"Return To The Forbidden Planet" by The Ilkeston Studio Players.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

While I've seen this musical on several occasions, this is the first time that I've attended anything, as far as I can remember, by The Studio Players.

This wild and wacky musical, based on Shakespeare's "The Tempest" - with several quotes from other works of The Bard within the storyline - and often billed as "Shakespeare's Forgotten Rock 'n' Roll Masterpiece", and the film "The Forbidden Planet" from 1956, is the perfect way to head into the weekend.

I took my seat, fastened my seatbelt, returned my tray table to the upright position and prepared to blast off!

In this Olivier-award-winning musical, the many works of Shakespeare are aligned with a fabulous rock ‘n’ roll score to create a fun-filled, jiving-in-the-aisles piece of musical theatre. Return to the Forbidden Planet finds a spaceship, helmed by Captain Tempest, making an emergency landing on the uncharted planet D’Illyria. The only residents there are the mad scientist Doctor Prospero, his daughter Miranda, and their robot Ariel. They were banished into hyperspace when Miranda was just a baby, and she has known no other world than this.

All three come aboard the Spaceship Albatross, and straight away Cookie falls in love with Miranda, but Miranda only has eyes for Captain Tempest. Will the Captain fall for this young girl or tell her to get out of his mind?

In the meantime, the Science Officer has escaped from the ship, but re-joins the spaceship and we find out that the Science Officer is actually Prospero's nasty wife, Gloria, and mother to Miranda. She is arrested but, because Cookie is smitten with her daughter, she tells him how to win her heart in return for her freedom!

Then the ship is attacked by a many tentacled monster, which means that if they are to survive and get outta this place, they all have to work together. Love the Shakespearian reference when one, no two beeps, are heard, bringing forth "two beeps or not two beeps" only to be followed by "that is the question". Great fun listening out for the other Shakespearian quotes throughout the show.

Featuring rock ‘n’ roll hits of the 50s and 60s, “Great Balls of Fire”, “The Monster Mash”, “Good Vibrations”, "Born To Be Wild", "Robot Man", "Who's Sorry Now", "Shake Rattle & Roll", "Go Now", "A Teenager In Love", "Shaking All Over", "Only The Lonely" and many others, a B-movie atmosphere, and dialogue in iambic pentameter. Throw in unrequited love and a scary space monster, and you’ve got one groovy show, baby!

Captain Tempest is played by Liam Harkin. Liam has a strong and powerful voice, but I felt that some of his songs were not in the best key for him. Songs like "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World" really showed off his soul voice, whereas "The Young Ones" didn't quite suit him. Then he delivered a brilliantly powerful version of "Born To Be Wild".

I loved the coating of smarm that Liam smothered over Captain Tempest and his eyebrows seemed to have their own role. When they make a sequel to that new McDonalds TV advert, the producers need look no further than Liam as I seemed to focus on his eyebrows after a while. Brilliantly fun interpretation of Tempest, and I love that jacket!

Bosun Arras is played by Thomas Hopkins. One of the all-round good guys who has The Captain's back. Thomas brings out the comedy in the character; a character that I had always seen to be rather serious and is comic without knowing, and it's that part of Bosun's character that Thomas has found perfectly and clicked on to.

Cookie is played by Oliver Watts. Oliver has one of those voices that you latch on to. It's clear and powerful and delivered with confidence. What I also like about Oliver's acting is that he can deliver comedy as well as Shakespeare - I'm not sure what experience he has had performing Shakespeare, but he seems to have a feel for it.

Oliver is one of those triple threats you hear about quite often. He can act well, he sings with ease and he looks to have a natural rhythm. His line dancing throughout "Mr Spaceman" was faultless and smooth. This is his first major role with The Studio Players, but it's obvious he has leading man qualities.

Navigation Officer is played by Joanne Raven, and like Liam, this is not her first time playing a role in "Forbidden Planet". Within the story this role is an important one, and that importance is delivered with style by Joanne.

Science Officer/Gloria is played by Sophie Tilley. Now what I did not expect, was the singing voice that came from Sophie's mouth and lungs and whatever part of her body she emits this joyous sound. Imagine listening to Helen Shapiro for the first time, well that was my reaction. Such a lovely deep, syrupy voice. And then she transformed into this soulful, bluesy singer with the Moody Blues song "Go Now", turning a 1960's pop classic into a massive torch song.

Dr Prospero is played by Will Jessop, making his debut with The Studio Players. We first see this character on the big screen at the back of the stage orating "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", which we also got to hear him belt out later in the musical. Looking like a cross between Obi Wan Kenobe and Gandalf, thanks to the wonderful costume, I could see Will on a shortlist for the next Dr Who, especially with parts of his script.

Miranda is played by Victoria Langford. I think I have noticed an error in the programme information as it says that Victoria first joined the Studio Players 23 years ago - surely that would have made her a toddler at the time? The character of Miranda is so young and Victoria pulled off that look perfectly as she threw herself into Prospero's young daughter. No wonder Cookie fell for her, they looked the same age. Another fun actor and I loved the saucy transformation in the second act.

Ariel, the robot, is played by Karen Moore. The whole costume was like looking at a polished up R2D2; it was simply shimmering. I would have liked to have seen a more robotic stance and movements throughout, but that's me being picky. A more smiley automaton I have ne'er seen. Great fun to watch.

Bookending both acts, and the interval we are treated to updates from Simon the Newscaster. Well, the Newscaster's name may not be Simon, but Simon who plays the Newscaster is called Simon. Or maybe the Newscaster's name is Simon after all.

Charlotte McCrory is Ensign Wilma Windstop - what a great name for a character - in this, her first full show with The Studio Players. The other crew members - The Ensign Ensemble - also have great character names, are played by Megan O'sullivan (Sue Panova), Sharon Goff (Polly Filler), Courtney Bowles (Kaye Nyne), Kirsty Gregory (Dinah Myte), Julia Tilley (Asta Royd), Jo Garlinge (Ellie Ment), Marilyn Lucia Keates (Dee Turgent), Chris Dunford (Ray Gunn), Poppy Timms (Andee Septik) and Ellie Hobson (Tanya Hyde).

The fabulous Production Team behind this show are Mandy Weatherall, Sophie Tilley, Julia Tilley and Louise Risby. the programme doesn't state who is the Director, Choreographer etc but I'm guessing that Louise may be the MD as the picture shows her at a piano; I may be wrong!

Lovely, pacy show enfused with fun all the way through. You just can't beat a rock 'n' roll science fiction Shakespearian fest topped off with smarmesan cheese and a soundtrack that you know every song in it. Cookie could not have mixed up a more perfect recipe for fun that had the majority of this, from where I was standing, full house up on their feet. The audience freely got involved in the audience participation section as well!!

The Set Design was relatively simple but very effective. Just look at the set for Star Trek - there's also a reference to that show to watch out for - with its' clean uncluttered layout, and that is what you get in this production. Loved the glowing green tabletty type things the Ensigns held, making the whole look of the props out of this worldly (Sorry for the Stanley Unwin style writing - Google him)

Costumes for this musical were also wonderful, as was the make up and hair etc. I want to know where I can buy a jacket like Captain Tempest wore. I love the understated game show host look.

The sound at times seemed to come and go with the singing, but the buzzing and slight distortion all seemed quite normal to me taking into account this was science fiction, until it was pointed out to me in the interval that it wasn't. Hey ho I enjoyed the extra sound effects at any case.

I know it's not the easiest technical area to perfect, so to whoever was responsible for the sound design, you reined in the beast that is the sound desk admirably. The sound effects were brilliant by the way.

Lighting Design was amazingly good, but again I couldn't find a mention to credit this area to. Whoever you are, massive well done!

The five piece band, this time not hidden away in the cupboard, consisted of Louise Risby and Ben Ward on keyboards (there, I knew Louise was the MD), Andrew Attenborough (bass) - there was a section that sounded like it had just been lifted from Jeff Wayne's "War Of The Worlds", reminiscent of the "Heat Ray" with its' creeping bass, but couldn't be sure, which added a lovely sense of menace to the show, Tim Yearsley (guitar) and Dave Shipley (percussion). What a wonderful sixties feel they produced for this hit packed soundtrack, replicating the platters that matter live.

As I said at the start, I've seen this musical several times and every time have enjoyed it every time. This time is no difference; it's great fun to take in a musical which seems not to take itself serious, but I know what hard work a musical like this takes to look as if it isn't taking itself serious.

"Return To The Forbidden Planet" is at the Duchess Theatre in Long Eaton until Saturday 9 September. Don't miss out on the fun.