is Ray, the oldest crew member and the only one with living memories of Earth's natural world. He represents a fading connection to true history and nature and burdened by impending doom and chilling hallucinations, which affects everyone else stuck in the Pluto station.

Megan Smalley is the Girl, and it's a bit difficult describing Megan's role in this story without giving too many spoilers. All I'll say is that when you get your tickets for this scintillating science-fiction based play, you'll see what I mean.

Laurence Bembridge, Wendy Silver, Ksenia Tsymbal and Guy Evans also make appearances, and once again, I'm not going to say why and when they appear but you'll see how they shape the outcome of this story, which is one that I hadn't even thought of, but did come as a really big surprise!

Directed by Nicole Driver, there's an awful lot of work put into this piece of theatre. There are echoes of the horror film "Carrie" in one section and also a Japanese horror flick from my youth called "The Ring". It kept the suspense going all the way to the end, with sections that you'd be able to hear a pin drop on a carpet. Even with the build up of the suspense, the ending is a very different scenario to any that I could have dreamt of.

The show is a very technical show, and that includes the timings of the cast and the stage manager, Jae Marriott, assisted by Guy Evans. The entrances and exit of the stage by the cast members makes for quite a cinematic effect, especially when timed with the lighting operation.

Responsible for the lighting design is Amy Burmuder, and that timing of the stage movements and the lighting design and operation created a stunning, as well as alarming visual group of scenes.

The sound design by Fred Baker also creates quite an unnerving soundscape, especially when combined with the lighting cues.

The set design, by Guy Evans, really encapsulates a room within a space station, especially with the large round window looking out at a pitch black exterior. The walls glisten, even more so in the second act, but no spoilers from me on that scene!

The digital clock is one thing that you'll only watch at certain times, but I found myself taking a quick glance every now and then and questioning the time that I'd been in the theatre, with minutes seemingly disappearing before your eyes. I actually felt quite worried with the clock's actions and ultimate visual appearance at the end of the first act. The Digital Design is by Laurie Owen with the Tech Operator being Jamie Clay.

If you're expecting big shiny suits with large helmets, then you may be disappointed, partly, because the costume design, by Maddie Gould, depict everyday clothes. None of the sci-fi style space travel wear here which also brings the horror of what is to come even more shocking because this isn't set in the far distant future, it could be something that happens in our own lifetime.

Props for this show have been provided by Ali Lit and Rebecca Steele, and some of these do represent a little of what you'd expect to see for a life in space.

There's one scene that makes this feel like a fairytale, dream scene with some eloquent choreography, bordering on modern ballet and contemporary dance, involving the whole cast. The positioning of this scene, and the choreographical style, really drives home the importance of this particular section of the storyline. Khaz Castle is responsible for the choreography and is Dramaturgical Support.

The lyrics of Marvin Gaye's big hit "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" state, "Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear, but I can't help being confused", well that could be the same with this play. Don't believe everything that you see to be the truth, and that confusion at the end is a twist worthy of any classic thriller! Xpect the un Xpected.

"X" is at the Nottingham Lace Market Theatre until Saturday 3 October.

Photography by Kathryn Edwards.

 "Bulwell Market Memories" 

Nonsuch Studios and Bulwell Theatre Group.

Bulwell Forest Gardens.

Bulwell has a very special place in my heart because that's where I grew up. It's where I lived for twenty seven years of my life. It's where my Mum and Dad lived. It's where I had my first pint. It's where my teenage pub crawls often started and ended. It's where I fell in love. 

When I was young, my parents did the weekly shop a lot of the time in Bulwell and it's where I started to shop for clothes, when I was old enough to buy them, as well as where I boosted my ever increasing record collection. There was a stall on Bulwell Market that sold records; mostly those old ex jukebox records with the centre taken out. If you were lucky, you'd find a record still in the charts with a plastic centre put back in. At that time, the market was on a large roundabout and the traffic circled the market place in the centre of Bulwell, where the market is today, but no longer surrounded by a moat of vehicles. I spent many happy hours snaking in between the stalls of Bulwell Market looking for bargains.

This open air piece of theatre by Nonsuch Studios was situated at Bulwell Forest Gardens, a 10 - 15 minute walk from the current market place, just up from the pub where I did my first ever mobile disco gig back in 1979 at the age of sixteen. Bulwell Forest Gardens is a gorgeous place with flowers and fruit and vegetables, children's play areas, seated areas dotted about under a canopy of trees, nature areas, a Bee and Bee construction, kids climbing frames, wildlife areas and allotments, plus a couple of buildings for educational purposes. 

Saturday was also the Harvest Festival so there was open air live music, dancing, food, drinks and activities going on as well as this mini play about Bulwell Market Memories.

Elizabeth, the Town Crier, played by Sheila Austen, welcomed us all into the "market" area with a loud clanging of her bell.

We were introduced to Prince, the Newspaper seller, the Bulwell Dispatch of course, with this very special issue containing some fascinating Bulwell history facts like the visit from Frank Bruno. I can remember when Diana Dors visited Bulwell though! Rehan Richards played the role of the Newspaper Seller.

We were then directed to the Market itself to spend our Bulwell pounds. Would I part with my Bulwell pond to Albert, the Bric a Brac seller, who bore a slight resemblance to a certain Del Boy, but taller, who was trying to sell things like a toy dinosaur which had "historic value" and bottles of Bulwell Bogs water! Albert was played by Michael Hurst.

Skulking around the stalls was a certain dodgy looking Charlie, who was trying to offload his toy ducks for a Bulwell pound each. Charlie was played shiftily by Roy Turner.

Just around the corner was Carrie, the fruit and vegetable seller, who also gave us a recipe for apple crumble, which made my mouth water at the thought of a chunk of crumble with hot custard dripping down the sides. Carrie was played by Michelle Mowby-Carter.

I decided to spend my Bulwell pound on a spray of yellow flowers to brighten up my front window.

The Assistants around the market were Rebecca Allen, Miranda Spencer Pearson and Omar Khan.

Directed by Claire Finn, who has been working with the Bulwell Theatre Group on this immersive project since July. The performers brought their memories to the table which was what was on show this afternoon.

This is part of an initiative called "Stage The City", which is all about bringing local people together and inspiring confidence through creativity. It focuses on three areas, Bulwell, Sneinton and The Meadows with drama workshops led by Nonsuch Studios and professional theatre directors. Each project responds to the stories, memories and experiences of the people who live there, bringing communities together to develop theatre-making skills and create brand new, community led shows. For more information about these projects please contact Nonsuch Studios by email to getinvolved@nonsuchstudios.co.uk.

There's a grand finale of Stage The City next year on 7 - 9 May 2027 which will be held in the Old Market Square in Nottingham.

Being a Bulwell lad I was so pleased to be invited by Ali Bakewell to pop down to see this wonderful celebration of a place that holds so many memories for me. the weather was perfect, the live music was perfect, the food was delicious and the backdrop scenery of nature itself was an absolute joy, and for half an hour I was back in the midst of a bustling community market, looking for a bargain again, until the elephants arrived!

People of Bulwell, if you've never visited the Garden on Austin Street, please do so because it's a beautiful place, so relaxing, especially on a day when the weather is warm and sunny. And you might even be able to pick up a bargain in the shape of fresh fruit, vegetables, freshly picked flowers and shrubs to brighten up your own gardens. Keep it in mind as well for next year when the weather returns in Spring and Summer, and take a family trip because the kids looked to be having an absolute ball there playing and creating stuff to take back with them.

 "Melody In Motion".

Act One.

Iveshead Theatre, Shepshed.

"Melody In Motion" is a celebratory concert to celebrate 30 years of Act One in song and dance, and boy did the time fly by!

The pieces chosen for the concert represented some of the musicals and shows that Act One have put on over the 30 years as well as some pivotal and memorable pieces from the history of Act One, not from performed musicals. The choices also represent the current group's abilities and talents.

What I liked about this celebratory showcase was the mix of backing tracks and live music; the live band playing the backing for the vocalists while the recorded tracks for the dance sequences.

Normally, for me, the vocalist sections take preference over group dance slots but this production's dance sections really impressed me, and I think it was due to the music choices used for the choreographed pieces.

Let me run you through some of my personal highlights of "Melody In Motion"......

"Think Of me", from "Phantom Of the Opera" is a really difficult song for a performer of any age to perfect, but my did Katie Sturla send shivers up my spine with her rendition of this beautiful song. Absolutely note perfect with just the right amount of fragility and yearning.

The first of the choreographed pieces came next with Ike and Tina Turner's "Nutbush City Limits", one of my favourite rocky/pop numbers from their catalogue. I loved the Tina Turner moves and the energy put in by this group. The ensemble of the group were brillinat but, as always with me, I manage to spot one person from an ensemble who then catches my eye every time they then come on stage. My God, what a mover Arlen Panesar is. He dances as if he is the only person in the room the way that music flows through him. Even at the back of a group you feel the energy he puts into his dancing.

Arlen looks to be an all-rounder because he then participated in "Easy Street", showing off his vocal talents. His partners in crime Heather Fitzpatrick and Layla Adelakun also shone beside him in a brilliant take on the "Annie" classic. A fun and well matched trio.

I love the song "Electricity" from "Billy Elliot", and in this case sung by Leo Gilbert. What I loved about this performance was that Leo didn't just sing it, he included all of the nerves that Billy had from the musical, and gave that as well as a lovely vocal performance. Leo's also got some moves in him I noticed during the ensemble sections. Watch out Billy Elliot!

Seeing showcases and concerts always provide at least one educational spot for me, and in this one it was a couple of pieces, the first from the musical "Alice" and the song "It Must Be A Dream", sung by Freya Walshe, backed by Elizabeth, Emma O, Emma S, Etta, Grace S, Layla, May, Orla and Pollyanna.

The second musical education came with the following piece, again another that I had not heard until tonight, "I Never Met A Wolf That Didn't Howl" from "Smash", which was a choreographed piece presented by Act One ensemble.

Another couple of energetic dance sections to 5ive's "Keep On Movin'" and Shakira's "Zoo" brought us to the end of the first act with an ensemble vocal piece in "Don't Stop Believing", one of those pieces that created a landmark in the history of Act One.

Part two opened with another great dance section to a mash up of several of Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five's biggest hits, complete with silver shiny gloves for many of the dancers. There are some great moves in this one, which straight away got the energy moving, and not only on stage.

Evie Hancock gave us a gorgeous rendition of "Burn" from the musical "Hamilton", and while the subject of the song may not quite have been right for such a young lady like Evie, she did an incredibly good version of the song, packed with emotion. If Evie can bring those lyrics to life now, I can't wait to see if she gets the chance to perform it in a few years' time because she is going to blow everyone's socks off.

Another funky dance break to Bruno Mars' "I Just Might", with some more funkalicious choreography. These choreographed pieces are perfect for this age group and sometimes when I see younger groups showcases choreography, I have felt in the past that the songs are a little too old for the dancers, but in this concert every piece is do relevant to the age of the dancers, and I like that, and obviously these dancers have enjoyed learning the choreography.

Getting the audience clapping along to another great choreographed piece to "I'm A Believer" from "Shrek The Musical" was another wonderful choice.

Closing the concert was an all-time favourite song of mine from a musical. "Bring On Tomorrow" from "Fame The Musical". This also included some returning members from Act One from years gone by and made a lovely touching close to the show, not only bringing previous members to the stage, but for the sentiment in the words, to bring on the next 30 years of Act One.

There wasn't one piece on stage tonight that I did not enjoy, but if I mentioned every one of the 25 pieces, I'd be here for a long time, plus I have to leave a few surprises for you when you book your tickets for Saturday evening's repeat show, now don't I?

Here's the list of everyone who gave their all tonight on stage.....

Abigail Corns, Amy Tarrant, Arlen Panesar, Caitlin Fitzpatrick, David Mhlanga-Nkansah, Elizabeth Cutts, Emma Offiler-Russell, Emma Salter, Etta Brompton, Evie Hancock, Freddie Walshe, Freya Walshe, Grace Clarke, Grace-Ava Smith, Halo-Grace Smith, Harriet Spencer-White, Heather Fitzpatrick, Hermione Spencer, Isabel Lamb, Isla Cooke, Katie Sturla, Layla Adelakun, Leo Gilbert, Lexie Collins, May Brompton, Nellie McLennan, Orlagh Corbett, Pollyanna Field and Sienna Taylor.

A bunch of performers who have so much confidence in what they do, and an obvious love for performing as well.

The concert was staged and choreographed by Wendy Spencer. Additional choreography is by Helen Starkey, Danni Wilson and Shelly White.

Musical Director is Adrian Dobson, who led the quartet made up of Richard James (Guitar), Jake Shelton (Bass), Andy Shelton (Drums) and Adrian on (Keys).

The stage management for this non-stop concert was by Kevin Spencer.

Lighting was thanks to James Cladingboel and sound is by James White.

As I said earlier in the review, there's one more chance to experience these possible stars of tomorrow, tomorrow at 7pm.

 "The Unfriend" by Steven Moffatt.

Burton Joyce Players.

Burton Joyce Village Hall.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stage managed by Molly Fitches.

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

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

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

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

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

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