"The Tempest" by William Shakespeare

Nottingham New Theatre.

On the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death, Nottingham New Theatre performed "The Tempest". I had expected that the NNT may have updated the play but I was pleasantly surprised to find that there hadn't been much updating at all and they stayed relatively loyal to the Bard's script.

Director Chris Trueman and producer Emma Kendall may have injected a few modern ideas into the play but on the whole they lovingly kept, what is a brilliant story, an even more brilliant story, getting the balance just about right. I can only imagine that taking on a classic piece of literature and theatre was not the easiest of tasks either. Emma K was assisted in the production stakes by Emma Summerton.

The story is of a wizard who causes a storm to shipwreck his enemies and they end up on a "magic" island with comical outcomes. There are cheeky spirits, a jester, a slave monster and a butler. Combine this with a love story and you have a very entertaining plot.

Maddy Strauss had the daunting task of playing the most well known of The Tempest's characters, Prospero, but she did a brilliant job as the play's protagonist.

Prospero's daughter, Miranda, was played by Felicity Chilver. One half of the love story and naive but loyal. then Ferdinand comes into her life and the two fall head over heels in love, and don't they make a lovely couple.

Ferdinand is played by Thomas Dooner and it's difficult to believe that this is his debut with NNT. He has a real feel for Shakespeare's words and delivered them with such conviction and ease, as if it were his native tongue. Hopefully we'll get to see more of Thomas in future productions as he is a natural actor.

Ariel is always thought to be male but Ariel's form and gender, as Prospero's spirit helper has never been confirmed. Anna Scholes plays the role mischievously and is a real joy to watch the fun element she brings to the play.

The slave monster, Caliban, starts off looking really quite frightening but, after the odd glug of alcohol turns out to be just one of the lads on the magic island, which he really thinks is his. Malcolm Jeunet was great fun to watch play this part.

Emily Sterling played Alonso, father of Ferdinand. Matt Standen played Sebastian, the brother of Alonso and Daniella French played Antonio, who is Prospero's brother. There's a very funny scene when the two are on guard and about to kill Alonso, when he wakes up to see the pair with swords drawn, only to dream up the excuse of chasing off lions.

The elder statesman of the play, Gonzalo, is played by Bernie Kerr, who really got into character as the wise old man who delivered a wonderfully poetic piece in Act One describing the island.

Bringing the true comedy to the play are the characters Trinculo and Stephano, played by Laurence Cuthbert and Josh Mallalieu. A brilliant choice of casting these two. I've seen both Josh and Laurence before in productions and they never fail to raise a smile. Playing a drunk who sings could produce some strange noises but Josh really has a good singing voice; powerful and strong and would love to see him have a go at musicals. Laurence has a natural flair for comedy and between the two characters, they deflate the power struggles and petty arguments of the others.

Really making this play special was the constant soundscape designed by Joanne Blunt and the exciting lighting design by Sam Osborne.

i must mention the make up as well which was fantastic, from the plain white Pierrot faces to the slave monster's demonic look.they were all really effective.The hard work of Sasha Gibson and Emily Sterling.

A great way to celebrate the Bard's 400th celebration of remembrance, and I think that he would have approved, even of the celebratory disco dancing in Act Two.

Wonderfully entertaining and a real pleasure to see actors of these tender years embracing the works of Shakespeare with such obvious love of the work and with total understanding of the script.

"Kings" by Daniel Hoffmann-Gill.

Nottingham Playhouse

I love plays which are different and evoke emotions and this is one play that ticks both boxes. Written by Daniel Hoffmann-Gill and based on personal experiences from working in a men's refuge, This is a gritty and powerful piece of drama which should be seen by as many people as possible. The wonderfully emotive direction courtesy of Fiona Buffini.

The play itself starts with Wayne, played by Joe Doherty, having a fit on the floor, which sets the reality of the play going. He is due to move out of the shelter to a place of his own, but he's nervous about being on his own and away from the family he knows at the shelter. He's only young and this is a big step for him.

Big Dave, played by Tim Baggaley, is a one-armed ex-soldier who lost his arm in The Falklands. He lost his son and since then has tried to commit suicide several times. He even tries to get the local "bike" to try and help him finish himself off, but not in the way she had envisaged; terrified she flees from the hostel. He is angry and has a coarse line in vocabulary, and keeps getting told off by Barry (Chris Lund) for swearing. Also probably one of the best entrances into a play I've seen of late and some brilliant comedy surrounding replacements for Big Dave's arm.

There's a lot of swearing, and I mean proper swearing, but that is what makes this play so raw and real.

Barry has been told by his mum that he shouldn't visit the "island" again and not to mix with the "freaks" at the hostel, but he loves the company of the others and being an important cog in the system that they have going on.

Kirky (Dominic Grove) is the character that drew the most emotion from me. He is the one who takes care of the others, making sure that they are all OK. Sarah (Sophie Ellerby), who is the case worker at the refuge, drops hints that Kirky would be OK to move out of the hostel. He looks after every one else so can surely look after himself, but Kirky feels that the others need him.

There is a very emotional outburst in the second half of the play with Kirky, which really plays with your emotions, and is quite frightening and shocking. A harrowing portrayal by Dominic of a troubled character who isn't quite the "rock" he lets people think he is.

And then there's Elvis, played by veteran actor James Warrior. He thinks he is Elvis and sings at local clubs and bars for pocket money and the odd stuffed animal; Elvis the character that is, not James the actor. He also does the warm up for the show which gets you into the play as you're taking your seat.

It's brilliant to see actors who have disabilities playing characters who have disabilities. You can't get more realism that that, and immediately lends more empathy to the characters, not that these very strong characters would readily welcome empathy because that's the way they are.

So, Wayne is leaving the home and the rest want to give him a send off that he won't forget, so they all record a bit of film to show what he means to them, You can feel the love all the characters have for the lad, and they're not afraid to show that love which again is a brilliant touch. A group of men of all ages and all have different disabilities not afraid to express their love for each other. Sounds soppy but it's not, it's a brilliant show of support and understanding of each other's needs.

There's also quite an emotive discussion about how hospital radio had an effect on two of the characters, which, for me was lovely. This led to another emotive scene when one by one they all joined in to an accapella version of REM's "Losing My Religion"

Among the emotion and passion there is also a lot of comedy involving dinosaurs and strange headgear, which you'll need to go and see to find out exactly what I mean!

A simple set, all revolving around the communal area of the hostel with the simple but effective sound and light design by Martin Curtis. It was ideal for the intimate performing space of The Neville Studios and while I'd love for loads of people to see the play, it wouldn't work as well in a bigger space.

"Kings" is a very special piece of theatre. Special because it will evoke emotions from you, I guarantee, Even if you don't quite understand what is supposed to be happening in act one, this is a grower and in act two it all comes together.

"Kings" is on at the Neville Studios at the Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 30 April 2016.

“Rock Of Ages” by Heanor Musical Theatre Company

Mansfield Palace Theatre.

Billed as “The Biggest Show In Town”; this could be true as Mansfield isn’t the biggest of towns, this is the first production that I’ve seen from The Heanor Musical theatre Company, and a pretty impressive introduction it was.

“Rock Of Ages” is the story of a club, The Bourbon Rooms, one of the best clubs on Sunset strip. A venue for the rock chicks and rock guys. Run by Dennis Dupree with rock emcee, Lonny and wannabe rock star Drew. Drew bumps into Sherrie, the new girl in town after she was mugged seconds after she stepped foot in the city. Love walked in to Drew’s life.

All does not go to plan though as a German business man is planning to bulldoze the strip which of course includes The Bourbon Rooms. How are they to save the club? Will Drew and Sherrie become more than just friends? Will the dreams created become a reality? All is revealed by the end of the show!

I know, the storyline is a bit lame but it’s a good set of bones to hang a brilliant soundtrack of some of the best rock songs to. And these are delivered with great gusto with a live rocking band, complete with two brilliant guitarists, Richard Shaw and Ian Marshall who rock out at the end with the classic crowd pleaser “Don’t Stop Believing”.

Ben Jones as Lonny, as well as the narrator of the show, brings a lovely comedy element to the show as well as having a very decent rock voice.

Drew, the wannabe rocker, played by Tom Lucking, not only has the rock look but also has a really good rock voice, highlighted more in the second half of the show

Gemma Blake, is the love interest Sherrie, and like all the cast, she looks like she is having an absolute ball doing the show.

Paul Mills plays club owner Dennis Dupree, and again adds a lot of the comedy to the show. There is a brilliant camp section (one of many) where Dennis and Lonny sing to each other Reo Speedwagon’s “Can’t fight This Feeling”, which has to be seen to be believed. Plus a very funny angelic appearance near the end. Heavenly!

The German contingent of the play is represented by Paul Whitworth as Hertz Klineman and his son Franz Klineman, played by Brett Walker. Another brilliant comedy outing, or not as we learn later on in the musical, earning Brett a rapturous and well deserved round of applause.

Al Tandy plays rock god Stacee Jaxx (also doubling as Sherrie’s father and a policeman), and another wonderful performance as the hard rocking, alcohol infused womaniser. A role he looked absolutely at home with.

Aine O’Neill-Mason played Regina (so that’s how you pronounce it!!) and another cracking female voice, so powerful was her voice, she didn’t really need the amplification of a microphone. And what a cracking smile as well.

Running the "Gentleman's club" aka "The Venus Club" was the job of Justice Charlier, played by Katy Freeman. Real soulful voice and while having punters to "satisfy" she kept a heart of gold when she found out about Sherrie's love for Drew. A nice doubled=edged performance by Katy, getting the balance just right.

Quite a big ensemble cast who I’d love to mention all by name but won’t due to space, but be known that you all really swelled the stage vocal wise and talent wise.

Choreography, by Josephine Walker, was typical rock style which looked so good in the ensemble sections.

Directed by Kim Harris and what a great feel good atmosphere he created through the actors and the whole show.

A brilliant live band under the musical direction of Emily Marshall-Sims. At times it was almost like being at a rock concert such was the power emitting form the stage.

Also creating that rock concert feeling was the lighting of the musical. I couldn’t see a credit for in the programme, but a brilliant atmosphere was given by whoever was the talent behind the lighting design. Really good timing on the cinematography backdrop as well.

A brilliant soundtrack, often mashing songs a la “Glee”, including Slade’s ”C’Mon Feel The Noize”, Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It”, Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again”, Europe’s “The Final Countdown” as well as some brilliant rock ballads like REO Speedwagon’s “Keep on Loving You”, Poison’s “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn”, Survivor’s “The Search Is Over” and Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What love Is” among many other classics.

If you want a good night out with some great rock songs and lovely comic touches, then the beautiful surroundings of Mansfield Palace Theatre is the place to head for, but it’s only there till Saturday 23 April 2016, so go on get your rocks off this weekend.

"Oedipus" by Nottingham New Theatre.

Nottingham Lakeside.

What I saw at Lakeside was not what I had expected. I knew that this Greek tragedy would be a little different in the hands of director Martin Berry, but this play has been picked up and shook up and has been completely revisited in a very novel way.

As you seat yourself down, it's like you've appeared mid way through a rehearsal with some of the cast doing sound checks and looking for props that may have gone walkabout. This immediately gets you into the mood for what is to come and associates you with the players; always a clever move I feel.

And then there's an introduction to the play and what you're about to see and what you can expect, again something unexpected. And so into the action...

There's plenty of drama and several ironic moments, which I won't spoil here. Oedipus is given away at birth, not knowing his parents. He ascends to King status but wants top know about his past and his parents, but what he is told is not what he wanted to hear. He finds out that he has murdered his father and has married his mother; neither parties here realised this at the time, because you wouldn't would you?....especially if you knew? Stricken with grief he takes drastic action after his mother/wife takes her own life.

All this is typical tragedy stuff of course but the way the story is told, with several updates on the story by the cast before getting back into the story, is completely fresh. it makes Grecian tragedy into a very likeable comedy. You could see this style of presentation going down well at the Edinburgh fringe; it has that, almost urgent feel about it while taking the time to make sure that we were all up to date on the progress of the story.

Re-imagining a 2500 year old piece of theatre for today's theatre goer is always going to be a task but Martin, working alongside the very talented Nottingham New Theatre cast, have done just that, and have produced a really interesting take on it which will appeal to anyone who likes their theatre with an edge.

Apart from the exciting cast, interesting costume design by Emma Williams, and novel set design by Lauren Connolly, one other thing that i really enjoyed about this production was the music. This again was eye catching with all instruments being played by members of the cast. Percussion, keyboards, violin and even a full blown electric rock guitar were involved, all played on stage in full view of the "in the round" seating arrangement.

The lighting was innovative, something that I personally have grown to expect at Lakeside; I wasn't disappointed with the work of the lighting designer, Richard Statham.

Martin Berry has again managed to give the "wow factor" with this new play, and while this wasn't what i had expected, I certainly was not disappointed in the least with what i got. A very exciting production with a new and innovative view on the classic tragedy play.

"Oedipus" is on at Lakeside until Saturday 23 April and is well worth seeing in my humble opinion.

Matthew Bourne's "Sleeping Beauty"

Nottingham Theatre Royal.

I have a confession to make. Last year I was converted, I had my head turned by someone i didn't think would be of interest to me. That man was Matthew Bourne. Well, closer to the truth would be that Matthew Bourne's ballet converted me to being a ballet fan.

In the same vein as Shakespeare, some people shy away from going to the theatre to see ballet in the same way as they feel that they can't understand the Bard and his works, Well let me tell you, if that's your way of thinking, you're missing out on a great deal of wonderful entertainment.

The latest in Matthew Bourne's wonderful re-imaginings of classic works ("Swan lake", "Edward Scissorhands", "The Car Man"), here this week is "Sleeping Beauty".

There are some slight differences to the well known pantomime but it follows the same story line and, with being ballet and having no dialogue, the story is relayed through the dance, which give a whole new perspective to the story. it really draws you in.

I'm no expert on ballet, but I know that watching these athletes of dance gives you such a feeling of calm, you leave the theatre feeling so relaxed after watching these incredible dancers and storytellers, ballet should be prescribed on the National Health, The feeling is so good.

Like the world of theatre, dance performances have to go that step further to keep fresh and to compete, and including a puppet baby "Aurora", which was so real looking, was an inspired touch and interacted well with the dancers. in my mind puppetry is an under valued art form, and when you look at shows like "Avenue Q" and "Little Shop Of Horrors", you can see what a difference this can make.

Anyone who knows how Matthew Bourne works will expect a dark performance and that was true here. "A Gothic Romance" is what it's billed as, and gothic in every sense it was, complete with evil fairies and vampires.

Adam Maskell who doubled as Carabosse, the dark fairy who cast the spell on Aurora (Ashley Shaw), as well as playing the dark fairy's son, Caradoc. Maskell oozed menace as he wreaked revenge for the death of Carabosse. He even plotted to entice Aurora's true love, Leo, played by Dominic North, to kiss the sleeping Aurora to bring her back to, life, just so that he could get his wicked hands on her. This plot worked but it all ends happily ever after.....for most of them! Remember this is a gothic re-working of a fairy tale

Everything that makes Matthew Bourne's shows so brilliant is replicated in this one. The incredible sets, the sumptuous costumes, the wonderful choreography, the comedy. There's even a sliding, conveyor belt like stage which gives the impression of the dancers floating in the air.

There's one particular setting with a large mansion on a hillock which is so realistic, complete with lit windows and such details, just beautiful, and that big old moon adds to the romance of the piece.

The light and shade between the bad fairies and the heroes of the piece is made obvious in the costumes and wonderful make up. Just looking at the credits for the people behind this masterpiece is longer than the cast and production team, which gives you an idea of the people involved in making this fairy tale a reality.

And of course there's the sweeping romantic music of Tchaikovsky. Bliss!

The timing, musicality, dramaturgy and attention to detail is incredible and just watching several of the dancers in the background of some the mass ensemble scenes is entertaining enough, so imagine trying to take in everything on stage all at once.

I noticed that some of the audience didn't look like your average ballet fan, if there is such a thing, but this is great because, whether the bald-headed ZZ Top lookalike and the T shirt and jeans bloke had been dragged there by their better halves, this shows that people like Mr Bourne is breaking down the barriers for the ballet theatre goers. now not an entertainment for the middle and upper classes; it's something that everyone can enjoy.

Matthew Bourne's "Sleeping Beauty" is at the Nottingham Theatre Royal until Saturday 23 April 2016.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream"
Lace Market Theatre.

Who'd have thought 400 years after his death we would still be enjoying the great poetry that Shakespeare wrote for the stage. This is one of his best comedies but in today's terms this could be seen as a fore runner of the "rom-com", After all, this is a love story for three of the couples featured which ends well for all three.

I'm not going to precis the story as you should know the tale of Hermia and her love triangle and the mischievous fairy, Puck who, on orders from the fairy king Oberon, throws the fairy spanner in the works, but then gets it all sorted out just in time for the happy ending.

Many people still have a vision of Shakespeare as being hard to understand, but this is not so. In the hands of a great cast and wonderful director, this is not the case and they all bring out the obvious comedy of the play while showing the dark side of the fairy kingdom. yes, they aren't all Tinkerbells you know!

Hermia is in love with Lysander but Demetrius also loves Hermia (Classic love triangle) but Hermia's father, Thesus, has told his daughter that she marries Demetrius or dies. well, what's a girl to do? Obvious, she plans to run off to the Shakespearian equivalent of Gretna Green to marry. Hermia tells her best friend forever, Helena, who has a massive crush on Demetrius, who only has eyes for Hermia and dismisses Helena's advances.

So what does a best friend do? Only tells Demetrius what's going on and all four end up in the fairy forest and that is where the fun really hits the fan!

Shakespeare's innovative writing is the fore runner of dream sequences where the dream characters are also part of the "real life" in the play characters. just think how well this worked in "The Wizard Of Oz" and the "play within a play" farce style plays.

Andy Taylor (Thesus/Oberon) shows the two sides of the characters with the "master of the house" kind of father and the almost cruel King Of The Fairies, Oberon.

Kay Haw (Hippolyta/Titania) again matches the contrasts as the loyal wife of Thesus and the opposing man eater Queen of the fairies Titania, who falls for a right ass!

Ali Patrick-Smith returns to the stage after a break of a few years and makes me wonder why? Why she has stayed away from the footlights for so long? She delivers some lovely emotive lines of the bard, especially when Lysander is under the influence (of Puck's magic) and again when the spell has been lifted.

Lysander, one third of the love triangle, is played by Martin Pikett along with Matthew Thomason as Demetrius. They make a brilliant pairing as rivals and there was one part when i almost expected a Morecambe and Wise style skipping off of the stage complete with unsheathed swords aloft. Matthew plays the "posh" character so well and says a lot in many of his "down the nose" looks.

Poor Helena, played by Chloe Senior, What a poor taste in men she has, but you can't help who you fall in love with i suppose. Chloe puts in a wonderful, at times quite scatty, performance, adding to the comic feel of the play.

Christopher Collins, as Puck, plays the mischievous fairy, darker than i have seen Puck played before, and this really suits the character. He's almost spiteful to the humans and he relishes the mischief he causes. Chris also looked like he was revelling in the role. Chris also doubles up as Philostrate when not in a dream sequence.

The "players", the equivalent of the modern community theatre crowd, are hilarious in their play for Thesus and the crew. Robert Wildgust (Quince), Ian Smith (Bottom) who was the tops at making an ass of himself, Hayden Bradley (Flute/Thisby) who has a natural comedy feel, Tom Orton (Snout/Moonshine), who also seems to lose a dog along the way, Stephen Herring (Snug/Lion), the campest lion I've ever seen, and Linda Croston(Starveling/Wall) who also gave a wonderfully comical portrayal of a hole in the wall, believe me you have to see the subtleness of this piece. A beautifully crafted troupe of comics.

Not forgetting the other fairies, Lucy Wakefield (Peaseblossom), Sally Nix(Cobweb) and Lesley Brown (Moth). Immi Lea (Mustardseed) and also David Dunford (Egeus).

What a wonderful cast! And what a production team as well. Jane Herring directs the piece with just the right balance of comedy, which i feel has been enhanced to bring out the true comedic writings of Shakespeare. Jane also balances this with just the right amount of darkness within the fairy kingdom. A great contrast of light and shade which, with Shakespeare, i imagine, isn't the easiest job for a director.

Loved the costumes; the colours and richness of the clothes brought to life the period of the piece. Not just for the women but some great garb for the male actors as well, and that goes for the wigs.

Brilliant set design by Mark James, as was the lighting, designed by Simon Carter, creating a magical atmosphere. Also creating a mood with the original music which was written for this production by Piotr Wisniewski.

I just loved the whole overall production of this piece of classic theatre. Classic but you get the feeling of a more modern atmosphere, created mainly, I feel, by the comedy elements that have been brought to the fore, while retaining the Shakespearian skeleton of his wonderful, eloquent stage poetry.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" is on at the Nottingham Lace Market Theatre until Saturday 23 April 2016. Do not miss this production, and if you've not seen any Shakespeare before (God forbid), make this the one to turn yourself on to the Bard. Where have you been the last 400 years?

The Half Eight Headliner
The Bodega, Nottingham.

I don't often venture into the world of pub gigs, but after tonight, I may just venture out more often. Upstairs at The Bodega in Nottingham The Half Eight were playing their first headline gig with support from Joshwa Kemp and Holly Fallon.

Josh kicked the night off with a selection of self composed songs like "Leap Of Faith", "You Are" and his latest song inspired by his travels to Asia, "Imaginary Friend". I've seen Josh before and he has a sound of his own, multi tracking vocals, guitar riffs and percussion live to create his own band of one. Josh is a very talented singer, songwriter and musician. His songs are really easy to listen to in any environment and it's always special to hear him play live. Not only is he a brilliant musician and an unassuming performer, he is one of the most hard-working local artists as well as being one hell of a nice guy.

Holly Fallon was up next and this was the first time that I have heard Holly perform live. She performed a mix of cover versions and originals with her guitarist, Jack. Originals like her latest song "Summer" were received just as well as her inspired choice of covers which included her versions of "I'm Yours" mashed up with "Billionaire" and a lovely stripped back version of Irene Cara's "Fame" to end her spot.

After a short break to allow for the main event to be set up behind the erected banner, The Half Eight erupted with an introductory drum break from Hugh which teased the crowd for what was to come. One by one Charlie, James and Oliver exploded onto the stage. It was like lighting the touch paper of some sort of musical explosion because they came on and completely ripped the place apart with a powerhouse rhythm section and exciting vocals from all the band. They slowed down only a couple of times, once for us to get out mobile phones out (the new lighters bit), and the second time to do an almost accapella version of The Lumineers "Hey Ho", splitting the crowd to do the audience participation.

There was a brilliant version of The Killers "Mr Brightside" and One Direction's "Up All Night", which worked really well with the self-penned songs like the brilliantly catchy "Love In The Dark" and the single "Kiss Me Like You Mean It" which closed the show. They were loud and exciting to watch and listen to while getting the crowd going with some simple, but effective audience participation between the songs, and then all too soon the night was over with confetti cannons and a cascade of black and red balloons.

These four lads, Hugh, Charlie, Oliver and James have worked their socks off to create a great rock party atmosphere in a similar mould to Busted and McFly but with a slightly harder edge, still keeping the instantly catchy tunes. And like the bands mentioned the lads play their own instruments as well. A night that was well received by everyone and I for one can't wait for their next show, and for when they get signed so we can take a physical piece of their music home to rock out to and annoy the kids, who already tell me to turn my music down.

A brilliant night featuring some of the cream of Nottingham's local musicians, singers and songwriters, who should be supported at this level, because tomorrow they may be playing arenas, and then you'll regret missing out.

For more information about the three artists, you can go to their respective Facebook sites.

https://www.facebook.com/thehalfeight/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/josh.kemp.330?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/hollyafallon/?fref=ts