"End Of Year Showcase" by Nottingham Arts Theatre Youth Group.

Nottingham Arts Theatre.

Reviewing showcases never gets any easier because the vast amount of talent on stage, showcasing what they do. NAT Youth Group gave us forty-two pieces, performed by eighty students, lasting just under three hours; but OMG what a showcase!

As with yesterday's showcase, I'm going to mention as many performances as I can and pass comment on them. Needless to say, any sections I don't mention, does not mean that I didn't enjoy, because the whole evening was superb.

The ladies opened the show with "OmiGod You Guys" from "Legally Blonde", and the energy was maintained all the way through to the electric finale of "Do Your Thang" by Basement Jaxx, which had all eighty on stage, dancing to their heart's content.

There was the usual mix of musical theatre songs and scenes, monologues, dance routines and comedy pieces. Now, I say usual but many of these were not the usual pieces you'd expect. 

"Friend Like Me" from "Aladdin" always makes me smile because of the energy and the fun aspect of the song itself. Sung by Alexander Michael, he gave his own spin on the song with, what sounded like a bit of beatboxing skill in there.

My first surprise was from Isabel Pullen who gave us an extract from Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night".

This was followed by a scene of pure machoism by a group of the lads, being laddish in a piece of physical theatre called "Lads, Lads, Lads!", performed by Jasper, Mack, Giles, Lenny, Mack, James, Reuben, Tony, Alex, Julian, Jacob, Billy & Jack. I am so pleased to see so many young men on stage because as any theatre group will tell you, there's a lack of male actors, and the above weren't all the lads on stage. Hopefully, all of these will continue with amateur dramatics, because there'll always be a need for more male actors, and these are more than capable  of succeeding locally on stage.

"Lost In The Woods" was a wonderfully whimsical piece containing several well-known characters. The whole bunch of young actors were great but I must commend Noah on a very confident and expressive performance, making me smile.

Another surprise was an extract from "Uncle Vanya" performed by Charlotte Fisher and Elizabeth Fitzgerald.

One of my favourite performers was up next, Jamie Adlam ( I still can't believe he is still only fourteen with all that confidence and talent), who was well matched by Zach Silcock and Zilpha Chisholm in a wordy and character driven piece from "Hamilton" called "Washington On Your Side".

Loved the "Peter Pan" extract  featuring Adleigh, Charlie M, Isla, Louis, Patrick, Stella and Teddy.

In the next section, we saw, and heard an example of perfect harmony when Lucy, Chloe C and Eliza performed an absolutely sublime performance of "At The Ballet" from "A Chorus Line".

Then Hattie Campion took the bar up another rung with an absolutely gorgeous rendition of "When It all Falls Down" from "Chaplin". Hattie's voice is incredibly beautiful and gave me chills throughout this piece.

Group 2 performed "13" from "13 the Musical" and the first act came to a close with three extracts from "Newsies", which matched last night's showcase performance and choreography of "Seize The Day".

The second act opened with "Brotherhood Of Man" from the musical "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying", followed by a really cute performance of "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" from Group 1.

One of my favourite dance routines was "Hide And Seek" performed with great emotion by Charlie C, Charlotte F, Arlo, Hattie, Kate, Connie, Chloe Chapman, Elizabeth F and Olivia.

Another macho performance came in the extract from "Dogfight" in the song "Some Kinda Time".

And then came another absolutely stunning vocal piece from Florence Everitt with her performance of "Quiet" from "Matilda the Musical".

"Electricity" from "Billy Elliott" has always been one of my favourite power tracks from a musical and in this showcase, it combined the singers from Group 1 and a group of dancers.

Jamie Adlam was then back on stage, this time with Giles Briggs, again matching each other vocally and choreographically with "When I Drive" from the musical "Bonnie & Clyde". Both Giles and Jamie really pushed their vocals in this piece, giving a very mature and brilliant character-driven piece.

More comedy followed with "Agony" the song that the two Princes from "Into the Woods" sang. This time around performed by Alex Nickson and Tony Foad.

Who can't fail to smile when listening to "You're Welcome" from "Moana", and especially when delivered by Group 1 featuring Alex Walker.

"Dear Evan Hansen" is very quickly becoming one of my favourite modern musicals and there is an exceptional song in the soundtrack called "Requiem", which was performed on stage this evening by Group 3 featuring Amelie A, Zach and Sara.

As I said at the top of the review, the finale was one that really closed the show with a bang, performed by the whole company.

Talking of which, here goes with the entire cast......

Abigail McGregor, Abigail Newman, Adleigh Chappell-Royce, Alex Nickson, Alex Walker, Alexander Michael, Amelia Scurfield, Amelie Adams, Amelie Burgess, Annie Shepherd, Arlo Perrons, Benjamin Bastern, Billy "Dimples" Kielty, Bluebell McEnfee-Burton, Caithlin Young, Charles Beckett, Charlie Clay, Charlie Merrick, Charlotte Fisher, Chloe Chapman, Chloe Crofts, Cleo sims, Connie Hatchett, Daisy Kemp, Edie McKenzie, Eliza Szejda, Elizabeth Kenny, Ellie Strang, Emeila Pound, Evie dickens, Fergus Hillery, Florence Everitt, Flossie Bailey, Giles Briggs, Harry Merrick, Hattie Campion, Imogen Pullen, Isabel Pullen, Isabella Tattersall, Isla Douglas, Isobel Burchall, Jack Kent, Jacob Holt, James Cragg, Jamie Adlam, Jasper Duff, Josie Hollingworth, Josie Leigh, Joy Clayton, Julian Magda, Kate Russell, Lenny Brady, Leo Capaldi, Liam Brown, Libby Thompson, Lillian Tattersall, Louis Dickson, Lucy Wilson, Mack Afzal, Maisie Fletcher, Maisie Shelley, Martha Kemp, Mia Woodward, Morgan Spencer, Mariah Lindo, Niamh Corah, Noah Shaw, Olivia Bott, Patrick Brannigan, Polly Sibley, Reuben Thrower, Rupert Shaw, Sara Nicholls, Sophie Murphy, Stella Walker, Teddy Hunt, Tony Foad, Zach Silcock and Zipha Chisholm.

And behind every successful show is a group of people who made the evening work......

Youth Co-ordinator is Jessica Royce.

The Tutors are Jessica Royce, Keira Dormer-Hazell, Jonah Williams and Eleanor Carty. The Student Tutors are Chloe Chapman, Arlo perrons, Harriet Champion and Kate Russell.

The stage management this year has really tightened up. This is no easy job but Louis Barnes-Cupit and Gareth Morris have earned their stripes this showcase.

The Lighting Operator is Evie Webster who gave us an exciting lightshow from start to finish, especially in the finale.

There were a few sound issues which plagued the showcase but on the whole George Wilson wrestled the sound desk into submission.

Over the years I've seen many of the above names in shows and showcases and have seen their ascending journey, and seen an increase in male performers plus a whole load of new young faces, some filled to bursting with confidence, cheek and cuteness; perfect role models for those little ones who are growing to love being on stage and growing in confidence and talent. They are in the right place to get that love and growth.

  "Stand In The Spotlight 2024 Showcase"

Squire Performing Arts Centre, Nottingham.

I love a showcase which shows off the talent that any particular theatre school or group have. Not only do you get to see some of the stuff the group have been working on, but you get to see pieces that you maybe wouldn't normally get to see, or the students get to perform.

Spotlight Theatre, on Saturday night, showed off their senior group; the inters showcase is on at the same venue tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon.

Spotlight Theatre, for anyone who doesn't know about this marvellous school, gives young people an opportunity to develop their love for theatre, giving them confidence to perform in front of an audience. Whether that love is for various dance styles or for various branches of theatre, musical or otherwise. It could also be a love of creativity, set building, teaching, backstage interests etc., theatre schools and groups all across the country provide young people, and those no longer in their teens or early twenties, a chance to grow their love for theatre. Showcases like this are a brilliant way to, not only advertise what these theatre groups can do, but also to show off the talents of their students.

Saturday night's showcase included a bit of everything, from tap, contemporary, ballet and musical theatre dance, through to monologues, pieces from film, theatre, comedy and various styles of singing. Something for everyone; thirty-seven pieces in all, so I'm going to just highlight a few of my personal favourites, although that in itself could include all thirty-seven!.

You have to make a big impact on opening both acts, and these boxes were well and truly ticked for me. Act One started with "Something About This Night" from "Finding Neverland" and showcased everyone as far as I could see. This set the heme for the rest of the evening, because there was something definitely about this special night. A big musical number with excellent choreography.

Act Two opened with a firm musical theatre favourite in "The Timewarp" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"; I don't think there was a single foot not moving to that one.

There was a nice segue section from the "Girl Scout" section into "Beautiful Sound" from "Beetlejuice".

Another big choreographed number was "Seize The Day" from "Newsies", a musical that I can't wait to see on stage when it comes to town.

As always in the world of theatre, the male population is always in the minority, so they, for me really stand out, although the ladies in Spotlight give the lads a high bar to head for.

The monologue from Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz And Guildenstein Are Dead", a play that I've read many times, was performed wonderfully by Tom Blakey, who I also noted has a very deep singing voice, as highlighted in the piece that ended the first act, "Facade" from the musical, "Jekyll & Hyde".

Anyone who has seen "Spamalot" will know the camp classic "His Name Is Lancelot", which gave all of the male contingency in Spotlight a chance to camp it up brilliantly.

Later in the first part was a trio of pieces from the film "Barbie", a film that I've not seen, nor intend to see. The monologue, performed with serious passion about being a woman, and I apologise that I do not have the young woman's name who performed it, was performed with such power that it made me sit up and take note, not only of the monologue but of the orator of the said monologue.

The second of the three "Barbie" pieces was, again performed by the young men, "I'm Just Ken", a song that i knew from the soundtrack of said film. This gave us chance to witness the comedy of Preston Nash, as Ken. Preston is a young actor who I've seen in several productions for Spotlight and enjoy everything that he has done. This shows his comic persona off marvellously. Later, in the second act, we get to hear Preston performing a more stripped back version of the Daryl Hall & John Oates song "Maneater", countering the comedy with the more serious side of Preston's talents.

The third part of the "Barbie" trilogy set was a choreographed piece to Billie Eilish's "What I Was Made For" by a section of the female dancers, which actually made me like this song more due to the emotion the girls brought out of the choreography.

Loved the two pieces from "A Chorus Line", who doesn't love Sondheim, and again two opposites with the solo number "Nothing", which is a real test of breath control and timing due to the wordiness of Sondheim's work, but performed effortlessly. The other piece is of course that big number "One", complete with glittery top hats, tap shoes and dance costumes.

Loved the song "Nowadays" from the musical "Chicago", again performed wonderfully.

Then came Jack Lamb, resplendent in a pale pink suit to sing the Frank Sinatra classic "My Way". I have heard so many people try and sing this, most of them really badly because of the range needed. Sinatra was a master where delivering a song is concerned and there are only a handful of singers who can match "The Guvnor". Jack surprised me because he has a very mature voice and I closed my eyes to listen to the tone of his voice and he hit every note, with ease and great maturity. When you sing a song which have these lyrics, you have to sing them as if you really believe what you're singing, and Jack made me feel as if he had lived a full life and was nearing the end of it; of course Jack hadn't but that also showed me what great acting skills he has.

I wouldn't normally mention false starts, especially with young actors, but I have reason to here. Jack came on stage and forgot the lines at the start. He looked horrified, but after encouragement from the audience he grabbed those lyrics and performed them as if it were part of a script.

A lesser man may have disappeared off stage or stood there, Jack did not let that start beat him, which shows that he has true professionalism running through his blood. This stumble also didn't affect anything that he did afterwards. This is the confidence that I mentioned earlier that is given by Spotlight. "My Way" is an emotional one for me, and Jack made his performance one of my favourites of the evening.

Really liked the "Up The Ladder To The Roof" trio of ladies. I had not heard of "Everyday Rapture", a musical that opened in 2009 and is part jukebox musical, so Spotlight have yet again educated as well as entertained me tonight. I also really liked the choreography for this piece.

"Hookey Street" from "Only Fools And Horses The Musical" was another large ensemble number which was also great fun to watch.

"Dancin' Fool" from the Barry Manilow penned musical "Copacabana" is another big choreographed number which looked stunning on stage, and I do love a big tap number, who doesn't when performed as well as this one?

"Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" is a poem by Dylan Thomas and delivered with feeling. This is another piece that I'd not heard before but brought silence to the packed auditorium.

"Rhythm Of Life" from the musical "Sweet Charity brought a wonderful hippy feel to the evening, complete with some brilliant 60's inspired costumes.

There were some beautifully choreographed pieces to music by Ludivico Einaudi and the more contemporary band Jungle. Another, choreographed by student Hemi Lewis to a piece of music called "Alive!" was gorgeous.

Another emotive song for me is from the musical "Ghost", called "With You" which was sung, and performed in dance beautifully, again bringing the audience to silence throughout.

Now, I really must mention the cast of 2024....

Darcey Adams, Sophie Benner, Tom Blakey, Ella Mai Blower, Stephanie Booth, Kayla Burgess, Scarlett Coleman-Smith, Hermione Cumbers, Amy Flatman, Erin Hanby, Emily Holder, Lucy Horton, Alannah Kight, Mia-Jay Kostrzebski, Jack Lamb, Jasmine Leek, Hemi Lewis, Ace Merkelt, Preston Nash, Jason Thompson, Megan Towers, Charlotte Wright, George Young and Grace Gent.

George actually seemed to be in practically every bit, I was even expecting him to be part of the line up for "The Six Megamix". Shows what a talented young all-rounder he is with his singing, dancing and comic skills.

The costume changes were so rapid, I bet the wardrobe person backstage was kept busy as well.

Anyway, more people need to be mentioned, all of which don't need to be told what an incredible job they do, but I'll just leave this here for them all to have confirmation of.....

Directed by Amanda Hall, assisted by Liam Arthur Petruccio-Hall.

Costumes by Sophie Petruccio-Hall.

Tutors were Bethany Wear (Dance), Laura Ellis (Singing), Liam Arthur Petruccio-Hall (Drama).

Nigel Newton is the Technical Manager.

The brilliant Lighting Design, which was stunning, is by Tom Mowat.
Sound Design, which was perfect, is by Rob Kettridge plus Bronwen Webster.

Some of the above mentioned will be moving onwards and upwards in local theatre after this show so it may be the last time we see them in a Showcase scenario, but I have no doubt that we will be seeing more of them as they progress their theatrical journey.

A wonderful night full of stars, and that was just inside the Squire Performing Arts Centre.

 "Annie Get Your Gun" by Erewash Musical Society Youth Group.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

Every blockbuster has a strap line. 

If I was to suggest a strap line for this show, it would be "just when you thought local theatre couldn't get any better........" Let me elaborate.....

Musicals like this take me back to when I was a young lad; sitting at home  with my mum and dad watching television on a Sunday afternoon where they always seemed to have a classic musical on. Oh, what memories!.

Buffalo Bill's Wild West show is in town and visits Cincinnati, Ohio, Frank Butler, the show's star, challenges anyone in town to a shooting match. Foster Wilson, the local hotel owner, doesn't appreciate the Wild West show taking over his hotel, so Frank gives him a side bet of one hundred dollars on the match. Annie Oakley enters and, when Wilson learns she's a brilliant shot, he enters her in the shooting match against Frank Butler.

Annie meets Frank Butler and is instantly smitten with him, not knowing he will be her opponent, which she then discovers and ends up winning the contest. She is invited to join the travelling show, which she accepts because she has fallen for Frank, and even though Frank proposes to Annie, things have a way of not running too smooth for the love struck sharp shooters!

Based on the true story of Miss Annie Oakley, this is one of those musicals that is packed with show tunes that you’ll know, “The Girl that I Marry”, “There’s No Business Like Show Business”, “Doin’ What Comes Naturally”, “They Say It’s Wonderful”, “Anything You Can Do”, “The Sun In The Morning", all instantly recognisable, although there is one omission. I can guarantee that you will leave the theatre with one or all of the above rattling around your head for days afterwards.

Okay, I'm going to go in at the top and, well, stay there!

Frank Butler is played by Joel Dawson. I've seen Joel in many shows in the last few years and have become a fan of his voice. This show tops his other shows, or should that read, that this show is another step on his ascent of musical theatre productions, a continuation of his upwards trajectory of talent. One thing that I especially love about this young man is that he enunciates every word so that you hear every single syllable he utters. These songs are classics and young actors, often without the life experience of what the musical's characters have been through, could find getting the feel of the songs not such an easy task, but Joel made the message in these songs utterly believable. Listen to the way he sings "The Girl That I Marry", and you believe that he is on the lookout for that perfect match. The duet of "Anything You Can Do" is full of flirty fun, a complete U Turn from "I'm A Bad, Bad Man", warning the ladies to keep away from him and his past list of conquests, that he is so obviously proud of. This part is perfect for a brilliant character actor, and Joel has been cast perfectly for this character.

Annie Oakley is played by Bethan Moore. I think I became a fan of Bethan's when she played Malificent in the recent Erewash Musical Youth Group's pantomime, "Snoring Beauty". I am now a super fan of Bethan's. Bethan is an incredible comedy actor, she is an amazingly expressive actor; she gets every comedy nuance from this role. She captures the accent perfectly. Bethan is a wonderful dancer and an even more amazing singer. Annie gets a lot of comedy songs to perform and Bethan smashes those, but listen to the emotion in her performance of "I Got Lost In His Arms". Bethan is the cause of so many of the tingles I got throughout the two and three quarters show. 

I could put the incredibly natural "asides" shown in songs like "Anything You Can Do" down to the intuition of a wonderful young actor or the attention to performance detail of the brilliant direction received. Either way, like Joel, this young woman has just topped any other performance she has given in any other show that she has been in. Perfectly cast, in fact, probably the best Annie Oakley I have seen on stage.

Buffalo Bill is played by Drew Boswell. You know, this production has so many of my favourite young actors in, and every single one has upped their performance skills. Drew is excellent as the Wild West Show creator and organiser, also bringing more than a modicum of comedy to this production. It's an absolute joy to have seen many of these actors grow, not only in stature, but in talent and Drew falls into that category.

Dolly Tate is played by Eleanor Cooper, who injects plenty of character into Dolly, and brings out an enormous amount of fun for us all to enjoy.

Charlie Davenport is played by Yasmin Aldous. I've always seen Charlie played by a man, but this twist in genre actor also works well. It's another fun character who shows that they are in charge, but has a sense of humour. A lovely voice and Yasmin can move as well, both highlighted in the opening number "Colonel Buffalo Bill".

Chief Sitting Bull is played by Evan Hagan, who has moved up from the panto ensemble to play this relatively serious Indian who is so impressed with Annie that he makes her his new daughter. A solid performance from Evan.

Foster Wilson is the owner of the hotel where the action all starts, and is played by another wonderful comic actor, Oliver Nolan. My first sight of Oliver on stage was in February's panto role as the King, and I know that he caught my attention at that stage. As Wilson, Oliver brings a lot of character to this role, and also a wonderful easy comedy presence.

Lil Jake's role is shared between two young men, Noah Hickling and Blake Hagan. On Thursday night I saw Noah, who is also performing on Saturday night and Jake on Friday night and Saturday matinee. One of those roles that made the audience emit a few "aahhs" for his cuteness.

Annie's other siblings are played by Eloise Chamberlain (Minnie), Livvi Hickling (Jessie) and Lacey Swinburne (Nellie). All great fun to watch and fiercely loyal to Annie.

Pawnee Bill, Sitting Bull's right hand person, is played by Lowri Moore, who also breaks out of her previous ensemble role to showcase her talents as Pawnee Bill.

There's also a very talented ensemble working in with these main characters who flesh out the dances and crowd scenes, who we must not forget. The ensemble has always been an integral part of any production, but for me it's like a talent pool, and there are always a few people who grab your attention, like some of the above that I've mentioned above and have spotted in previous productions.

Toby Wykes, who we last saw as Prince Prancer in "Snoring Beauty", straight away caught my attention because he enjoyed every second of stage time. His face expressed his joy and his choreographical skills shone from the throng. You know that phrase "dance like there's nobody watching"? Well that phrase sprung to my mind watching Toby because that enjoyment of dance was apparent, and while he was an ensemble member, he had that "eyes and teeth" of a proficient dancer and actor.

The other young man who permeated the ensemble was another actor who I've seen in several productions. This time around though he has shot up in height and his voice has lowered. Harry O Boyle is maturing splendidly as an actor, singer and dancer.

This pair though are only a couple of ensemble cast members; the remaining members being Lauren Hazeldine, Gabriella Tilley, Martha Smart, Izzy Cole, Elis Moore, Clarissa Armitage, Sophie Forman, Grace Simms and Rose Staniford.

Directed by Chris Renshaw. Everything and everybody involved in this show has clearly invested an incredible amount of time and energy to produce a show of this quality. It's the sort of professionalism that is seen on stages a lot bigger than The Duchess. Chris has extracted some incredible performance from this cast, making the show feel beautifully retro, and retaining that "classic" tag. 

Choreographed by Hayden Fletcher, assisted by Megan Asher. This show has a lot of numbers which means that there is also a lot of choreography, and I loved the energy levels of these dances and dancers. The ensemble numbers have been choreographed to within an inch of their lives and this could be the best choreographed musical that Hayden has been involved in. It's exciting and thrilling, and while the cast make it look easy, at times, and wonderfully intricate at others, this does not belie the intense work that Hayden and Megan have put into this show. There's also a big element of fun in this field and that shows with the way that the EMUS Youth Group execute Hayden and Megan's choreography.

Musical Director is George Parkinson. I have mentioned earlier the execution of the lyrics in some of these classic musical theatre songs and, like the choreography side of this show, it indicates the amount of hard work that has gone into the delivery of these songs. The lead vocalists wonderful diction, especially singing with an accent, is all down to a hard working Musical Director. Some people may just think that an MD is in charge of the music side of a production, but it's all to do with getting the sound and presentation of a musical spot on and spending that time with the cast, both separately and in groups. You just need to listen to these results to know that George Parkinson knows exactly what he wanted, and got, from this talented cast and ensemble.

The set design is by Mark Robbins and Bill Robbins, and while there was nothing fancy about the design, it all worked brilliantly, with props and additional set items placed and replaced on stage by the cast and crew. I was slightly worried about the chandelier which swung perilously above the cast as it was hoisted into place, there was absolutely no need to worry though.

Stage managed by Mark Robbins which kept a constant flow and pace, which made the two and three quarter hour show run as smooth as Frank Butler's patter with the ladies.

Loved the costumes, and they must be great fun to wear; let's face it who wouldn't want to dress up as a cowboy or Indian and dance around on stage? Annie's final dress was gorgeous and was almost as glittery as Bethan's performance.

And last, but not least, because where would we be with the sound and light guys (in the dark and silent)? 

Sound design and operation was by Dave Dallard and Jack Clark, and the light design and operation by Richard Chamberlain and Dave Martin; the four theatrical musketeers. There were a couple of sound issues which may have been due to mic packs, but apart from that, the sound was very, very clear, mixed well with the sound of the band and the vocalists.

It's productions like this that make me so proud to shout to the world just how good local "amateur" theatre, and the incredibly talented actors are. You certainly get your money's worth with this running time, as well as the quality of the talent on (and off) stage. Even without the song "I'm An Indian Too", this is one of the best musicals, and one of the best performances of a "classic" musical ever. It'll be a long time before I forget this show.

"Annie Get Your Gun" is at the Duchess Theatre until Saturday 6 July.