"Cinderella" A pantomime by Warren McWilliams

by Burton Joyce Players at Burton Joyce Village Hall.

You can almost certainly guarantee that, with local pantomimes, something will go just a little awry, and it did with this pantomime but that is what makes pantomimes even more fun. I'll tell you more about that later!

Everyone knows the story of "Cinderella" so i don't need to go through the plot line as that part of it is kept faithful to the 400-year-old story. As usual though there are lines that have been added to bring the story up to date, and there are loads of jokes that I hadn't heard before, as well as some that I had.

Also keeping to tradition is the big opening number and the big closing number, and by the end of the panto, and the big number "You Can't Stop the Beat", the audience had really been warmed up and were clapping, and singing along like good 'uns.

Buttons was played by Ben Bradley, and finally I get to see Ben in full flow, so to speak. On and off stage he is extremely amiable, and this role is perfect for Ben, getting the kids, and the mums and dads shouting "Hiya Buttons" on his entrances, and getting the "aahhs" suitably ramped up when requested at the "sad" moments.

Cinderella was played by Sophie Dobb, and how we all cheered when we saw that marvellous silvery ball gown magicked up, with just a little bit of video magic at the end of Act One. The audience also loved it when the shoe was placed on her foot and we knew that the Prince had found his Princess.

Avril McCormick (Baroness Hardup) and Trevor Wright (Baron Hardup) were great fun as the mis-matched Father and Stepmother.

Another coupling I loved were that of the Ugly Sisters Claudia, played by Patrick McDonough, and Tess played by Bertie Black. Well matched and the kids loved them, especially in their "Single Ladies" dance.

Lisa Ostrowsky-weston, who played the Queen of Bucotonia, and David Matthews, the King of Bulcotonia were another well matched pair, and especially with the King's speech impediment!

The Herald, or is that Harold?, was played by Greg Nicholas, and I don't know why but every time he came on stage I was reminded of Gyles Brandreth, he had that air about him and that cheeky twinkle in his eye. Greg's projection, by the way was the best in the show.

Pantos are full of excellent pairings, when got right, and the bailiffs, or is that bay leafs? were played brilliantly by Alistair Dobb (Grabbit) and Kathy Matthews (Scarper), a real comic couple who delivered almost as many cheesy jokes as Buttons did, but they were all really Caerphilly placed throughout the show. This couple also had the job of getting the kids up to dance to "Big Fish, Little Fish, Cardboard Box" with just a slight mix up of words from Kathy, which was spotted by many of the adults and raised a great roar of laughter. That, and Alistair forgetting a cue and lines was also an addition to the comedy. Both got through admirably though and received a massive round of applause at the closing bows.

The Fairy Godmother was played by Tracey Evans in true style, creating some lovely theatre magic with a little help from the digital age of today.

Jennifer Reckless played our hero, The Prince, with multitudes of slapped thigh and charm. The Prince's right hand man, Dandini was played by Steve Armstrong, who had to keep reminding us of who he was as he never seemed to get a mention in the panto proceedings. I made sure that I gave him a mention because it was thoroughly deserved, and some nice comic touches as well. Jennifer also choreographed the whole show.

Last, but not least, Stephanie Pindor played Madame Darcy, the ballet teacher who had to put up with the Ugly Sisters attempts at ballet, creating more comedy moments.

Toads of laughs in this show and loads of "fart" jokes which kept the kids happy.

The chorus, backing the main performers were Stephanie Pindor, Hannah Smith, Isla Hilton, Molly Fitches, Lucy Wells and Lily Musson, who I musson forget to mention (sorry).

Directed by Deborah Craddock and Produced by Kathy Matthews. Between them they put together a pacy and fun show which was enjoyed by children and adults alike. And at just under two hours long, with interval, they crammed a lot in, never seeming rushed, but timed just right for the attention span of some of the younger audience members.

Lighting was by Simon Johnston and Sound by David Price and Dom Mills. There were a few times that the finger must have slipped off the sound button as we got a split second of music/noise when there shouldn't have been any, but that didn't spoil anything for me.

Jenny Harwood sourced the brilliant costumes, Marilyn Carr did the Scenery Art and Dan Miller the graphic design. I was really impressed by the set scenery, which was wonderfully designed, and changed really quickly.

There is just one more performance of "Cinderella" at Burton Joyce Village Hall which is tonight (Saturday) at 7.30 so get your silver slipper skates on!

 "Play On" by The Bonington Players

Bonington Theatre.

"Play On" is the story of a theatre group trying desperately to put on a play, "Murder Most Foul", in spite of maddening interference from a haughty authoress who keeps revising the script. Act One is a rehearsal of the show, Act Two is the near disastrous dress rehearsal, and the final act is the actual performance in which anything that can go wrong, does go wrong! It doesn’t help that the cast is extremely disgruntled, and the playwright accidentally deletes the entire sound effect board. All brilliantly good fun for the viewer.

There are some pieces of theatre that I just can't wait to get home to write about, and this is one of them.

Written by Rick Abbott, this is one of the funniest plays that I've seen in some time; very similar to "The Play That Goes Wrong" or "Noises Off". The audience were having proper belly laughs at the characters and the script, which translates to the talents of the actors.

Aggie Manvillle is the stage manager within the play, played by Abi Hemmings. Now, for anyone who isn't quite sure what the job of the stage manager is, this play gives you a pretty good idea, as she races round the stage making sure everything and everyone is where they should be. A wonderfully frustrated and hectic performance by Aggie, accurately played by Abi.

Geraldine “Gerry” Dunbar is the play within a play's Director. Again another frustrated soul is Gerry, brought to life by Kate Purdue who spends much of the play running up and down the central steps of the theatre itself, shouting from the back, sitting in the front row seats and disappearing behind the sets for caffeine shots. 

Adrian Bacon plays Henry Benish who is playing Lord Dudley and Laura Harding plays Polly Benish who is playing Lady Margaret in the play's play put up with a lot. Henry is often getting his foot trodden on or hit in the groin by a chair by his in-play wife, and Polly is forever the butt of jokes about her size - all very un PC. It's when the play is presented on opening night that the real comedy emerges as both go to pieces, especially Henry with a dose of stage fright. 

Both Adrian and Laura though are wonderful playing these characters as it's always more difficult to play something the opposite that you are trained to do. For example, Les Dawson's piano playing was terrible but he was an accomplished pianist so to go against what you should be doing to do something badly is an art form and all of this cast seem to have perfected this particular art form.

Marla "Smitty" Smith is played by Hanna Fletcher. "Smitty" is playing Doris the Maid. Abbott seems to be very generous with the comedy, sharing it out for every character and there is a wonderful, and very simple piece of comedy played out by "Smitty" where the front of her maid's hat is just slightly droopy and this causes it to flop over her eyes. Simple but comedy gold and Hanna works this so well.

Saul Watson, played by Wayne Hill, is the actor within "Murder Most Foul" playing Dr Rex Forbes - I hope that you are following all of this! Along with the character Billy Carewe, Saul gets to consume quite a bit of the stage wine, and as you can imagine, the script sounds a little different to what it should sound like. There is nothing funnier than an accurately played drunk, and when the added comedy of trying to get your words in the right order goes wrong, you really can't help but laugh.

Billy Carewe, played by Christian King not only is the slightly tipsy partner in crime to Saul, but he also has to make Billy, playing Stephen Sellers a proper hammy actor with staccato movements and over enunciated words. His proposal of engagement to Violet Imbry's character Diana Lassiter is another wonderfully funny piece of acting. I've seen Christian before and his flair for comedy is something that I have always noted, and this role highlights his comedic talents.

Helen Holbrook playing Violet Imbry playing Diana Lassiter is a great foil for Christian with their act being art reflecting real life, within the play, role. Go see it if you can't fathom out what I mean. 

Louise Peary is the stage technician within "Play On" and is played by Gennie Price. Louise simmers throughout until Phyllis manages to wipe all of the sound effects from the console and then she explodes, but wouldn't you if it took you hours and hours to compile all the effects for the play and programme them all in the right order. Louise does wreak her revenge though at the end!

Phyllis Montague is the playwright who has written, and re-written, and re re-written "Murder Most Foul" who constantly interferes with the running of the play as well as the script. This wonderfully funny role is played by a wonderfully talented Jenny Chatten

Directed by Chris Gardner who has all the ingredients for a marvellous farce blended in perfectly. Great pace in this one and he has extracted some wonderful performances from his cast.

Set Design by Tony Tomlinson, who also stage managed "Play On", and there was an audible gasp from the audience as the set changed from Act One and the curtains revealed a very stylish set for Act Two.

Sound Design by David Goatham, operated by Nick Hill, and Lighting Design by Peter Hodgkinson, operated by Alison Baldock. When these two areas blend well, there is a tendency to not notice either and almost take both for granted. That was the case here because both areas complimented each other perfectly and when there are no "actual" noticeable errors, you just know that this is a job completed to perfection.

Costumes by Lindsey Hemingway and Gail Tomlinson, and it's the second act where you get the splendour of the costumes.

"Play On" is at The Bonington Theatre in Arnold until Saturday 30 April, and I would strongly recommend getting a ticket or two for this play full of belly laughs, and also if you wanted an insight into what goes on within local theatre - maybe not quite to this heightened level though. Very, very funny script played out brilliantly by an immensely talented cast.

 "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte

Nottingham Theatre Royal

The classic Emily Bronte novel has been adapted and directed by Emma Rice, and is a co-production with the National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal.

Rescued from the Liverpool docks as a child, Heathcliff is adopted by the Earnshaws and taken to live at Wuthering Heights. He finds a kindred spirit in Catherine Earnshaw and a fierce love ignites. When forced apart, a brutal chain of events is unleashed.

The production itself is, for my liking, just a little too long. The first act is ninety minutes long! Saying that, the novel itself does not leave much to edit out, so you can say it is quite comprehensive as a production. The second part is more fast moving and ties up several loose ends. It's so fast moving that even the cast ask what is happening!!

The fourth wall is constantly broken and at times seems almost panto-esque.

There is puppetry used in this production, especially to show the young Catherine and Heathcliff, a strange vicious dog which is depicted as an animal skull on a stick, and a flock of leaf-flapping books on sticks to represent a flock of birds! The Puppetry Director is John Leader.

The moor is a living thing, recreated by actors. Jordan Laviniere plays the part of The Yorkshire Moor/narrator, a narrating moor, but with several other actors also playing the moor at the same time, well the Yorkshire Moors are quite vast!

The cast is led by Liam Tamne (Heathcliff), who is as dark and brooding as any Heathcliffe - unless you've seen Cliff Richard play the part - and Lucy McCormick (Cathy) who does a lot of screaming and shouting and running around. Heathcliff also likes to slap the female characters around a bit and bullies his effeminate son, Little Linton into marriage, where he then sees Heathcliff as a role model to how you treat women.

Katy Owen is, for me the star of this production as Isabella, as well as Little LInton, after Isabella passes away. Brilliant comedy roles.

Talking of passing away, there's an awful lot of that happening and we are constantly reminded of the ones that have gone by their names chalked up on a chalk board, lest we forget!

The music on the production is performed by Sid Goldsmith, Nadine Lee, who is also the Musical Director, and Renell Shaw in various musical genres, but this is not a musical, more like a play with music added, quite a bit of music added. There was a grungy style song, with a few expletives, conducted in full on concert mode complete with mic drop, which really just confused me as the rest of the score form the band was lovely atmospheric folky type music.

Emma Rice has injected quite a bit of comedy which ranges from slapstick to one-liners like the one Isabella relates in her three facts about her, intended to entice Heathcliff in her wooing of him “Sometimes I like to slide down the banister because it tickles my tuppence". I don't seem to remember Emily Bronte penning that line in the novel!

The set and costume design is by Vicki Mortimer. The set often reminded me of a cross between a Tim Burton set mixed with The Comic Strip and League Of Gentleman. All very weird but fantastically fun. The costumes were equally wonderful and of the period.

The sound and video design is by Simon Baker. The Video Design was basically a large screen at the back with scenic scenes and either day or night depictions, oh and flocks of birds whenever someone died. It got to the stage that I didn't even notice what was happening as I was concentrating on trying to follow the characters and the story.

The Sound Design was maybe just a bit louder than it needed to be and had the tendency to slightly drown some of the song lyrics and, with Heathcliff having some kind of Jamaican,West Indian accent, some of his script was also lost, swamped by the volume of the music.

Lighting design is by Jai Morjaria and this really brought the thunderstorms and rain and windiness to life.

The movement and choreography is by Etta Murfitt. There are some lovely slow-motion sections as well as some interesting choreographed dance pieces.

This adaptation is a real marmite moment - a moment lasting almost three hours long - with some people loving the new, modern way of presenting the dark and brooding Bronte classic. Others will hate it. I licked the marmite toastie and can't quite make up my mind whether I like the taste or not, but I wouldn't really like to take a second lick just in case I found out that it wasn't really for me.

Now, where did I put that Kate Bush album?

"Wuthering Heights" will be at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 30 April.

 "The Sound Of Music" by Kristian Thomas Company.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

It's been too long since "The Sound Of Music" graced a local stage, so it was with great pleasure that I popped along to The Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton to see this classic musical once more.

The 1965 film was adapted from the 1959 stage musical and has since been a favourite of many film lovers as well as musical theatre patrons. This production follows the stage version as opposed to the film version, so you may spot a few songs in different places.

Maria is a free-spirited young Austrian woman studying to become a nun at Nonnberg Abbey in Salzburg in 1938. The Mother Abbess sends Maria to the villa of retired naval officer Captain Georg von Trapp to be governess to his seven children—Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl, who she managed to win over with her attentiveness and kindness, as opposed to Captain von Trapp's military upbringing. This causes friction between von Trapp and Maria and orders her back to the Abbey.

Music saves the day after he hears the children singing, which brings back memories for the Captain. After Maria returns to the villa, she learns about the Captain's engagement to the Baroness Elsa Schraeder and agrees to stay until they find a replacement governess. The Captain though has feelings for Maria which are now stronger than those for the Baroness, so calls of the engagement and marries Maria instead.

While they are on their honeymoon, family friend Max enters the children in the Salzburg Festival against their father's wishes. The couple return home, where a telegram informs the Captain that he must report to the German Naval base at Bremerhaven to accept a commission in the German Navy. Strongly opposed to the Nazis, the Captain tells his family they must leave Austria immediately. That night, the von Trapp family attempt to flee to Switzerland, and it is the Music Festival, that the Captain was set against taking part in, that enables their freedom.

Shannon O’Donnell plays Maria and what a perfect piece of casting. Shannon has a wonderful voice and brings out the maternal side of Maria's character brilliantly. I need to say nothing more than this was perfection.

Captain von Trapp is played by Dave Partridge, who I raved about in "Company" just a few weeks ago. Dave has one of those voices that just hits you in the right spot. Controlled and powerful. When he gets to the part in the play when he hears the children singing "Sound Of Music", and the memories come home, you can really see that reminiscence in his face. 

The Mother Abess is played by Adela Green. I am not going to go on and state what amazing voices every actor on stage has, even though this is a fact, but when Adela sang "Climb Ev'ry Mountain", I was half expecting the roof of the theatre to open and a shaft of life shine through from the heavens. Simply glorious! And I was not the only one to acknowledge this powerhouse of a performance as, listening to the audience reaction at the end of Act One, they were in full agreement.

Daniel Robb plays Max, the family friend who arranged the music festival and tried to convert the Captain to follow the predicted German route. Very confident actor who looked completely at ease in the role.

Natasha Cartwright plays the role of Elsa Schraeder, the Baroness. I've seen some actors come over as quite bossy as this character but Natasha presented a softer and more personable side of the Baroness, which made her character really likeable.

Marcus King played the role of Rolf in tonight's performance (Wednesday). Prior to this role I've seen Marcus in youth productions but he is more than capable of making the transition to the adult group, as he shows here.

There are two sets of children in this production, Team Blossom and Team Bloom, and on Wednesday night I watched Team Bloom. They consisted of Hannah Riley (Liesl), Harrison Ince (Friedrich), Grace Kolasa (Louisa), Kodie Foxon (Kurt), Daisy Hamilton (Brigitta), Isla Baskill-Conroy (Marta) and Daisy Peel (Gretl). So much talent, so young.

Sister Bertha/Frau Scmidt was played by Sandy Lane, Sister Margaretta was played by Amelie Turner and Sister Sophie was played by Celia Grantham.

Franz, the male servant at the von Trapp residence was played, with authority, by Stan Cook.

The ensemble consisted of Alison Bond, Hannah Riley, James Dean, Molly Elliott, Nadia Potter and Naomi King.

The set design was marvellous and made the Duchess stage appear so much larger with its' floor to ceiling set design by Proscenium LTD. The sets changed with ease from the nunnery to the lavish von Trapp residence to the graveyard where the family hid out before their escape. Some wonderful props in this show as well.

A wonderful wardrobe for this show with some very smart suits for the men and some incredibly glamorous gowns for the ladies. The wardrobe department was in the excellent hands of Kim Tuplin-Mace.

Lighting Design was by Stephen Greatorex and operated by Sophie Smith, and like the rest of the show, was perfect.

Sound Design by Harry Greatorex and operated by Pete Gough, and although there were just a couple of mic minor issues, this also was practically perfect. Nothing to moan about here.

Musical Director was Tom Bond, and you just knew that this was going to be a class production because the men wore tuxedos and the ladies were in their poshest black frocks. The smartest orchestra I have seen for a long while. The sound from this group of musicians was note perfect, as expected from the calibre of musicians on show.

Alysha Gomes does an incredible job as Director by keeping the pace up throughout.

Kristian Cunningham waved his magic wand over the choreography. As with Tom Bond with the music, whenever you see Kristian's name credited for the choreography, you can expect this area of the musical to be of the highest quality; and I was not disappointed, I never am. Kristian was assisted by Samuel Holden - who you can catch performing in "The Cher Show" on the UK Tour.

There are so many well-known pieces from this musical, "Maria", "Sixteen Going On Seventeen", "My Favourite Things", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain", The Lonely Goatherd", "Do Re Mi", "Edelwiss", "So Long Farewell" as well as the title track.

This production is as close as you'll get to a professional touring production as you will ever get. It's pure enjoyment from start to end, and the litmus test for this is that when it comes to the end of Act One, you've been watching the show for a full ninety minutes and it did not seem to be a fraction of that time. 

I've never seen a bad production from the Kristian Thomas Company. They really do seem to have that Midas touch when it comes to sourcing talent and putting on amazing pieces of theatre, and we are the beneficiary of that talent. 

"The Sound Of Music" is at the Duchess Theatre until Saturday 30 April.