"Curtains" by West Bridgford Operatic Society.

Squire Performing Arts Centre, Nottingham.

It’s the brassy, bright, and promising year of 1959. Boston’s Colonial Theatre is host to the opening night performance of a new musical, "Robbin Hood". When the leading lady, Jessica Cranshaw, mysteriously dies on stage the entire cast and crew are suspects. Enter a local detective, who just happens to be a musical theatre fan!

But Lieutenant Cioffi doesn’t just investigate the murder, he also offers advice and insight into improving "Robbin’ Hood". The musical will open again in 24 hours with a new leading lady, so the clock is ticking to find the killer and put on a killer show. Who could it be? Carmen Bernstein, the sassy and brassy producer? Christopher Belling, the campy and egotistical director? Georgia Hendricks, the lyricist who replaces Jessica onstage? Niki Harris, the ingenue with a secret? Everyone is a suspect, and only Cioffi can make sense of the evidence and solve the murder.

Christopher Collins plays Lieutenant Frank Cioffi and he really gets into character with that Boston accent. Since hearing Chris sing in "Chess" a few years ago, I had said that he should take on more singing roles because he really does have a very good voice. This part is perfect in highlighting so many positive points in Chris' on stage performances. A very good voice and playing comedy. He also captures that 1950's film noir/Dragnet style voice delivery. And his dancing skills aren't criminal either!

Steph Jones gets to play the gorgeous Nikki Harris. Many of the clues may point to Nikki, and she becomes great friends with Cioffi. Is there a reason for her to keep close to the cop, and what could her secret be? Or are these very red herrings?

Alice Hands plays Georgia Hendricks, and there is a possibility that swapping from being the lyricist for "Robbin Hood" to taking centre stage, replacing the deceased leading lady, may be reason enough for murder. Only one way to find out!

Georgia's song writing partner, Aaron Fox, is played by Alasdair Maughan. Fox is not a fan of how the leading lady, Jessica Cranshaw, "sings" the songs that Hendricks and Fox compose, now I know that musicians can be a bit touchy, but is Fox touchy enough to kill her off?

Carmen Bernstein is funding the musical within a musical, so she definitely doesn't want to see the show close due to a murder, does she? Carmen is played wonderfully by Julie Fowler. There are some brilliant scenes that include Julie, not least the reprise of "Show People" performed by Carmen and Cioffi.

Carmen's husband, Sidney Bernstein is played to perfection by Tim Biller. A wonderfully tongue in cheek performance and a wig that made Tim look not unlike a certain U.S. President. 

Sarah Shields plays Bambi Bernet, step daughter to Sidney, and I loved the answer she gives to her mother when asked why she chose the name Bambi as her stage name. Looking like Marilyn Monroe in blond bubble wig, Sarah is as bubbly as her wig, and proves that she is a tough act to follow!

Gareth Morris gets to play the British Director in the musical, Christopher Belling. Another dream role I imagine as he gets to send up every director who believes that they are the ultimate star of any production they lay their hands on. Although most directors I know are very down to earth and wouldn't possibly act the diva director like Belling. Gareth has a whole lot of brilliant one liners in this show, possibly more than any other character in this musical.

Chris Heeley plays Bobby Pepper, who is one of the main dancers in "Robbin Hood". I've seen Chris many times on  stage and he is such a fun actor who looks to enjoy the roles that he plays. This is another one of them, even though there are sections where he gets knocked about a bit during some of the choreography.

Helen Heeley plays the stage manager, Jenny Harmon. A lovely bustling type role which keeps popping up to let you know, first what stage managers do, and secondly that she's still milling around, and of course, as a stage manager has access to every part of the stage; a boon for any character who wanted to get access to any other character, at any angle, if you know what I mean! 

Malcolm Cocking plays Oscar Shapiro, the financier in the show. Would closing the show save him money, or would keeping the show open, with another leading lady boost the takings? Like the other characters, there were no hard feelings when Jessica was murdered, but would that be a risk too far for Oscar? 

I've mentioned Jessica Cranshaw a few times now, so it's time to reveal who plays Jessica, the diva who all the "Robbin Hood" cast were glad to see the back of. gets to take an early bath with this role, but what a way to go out, with full drama. It must have been hard for Diana Ives to be cast as a character who can't sing, can't dance, can't act and is despised by everyone, especially when you are a talented singer, dancer and actor who is loved by everyone.

Gavin Owen plays Daryl Grady, The Boston Globe theatre critic, who takes the term critic literally, although he can be nice in print, especially to one particular actor in the show. After a scathing review of the musical, he does in fact agree to give a second review, with Jessica's replacement taking centre stage.

A big cast and ensemble who flooded the stage with talent, and made those ensemble song and dance numbers come alive.

Will Radford (Randy Dexter), Carl Rushworth (Harv Fremont), Richard Ives (Detective O Farrell), Lianne Lindsay (Roberta Wooster), Bill Cooper (William Henry), Clive Marner (Jonty Solomon), Sam Parfitt (Mona Page), Jill Hemington (Gladys Wagner), Martin Thomas (Blake Jansen), Lee Horne (Lilian White), Sam Thorne (Libby Hart), Ali Biller (Cordelia Ajax), David Gyles (Jed Miller), Lynn Baldwick (Gwen Jefferson), Harriet Jones (Betty Smith), Penny Gale (Margaret O'Rourke), Anne McCarroll (Josie Smith), Jacky Tivers (Scarlett Jameson), Adrian Baldwick (Darrin Stephens), Wendy Silver (Nancy Goldberg), Judy Atkin (Frances Hoff), Becky Birch (Patricia Grant), Richard Ives (John Campbell), Lianne Lindsay (Roberta Wooster) and Chris Hollins (Rusty Gunn).

Where would we be without an ensemble?

It'll come as no secret that the costumes for this show are out of this world. There's so much glitter and glamour, I now need to look for a new wardrobe after seeing these costumes.

Linda Croston is the Director for this musical within a musical mirthful masterpiece. It was like watching one of those old Hollywood big budget films you used to watch on Sunday afternoons with all of their over the top actors and dance numbers. All I needed was a duvet and a hot chocolate with marshmallows. A very classy, well paced piece of theatre which, not only drew forth laughs, but big old belly laughs, such is the quality of the script and the talents of this brilliant cast.

Justine Lee choreographed the show, and makes her West Bridgford Operatic Society debut in this role . This is a big show that has big choreographed pieces, every piece is an example of sheer entertainment from the audience point of view, but also hard work from the choreographer and cast point of view. It's on a par with some of the biggest classic musicals that have been made, and really should be performed more often than it is, just to see the choreography. Highlights have to be "Show People", the final reprise of "In The Same Boat", "He Did It/She Did It", "Wide Open Spaces", "It's A Business" and "Kansasland". Every piece is pure entertainment.

Musical Director is Adam Wright who led this ten piece band with real style. the sound filled the theatre from floor to ceiling, and his work with the vocalists, and especially on the big ensemble numbers and the final reprisal of "In The Same Boat" really takes you back to those wonderful classic musicals.

The soundtrack to this musical is written by Kander and Ebb, and anyone who has heard of them will know what a brilliant pair of songwriters and wordsmiths they are. I love "Show People" as it's big, bold and brassy, I loved the arrangements of "In the Same Boat" with the final three way vocals involved and the busy choreography for that piece, "I Miss The Music" is sublime, "It's A Business" is pure Broadway, delivered with great oomph by Julie Fowler, the marvellous song and dance number "Kansasland" and a song that epitomises this show "Tough Act To Follow" - it says it all.

The sound design is by Rob Kettridge, which was as good as you'd get in any professional theatre.

The lighting design was thanks to Squire Performing Arts Centre. As it's in house, the operatives know exactly what they are doing to bring the best out of a set and show, and that is once more proven.

The set design seemed familiar, and so it should because it's on hire from Kristian Thomas Company Studios, which is where I initially saw this marvellous musical mystery first.

The projections that enhanced the set design were by Gareth Morris.

Another area which has to be timed to perfection is the stage management, and when I saw in the programme that Matthew Allcock and Nigel Newton were in charge of this area, I knew that it would be smooth sailing all the way through.

Oh, and if you were wondering if I guessed the murderer correctly, I did. I am so chuffed with myself because I am normally useless at this sort of thing, maybe it was due to me immersing myself in the storyline that released those creative Cioffi juices, or it could be that I have seen this musical a couple of years ago and the big reveal is so memorable. No spoilers here though, go along and see if you guess correctly.

Thinking of missing the music, the songs and the dance? Don't because these show people prove that they are a tough act to follow.

"Curtains" will be closing at the Squire Performing Arts Centre after the final show on Saturday 22 February. If Wednesday night was anything to go by, I'd get on that right away - or should that be Thataway? - because it certainly looked to me as if it was a full auditorium.

Photography by Bara Erhayiem.