"Frankenstein" by Ravenshead Theatre Group

Ravenshead Village Hall

This gothic classic by Mary Shelley and dramatised by Tim Kelly is very different to the production of the same name presented at The Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton just a couple of weeks ago. Different, but just as good.

Victor Frankenstein returns to his Swiss chateau to escape a terrible pursuer. No one can shake free the dark secret that terrifies him: not his mother, nor his fiancée, Elizabeth, nor his best friend Henry. Even the pleading of a gypsy girl accused of murdering Victor's younger brother falls on deaf ears, for Victor has brought into being a creature made from bits and pieces of the dead. The creature tracks Victor to his sanctuary to demand, first that Frankenstein destroys the creature, but then a bride to share its loneliness. Against his better judgement, Victor agrees and soon the household is invaded by murder, despair and terror!

Rob Hurst is Victor Frankenstein, and Rob does troubled and guilty very well. there are sections where Victor really raises his voice and becomes angered, and these parts really make you sit up and take notice of the Creature's creator. There is great passion in this performance and you feel Frankenstein's alarm, guilt and anger.

Daniel Andrews plays The Creature, and like Rob, I've seen Daniel in a very different light due to this very serious and menacing role. From the second that the Creature bursts on to the stage, he makes you take a sharp intake of breath; and that is because of the visual side of the character. The make up is hideously good with stitch marks all over the Creatures face and body. The shaved head highlights the stitched together like a rag doll look and the right eye is pure Hammer Horror.

I've seen Daniel in several roles over the years but this takes his acting ability to another level. It's powerful and passionate, and when he stares into the audience, intimidating and alarming. On an evening such as tonight, I would not like to meet Daniel with full make up on!

Julie Cox takes the part of Frau Frankenstein, and it's lovely to see Julie, as with the other cast members portray a serious role. Much of Julie's roles that I have seen have been of a comic nature, and this shows that she can do serious, as well as comedy.

Adam Nayar as Ernst Hessler, the policeman who always seems to deliver the bad news. Hessler is straight to the point and delivers with solemnity and authority. Adam I can remember seeing quite a while ago and have noticed that his acting has really grown with the plays that he has appeared in. This is the best character acting I've seen from Adam.

Sarah Tyner plays Elizabeth, Frankenstein's fiancée, who we see becomes his bride. The story is told almost in reverse as we first see the couple on their wedding night, where Frankenstein reveals that he knows that he will be killed on the wedding night. The story then unfolds the reason why he has told Elizabeth this.

John Birch plays Henry Clerval, Victor's best friend and a fellow scientist. It takes a bit of convincing by Victor regarding the story but he eventually brings Henry around to helping him with the original, and the new deal requested by the Creature. A loyal friend whose character is brought out with wonderful chemistry between the two friends by John.

Adam Hague as Mr Wilkes and Dennis Baggarley is Mr Dodd, both grave robbers. This is where it all starts as the lights dim and both enter from the back of the audience in half light, complete with an almost successful night's work. A nice bit of dark comedy from these two, lightening the mood.

Ann-Marie Butler plays Sophie, the housekeeper and completing the cast, Helen Berry plays Justine, the gypsy girl who has something that struck terror into the heart of Victor Frankenstein.

Directed by Terry Cox, he has chosen the perfect cast for this show, keeping tension and shock to the fore, and a great choice for the musical score. Only one little thing. People who know me and my reviews know that I love attention to detail, and there just one scene that niggled me. When Frankenstein was in his laboratory and we see "through the wall" Victor sawing away at, what we assume to be a body or body part, there was just sawing thin air. I'd have loved to have seen more gore in this scene, maybe sawing a bone or piece of meat. I know I'm just macabre!

One thing that I did love was the penultimate entrance of the Creature; the drapes twitched while Elizabeth was alone in the room and I was on the edge of my seat expecting the re-appearance of the Creature, but no! His eventual appearance in that scene made me jump as I was so concentrated on the drapes that...... well, I'm not going to give anything away

The set has been designed by Terry, and what a wonderful set it was, and I know just how long it took to create it as well. this is one set that was not just thrown together in a few hours!

Sound design was also by Terry Cox and if his aim was to evoke creeping terror and unease, well he succeeded. there was one section where the music/effects literally vibrated in the speakers, making your chest throb with the intensity of the vibrations.

The lighting design is by Iain Walton, and I loved the rapid switching of the light, highlighting the actor on stage at that time, and the effect of the long shadows added to the suspense.

Having seen "Frankenstein" performed twice in the last few weeks, both are very different, both giving different perspectives and both visually very impressive. Both shows also highlight the talents of the make-up artist and just how important their role is in theatre.

"Frankenstein" is at Ravenshead Village Hall until Saturday 1 October.

 "The Ghost Train" by Arnold Ridley

Burton Joyce Players at Burton Joyce Village Hall.

Arnold Ridley's classic 1923 comedy thriller pulls into the station at Burton Joyce's Village Hall for just three days.

It's 1925 and a group of passengers are stranded at an old railway station in the Cornish countryside, miles away from anywhere, when they are told by the station master that he is closing the station for the night and that they need to vacate.

As they are miles away from the nearest available accommodation, they stand their ground and refuse to leave, giving the station master no option but to close the station with the passengers still in the waiting room.

Before he leaves, he tells them of a spectral steam train that often haunts the line, after a fatal crash years before, and that anyone at the station when the ghoulish train steams through will perish if they lay eyes on the train. Seconds after he leaves, he is discovered dead, with the lantern still burning bright in his hands.

All the passengers are strangers and we see how they interact with each other with the threat of the ghostly train possibly looming.

Suddenly there is a sound of an approaching train and the suspense is ramped up. But is there really such a thing as a ghost train and if not, what is going on at this small, remote railway station? And one of the passengers is not quite who they proclaim to be!

Having seen the play several times, it's one that I never get tired of seeing, and there are parts that still made me jump!

Saul Hodgkin, the station master, was played wonderfully by Roger Newman, complete with authentic Cornish accent. When he was relating the story of the ghost train, you could've heard a pin drop in the hall; we hung on to his every word!. And even when he had to be prompted for a line, he worked the glitch into the character in a professional and comedic way. What a pro!

Richard and Elsie Winthrop, played by Greg Nicholas and Avril McCormick, are a couple who love to disagree and are on the verge of separation, but due to the actions of these two throughout the play, they decide that a second honeymoon is due. Lovely chemistry with Greg and Avril giving their characters an "opposites attract" feel about them.

Newlyweds, Charlie and Peggy Murdock, played by Ben Bradley and Sophie Dobb, also are filled with chemistry and character; their eagerness to make it to their honeymoon suite thwarted by the terrible weather and the thought of having to trek five miles to the nearest place. Charlie gets to display his displeasure vocally, and Ben looked to have taken great pleasure at these outbursts, making some members of the audience jump. Peggy is quite mouse-like, again showing the two married couples at opposites of their spouses. Let's not forget though that this is set in 1925 when a woman is supposed to know her place, although there is a rebellious side to Elsie Winthrop.

Miss Bourne, is the elderly lady, who is also quite feisty. Played by the lovely Kathy Matthews she can give both barrels when rubbed up the wrong way, especially when the person doing the rubbing up is Teddie Deakin, the whole reason for the passengers missing their connecting train and stranding them at the station's waiting room.

Teddie Deakin not only rubs Miss Bourne up the wrong way but everyone else and continues this behaviour throughout the play with his tales of ghoulish tales and his wonderfully infective upper class laugh and way of talking. He had pulled the train's communication cord as he had stuck his head out of the window to watch the sparks fly from the wheels when his new hat was blown off and pulled the cord to retrieve the hat, but failed. Played marvellously by Danny Longbottom.

Later in the play we also meet Juliet Price who is trying to escape Herbert Price and Jane Sterling. Juliet is wonderfully off her rocker and is infatuated by the ghost train, Herbert and Jane, who says that she is a doctor, explains this away to the stranded passengers, after they tried to hide her from the pair. Juliet is played brilliantly la la by Kate Purdue and Herbert by Alistair Dobb - you can always spot a bad un can't you? Dr Sterling is played quite menacingly by Deborah Craddock.

The final character, who we get to meet right at the end is Jackson, the policeman who gets to cart some of the above away. Why? Well not everyone is who they say they are and the mystery of the ghost train is revealed. Jackson is played by David Matthews.

Directed by Patrick McDonough, this is a pacy production which really ramps up the suspense as the play steams along. Plenty of light and shade with the cast and the script and it's those parts where the quieter moments are that we get the best jump scares.

Sound by Colin Woolley and the lighting by Steve Pickerill really combine to bring the fear element to the play. Great job done by both.

The set was what you first notice and I commented in this to Production Manager, Christopher Mercer, just how good it was. The station waiting room looked as if it just been lifted from an old Cornish station form decades ago, complete with mould on the walls and dated fixtures and fittings. The props for the show having been provided by Bob and Chris Mercer.

Loved the costumes which also straight away placed you in the era that the play was set. I especially loved the "flapper girl" style outfit for the nutty Juliet. All the costumes were classy and extremely smart for both male and female characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this production as it had suspense, great character acting, comedy and sped along like an express train, even though it had three acts and two intervals. The hall was practically full on this opening night and I really hope that it continues to be this way because this train story is a runaway success.

"The Ghost Train" is being performed at Burton Joyce Village Hall until Saturday 1 October.

 "The Mousetrap" by Agatha Christie

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

Agatha Christie's classic murder mystery "The Mousetrap", the world's longest running stage play, returns to Nottingham starring three very well-known faces from the small screen. Todd Carty, John Altman and Gwyneth Strong; all three "Eastenders" favourites and Gwyneth probably more recognisable as Cassandra from "Only Fools And Horses" fame. This 70th Anniversary production opens its' tour at Nottingham, where it was first premiered at the Theatre Royal back in 1952, and will tour all over the UK until the end of November 2023, visiting 70 venues.

News spreads of a murder in London, and a group of seven strangers find themselves snowed in at Monkswell Manor, a remote countryside guesthouse. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover that a killer is in their midst! One by one, the characters reveal their sordid pasts. Which one is the murderer? Who will be their next victim? Will you be able to guess?

I have seen this play several times but it wasn't until half way through the second act that I remembered who did actually do it!

Joelle Dyson as Mollie Ralston, part owner of Monkswell Manor, along with her husband, Giles. They have recently married and are celebrating their first anniversary, but what a way to celebrate!

Laurence Pears as Giles Ralston. Giles is very protective of his wife and shows more than a hint of jealousy when any one of the guests show any interest in Mollie; well, they have only been married a year, but just how much do they know about each other, and their pasts?

Elliot Clay as Christopher Wren, the first guest to arrive. Wonderfully child-like and camp with a love of nursery rhymes, like "Three Blind Mice". His eyes dart suspiciously around when there is mention of a suspected murderer on the premises. Is that suspicion or guilt though? I must admit that Wren is my favourite character out of all of them and Clay is superb in this role.

Gwyneth Strong as Mrs Boyle. Incredibly bossy and fastidious, she soon makes enemies of the guests as well as the hosts. Could her authoritarian attitude rub the wrong person up the wrong way, or is she there for another reason?

Todd Carty as Major Metcalf and I'll admit that for me, personally, Todd's character acting pleasantly surprised me. I've seen Todd in a couple of different stage roles but the physical and vocal application to the aged Major really made the role instantly believable. Metcalf is pretty nifty, when he wants to be, so is that just his army training or could it be killer instinct?

Essie Barrow as Miss Casewell, who along with Elliott, have both previously appeared in the West End production of "The Mousetrap". One of those strange characters who you just feel is out of place, and makes you wonder why this character is in the play. Could Miss Casewell be a red herring in this fishy tale? And that nervy misdemeanour, is it hiding something else?

John Altman takes on the role of Mr Paravicini. His car has managed to get stuck in snow drift and he is going nowhere. Well, that is the story that he tells as he turns up at the Manor Guest House unexpected, in the middle of a blizzard. Bad luck or well timed? And why is he wearing so much make up? Is he trying to discuise who he really is? And that poor Italian accent is fooling no-one!

Joseph Reed as Detective Sgt Trotter, who arrives to protect and solve the mystery of the Three Blind Mice mystery. His arrival is pretty unorthodox as he arrives on skis. Well, as a car could not get through, this was his only transportation method, but when he discovers, just after his arrival that the phone lines have been cut, he can't report his findings or call for back up, and finds himself as vulnerable as the others!

Directed by Ian Talbot, and anyone who knows me or regularly reads my reviews will know that I love attention to detail, and this production is full of detail. From the snow constantly falling past the windows, the snow shown on the arriving guests, really making us think that they have just come in from out of a snow storm, to the window blowing frantically in the storm and the tinkling piano in the drawing room, situated off stage. Incredibly pacy, and even though the play started five minutes late, it ended dead - no pun intended - on time. It's still as fresh as ever, and still as wonderfully dated

Great costumes, amazingly accurate props, brilliant character acting from the whole cast, showing that all of these actors are at the top of their game. A real treat for all theatre fans, even if you have seen the show before.

"The Mousetrap" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 1 October.

 "Frankenstein" by Encore Performing Arts.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

"Frankenstein" is a stage adaptation by Nick Dear of Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. It is the story from Frankenstein, the monster's point of view as opposed to Dr Frankenstein's recall. The same version as presented by The National Theatre with Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch. I have been advised that it is a "creature" and not a "monster", but as the cast term the creature as a monster, I'll go with that.

Created by Victor Frankenstein, the monster is rejected by his creator, but the monster is actually a saviour to a young prostitute, Gretal, when she is attacked. Gretal is terrified of him which saddens and confuses the monster. It seems that the monster's only friend is a blind man, DeLacey, who Frankenstein helps, along with his family, although they are unaware of the help being from the Monster. Over the course of a year, DeLacey teaches him to speak, read and write. The Monster reads Victor's journal and learns about his creator. De Lacey also teaches the Monster about love, and the Creature dreams of having a female partner.

One day, Felix and Agatha, DeLacey's family, come home and find the Monster; much as he had feared, they are repulsed by him and drive him out. Enraged, the Creature sets fire to the cottage, killing the entire family. He swears revenge on Victor for bringing him into a world that hates him.

While being a brilliant work of science fiction, it's also a story of love and the quest for love and to be loved. A topic so alive today for people who, on the outside, look different to what we deem to be "the norm".

Kheenan Jones plays The Monster, who we first see being created and taking on the characteristics of a new born; unable to stand straight away, rolling on to their back and being unable to speak. Soon grunts and vocal noises make way for words as the Monster is taught how to form words and read, and becomes an incredibly intelligent beast. Kheenan brings that physicality to the monster also showing the growth of intelligence and the emotional side of Frankenstein's creation. He makes you feel sorry for the way people, who fear and do not understand the Monster treat him.

For me, this could possibly be Kheenan at his best as it has pushed him outside the roles that he normally plays, and that can be such a good thing for an actor, and in this case has raised the bar on his personal successes within acting. His accent for the Monster is constant throughout and there is so much pain and passion injected into this role, you just want to give the Monster a big hug. A wonderful performance from an actor that I have raved about for many years now and goes from strength to strength.

Jack Readyhoof plays Dr Frankenstein and Jack I really feel is perfectly cast because when he wants to look sinister, it's like an invisible veil comes over his face and he is instantly sinister. Jack looks the part, and I am sure that helps get him into character, which he does so well in this role. By the end of the play, you really question as to who is the real monster of the two really is, Frankenstein or his creation, and as with Kheenan, I did not see these two actors on stage, I saw the characters they played, making me look past the two fine actors I know and creating an investing from me in the roles in the story.

Megan Hill is playing the female creature, which has been created to order for the pleasure of the Monster, and I just hope that Megan does not forget to take her stage make up off before she goes home, especially on the wet, windy and misty night it turned out to be when I left the theatre. Megan, as the female creature is quite disturbing to look at, whereas Megan without the stage make up is nowhere near as frightening!

Harvey Latter, fresh from his role as Buck Barrow in "Bonnie & Clyde" plays several parts, Gustav - a beggar, Felix De Lacey's son Felix and a Constable. After a practically non-stop year on stage, he was probably relieved to take on a few lesser parts, but always good to see Harvey grace the stage.

Danielle Hall plays Elizabeth Lavenza, fiancée to Victor, and it's lovely to see Danielle back on stage in this emotional role, which I know is one that she is absolutely loving performing.

Mariko Jones moves away from the usual musicals that I have seen her in and takes on a serious part in a serious play, Clarice, Elizabeth's maid. What I would have liked to have seen Mariko do is to project her voice just a bit more, because when she did, you could hear every word she said. This could be because of her parts in musicals are singing, mainly, and having to bring forth a non-singing character role for the first time is something very different, but she showed no nerves for this debut part in a play, and why should she, Mariko knows exactly what she is doing on a stage, and that is entertaining us.

Gary Lever, who actually reminds me of the character Stephen, Audrey's son in Coronation Street facially, gets to play Victor's father, and shows us many emotions as he follows what his son is doing, as well as the loss of his younger son, William, at the hands of Frankenstein's creation.

William Frankenstein is played by Jake Service, who is not only very believable in the role as a living person, also plays a very convincing dead body; he did not move an inch, no eye twitching or anything. Playing "dead" is not as easy as it sounds as you have to really let yourself relax into the role to give that particular look of being lifeless. I excelled at school in playing "dead" roles in drama and if ever a corpse was needed, I was always given that part at school. Nobody played "dead" like me.

Robert McAuley gets two parts in "Frankenstein", Klaus - a beggar and Rab who is Ewan's nephew. Rab is a Scot who, along with Ewan help Victor in his quest for corpses to create the female creature. Playing Ewan, as well as De Lacey is Terry Stevenson.

Lucy Gazzard played the part of Gretal as well as Agatha, de Lacey's Daughter In Law.

The make up for this show is so, so good. Encore have employed the talents of Amy Biddulph who is a professional make up and special effects artist. The pictures show how realistic the make up for all the actors is and gives an immense sense of realism, as well as professionalism to the production.

The set is designed by Terry and Susan Stevenson, and from the very first scene where we see the "birth" of the Creature/Monster inside a "cell" trying to break out, to the Mont Blanc metal construction and the Frankenstein home and the lowly De Lacey habitat, there is an air of simplicity about what you see.

The sound and lighting in this play really create that feeling of unease and terror. I know that Adam Guest has spent many hours sourcing music for this show as well as including original music, thanks to Susan Stevenson, and together the music, plus the sound effects really do put you on edge; and the music continues all the way through the interval which means you can't escape that uneasy feeling.

Lighting Design is by David Price and the Sound Design is by Adam Guest and operated by Matt McAuley, and I must commend Matt because every sound cue was adhered to, especially the effect applied to the scene with Elizabeth and the Creature/Monster. I won't give that one away if you don't know the story line.

Directed by Adam Guest and Co Directed by Andrew Bould. What I loved, and thought was a very brave but effective move, was that in the first five minutes or so of the play, there were no speaking bits with everything being imagined by the music and Kheenan's evocative acting skills. From the opening to the close of the story not a foot was put wrong and the timings were impeccable, showing me that a great deal of hard work has been poured into this production.

How I wish though that there were more people in the audience to appreciate this gothic masterpiece on stage because plays like this, and of this standard do not come around every week and you should take advantage of the local talent we have on our doorsteps.

"Frankenstein" is at the Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton until Saturday 24 September.

Photos courtesy of Chris Clarke.