Mercury – The Ultimate Queen Tribute Review

Grand Opera House York – 26th October 2022

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

4****

It was great to see the Grand Opera House York busy midweek, with what looked like a packed-out theatre. The crowd were eagerly awaiting to celebrate the music of one of the greatest bands ever, the fabulous Queen and its frontman Freddie Mercury. Mercury are well established, with over 20 years of touring as a tribute band.

You can feel the anticipation in the audience as the lights dim and the oh so familiar sound of Queen is heard in the shadows, an introduction to what is to come. The band members enter the stage, calmly take up their positions, before Freddie (Joseph Lee Jackson) bounds onto the stage, with Seven Seas of Rye, to loud cheers.

Straight from the off Jackson has Freddie’s mannerisms and characteristics spot on. Oh, so confident, strutting his stuff, truly encapsulating the spirit of Freddie. His voice when speaking to us, sounded just like Freddie as well, I was hugely impressed that he had mastered his craft so well. Glenn Scrimshaw, as Brian May, is a skilled guitarist, which was emphasized with a couple of solo pieces. I must also mention Lee Harvey on keyboard and vocals. He was terrific and has such enthusiasm, it was infectious and glorious to watch. The entire band delivered a slick and engaging performance.

All the great hits were played, if I’m truly honest some better than others, but as the show progressed, they got better and better. I for one, could not help but sing along to the wonderful tunes, make sure you wear earplugs if you ever find yourself sitting next to me. The song list was pretty comprehensive with Bohemian Rhapsody, Fat Bottomed Girls, We Are The Champions, Radio Ga Ga, We Will Rock You, and many, many more. A feast of Queen songs, that any fan would love to hear.

The costumes were what you would expect from the flamboyant Freddie, white trousers, Adidas trainers, jackets. Jackson’s costume for I Want To Break Free, is a sight to behold, an exaggeration on the original, and he can sure move a hoover around on stage. Mustn’t forget the Union flag and right at the end of the show, the iconic cape and crown, the icing on the cake. This show has pyrotechnics and loud bangs throughout that had me jumping in my seat, which only added to the experience.

Queen is still a legendary band to this day and Mercury do them justice. I have seen Queen live, but with Adam Lambert at the helm, and I must say they were brilliant, best concert I have ever been to. How great it would have been to see Freddie on stage and I’m envious of anyone who was lucky enough to have had that pleasure.

This tribute show is a celebration of the magic of Queen and appeals to all. There were all generations in the audience, a family in front on me had a very excited young son, parents and grandparents, all savouring the amazing music that is Queen.

THE OTHER SIDE REVIEW

53TWO, MANCHESTER – UNTIL 4TH NOVEMBER 2022

REVIEWED BY MIA BOWEN

4****

Last night Switch_MCR’s new Horror Play The Other Side, had the audience jumping in their seats and shrieking, creating the perfect creepy mood for Halloween. This brand new Horror story will be raising hairs in the streets of Manchester for two weeks. Switch_MCR is a theatre based company that has grown to be one of the largest independent companies in Greater Manchester and was founded in 2018 by Royal Exchange Young Company graduates. In the same year they teamed up with 53two, one of the country’s most exciting new theatres. A former car showroom and buried under the arches of Deansgate Castlefield, this atmospheric arts venue is fully accessible and is an arts charity, theatre and café/bar for artists, by artists. The stage is at ground level and the seats are placed higher than the seats immediately in front of them so that the occupants of further back seats have less of their views blocked by those further forward. The seats are not reserved, so it is first come, first serve. Before and on arrival at the performance, the audience was made aware of content warnings, such as sudden noises, flickering lights, strobes and haze.

After their sell-out production of ‘We Won’t Fall’, Gabriel Clark (Director and co-writer) and Andrew Long (Benjamin Bates and co-writer) kicked off their new season with this unique spine chilling two act horror story. The first act is just over an hour and second is 45 minutes, with a 20-minute interval in between the two.

The story begins with Benjamin Bates talking to a woman, performed by Gráinne Flynn. It appears Bates is a patient attending a therapy session. You come to learn that Bates’ fiancé Claire Cross performed by Ntombizodwa Ndlovu’s, mother had died unexpectedly and left the family home to her. Claire has to confront her fear, grief and loss, as her past comes back to haunt her.

The talented cast gave realistic and sympathetic performances. Long’s performance was flawless and full of energy, considering he spend the most time on stage out of the cast. A lovely surprise was from Ndlovu when she sang along to the record player, with her euphonious voice. I really enjoyed Flynn’s character but the more you learned, the more she made the audience feel unsettled.

Mims Jeddal’s lighting, Jack D’Arcy’s sound and Elli Kipriadis’ set facilitated an immersive experience and brought to life the creepy house.

If you are a horror fan, like me, I dare you to buy a ticket, you are guaranteed a spooktacular evening.

EASTENDERS STAR CHARLIE BROOKS JOINS THE NATIONAL THEATRE’S ACCLAIMED ‘THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE’ TOURING FROM 12 DECEMBER

EASTENDERS STAR CHARLIE BROOKS JOINS THE CAST OF THE NATIONAL THEATRE’S ACCLAIMED

THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE,

TOURING UK AND IRELAND FROM 12 DECEMBER

Full casting for the National Theatre’s production of The Ocean at the End of the Lane has been announced today, with screen and stage actor Charlie Brooks joining the previously announced cast as Ursula and Jasmeen James joining as understudy. Charlie is best known for being a series regular in BBC’s EastEnders, and will be performing until 3 June 2023, with further dates to be announced.

They join Daniel Cornish (alternate Boy), Trevor Fox (Dad), Emma-Jane Goodwin (understudy), Paolo Guidi (ensemble), Millie Hikasa (Lettie Hempstock), Lewis Howard (understudy), Kemi-Bo Jacobs (Ginnie Hempstock), Ronnie Lee (ensemble), Aimee McGoldrick (ensemble), Laurie Ogden (Sis), Keir Ogilvy (Boy), Domonic Ramsden (ensemble), Joe Rawlinson-Hunt (understudy), Risha Silvera (understudy) and Finty Williams (Old Mrs Hempstock). 

Charlie Brooks’ theatre credits include Beautiful Thing (UK Tour and West End) and A Streetcar Named Desire (Leicester Curve). For TV she is a series regular in BBC’s EastEnders. She was winner of ITV’s primetime celebrity survival show I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Alongside her stage and screen work, Charlie is the founder of iampro, an online drama school and creative hub. Jasmeen James previous theatre credits include Jekyll & Hyde schools tour for the National Theatre.

Adapted by Joel Horwood and directed by Katy Rudd, this thrilling adventure of fantasy, myth and friendship will visit 29 towns and cities, across the UK and Ireland, from 12 December 2022 until 30 September 2023. Charlie Brooks is scheduled to perform in Salford, Woking, Leicester, Plymouth, Sunderland, Bath, Belfast, Dublin, Bradford, Wimbledon, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Sheffield, Birmingham and Cardiff, with further venues to be confirmed.

Neil Gaiman is known for his graphic novels, including The Sandman series (a major new Netflix series which in its first 10 days was watched for over 198 million hours by audiences around the world); his novels for adults and children including StardustCoraline, and The Graveyard Book; and multiple film and television projects including Good Omens and Anansi BoysThe Ocean at the End of the Lane was the winner of the Book of the Year at the 2013 National Book Awards and has sold more than 1.2 million copies worldwide. This first major stage adaptation of his work blends magic with memory in a tour-de-force of storytelling that takes audiences on an epic journey to a childhood once forgotten and the darkness that lurks at the very edge of it.

Returning to his childhood home, a man finds himself standing beside the pond of the old Sussex farmhouse where he used to play. He’s transported to his 12th birthday when his remarkable friend Lettie claimed it wasn’t a pond, but an ocean – a place where everything is possible… Plunged into a magical world, their survival depends on their ability to reckon with ancient forces that threaten to destroy everything around them.

The award-winning creative team includes director, Katy Rudd; adaptor, Joel Horwood; set designer, Fly Davis; costume and puppet designer, Samuel Wyer; movement director, Steven Hoggett; composer, Jherek Bischoff; lighting designer, Paule Constable; sound designer, Ian Dickinson; magic and illusions director and designer, Jamie Harrison; puppetry director, Finn Caldwell and casting director, Naomi Downham. The associate creative team includes associate director, Sophie Dillon Moniram; associate set designer, Tim Blazdell; associate movement director, Jess Williams; associate lighting designers, Rob Casey (for Ammonite) and Tom Turner; associate sound designer, Chris Reid; associate magic and illusions director, John Bulleid; and associate puppetry director, Gareth Aled.

Touring for a total of 38 weeks, including 5 Theatre Nation Partnerships venues, this is the largest tour mounted by the National Theatre since before the COVID-19 pandemic.  This UK and Ireland tour follows a celebrated six-month run of The Ocean at the End of the Lane at the Duke of York’s Theatre in the West End, which opened in 2021 after the production received its world premiere in the Dorfman Theatre in 2019

Orfeo Ed Euridice Review

The Leeds Grand Theatre – until 28 October 2022

Reviewed by Sal E Marino

5*****  

A highly-dramatic and first-class performance of Opera North’s Orfeo Ed Euridice was extremely well received with a rapturous applause at the exquisite Grand Theatre, Leeds, last night. This must be one of (if not the most) tragic love stories ever imagined; beautiful and disturbing.  

Heart-broken, grieving widower Orfeo, pleads with the Gods to allow him to go on a mission through the underworld of Hades to find and be reunited with his beloved Euridice. However, there’s a vital clause: he must not look back or communicate with her, or he’ll lose her forever. 

Gluck composed some of his most spectacular arias for the fateful couple, including Orfeo’s heart-rendering cry for his lost wife ‘Che farò senza Euridice‘ and Opera North’s brilliant principal guest conductor, Antony Hermus, along with Polly Leech (Orfeo – Alice Coote will be performing as Orfeo for the remainder of the Leeds tour), did it more than justice!   Indeed, this was true of each and every score of the whole opera. 

Leech’s voice was deeply penetrating with a chilling sadness that she kept going throughout.  The inner turmoil she created with her mezzo-soprano voice touched the soul and absorbed it.   In contrast, the strong profound sound of Amore, like her character, was supple and brought some humour and seduction into the drama.  Wyn, as Euridice, evoked and projected a pure innocence in her voice and character portrayal.  One really felt her despair and anguish during the duet-argument played out with Orfeo and this was the highlight for me personally, as it obviously was for the rest of audience given the enthusiastic acclaim it received.

The principals set the stage ablaze with their outstanding vocals and this was also true of the chorus, who through simple yet very powerful movements and sharp-honed, albeit soft when required voices, made this opera a most intriguing dark adventure.  Filled to the brim with passion, Opera North’s Orfeo ed Euridice was emotional, captivating and like every good opera should be – hauntingly beautiful.

Nosferatu Review

Etcetera Theatre, Camden – until 31st October 2022

Reviewed by Bobbi Fenton

4****

Nosferatu. Where do I begin to try and describe this play. This play is the perfect thing to get you in the mood for Halloween, especially if you’re not a fan of really scary horrors. Spooky, hilarious, and very fun, Nosferatu is absolutely brilliant, and will probably leave you quite speechless.

The play opens with the head of Van Helsing (Jessica Olim) talking to the audience, explaining how he has been there for 100 years, while his body is stood next to him, gesturing along with what he is saying. We are then transported back in time to the year 1922, and are introduced to Phillip Hutter (Eleanor Homer) and his wife Margaret (Henry Charnock). With Van Helsing, they venture to Transylvania to sell a house to the mysterious Count Orlock (Blake Heaven). The castle is spooky, and some very strange things start happening while they are there, which makes the three very worried for their safety, especially when they figure out that Count Orlock is a vampire. The play ends with Van Helsing being decapitated by Count Orlock, and an undead Margaret killing Phillip. While there are a few unnerving moments, there is also a lot of comedy, such as a moment when Van Helsing, totally infatuated by Phillip Hutter, steals a pair of his underpants, and later puts them on, singing and dancing to the song ‘I Touch Myself’. Not to mention a scene towards the end of the play when Margaret Hutter channels her inner Jay Hawkins and puts a spell on Count Orlock (Nosferatu) to defeat him. This works, and Nosferatu disappears leaving behind only a puddle of what Margaret assumes to be white ectoplasm. There is a lot more sexual content in this play than I expected going in, but this content made the play even funnier because of the flawless delivery by all.

Jessica Olim’s portrayal of Van Helsing is hilarious, as he tries to hide his love for Phillip throughout the play. As is Henry Charnock’s portrayal of Margaret, as she is presented as a typical ‘damsel in distress’ archetype who is constantly brushed off by her husband whenever she tries to tell him something he doesn’t know. Eleanor Homer as Phillip is another great archetype of typical old-fashioned man which is incredibly funny paired with Henry Charnock’s Margaret. My favourite interactions however are between Phillip and Van Helsing, as Phillip is completely oblivious to Van Helsing’s feelings, something I think most people can relate to but exaggerated by the over-the-top acting by Jessica Olim. Not forgetting the comical portrayal of Count Orlock by Blake Heaven. Similar to Van Helsing, Count Orlock falls in love with Margaret which results in him stealing something from Phillip. Instead of stealing a pair of underpants though, he steals a photo of Margaret from Phillips wallet, which Phillip catches him with later on in his bedroom.

Nosferatu is an absolutely hysterical theatre experience that everybody should see before the 31st.

Immersive And Moving New Play To Be Premiered On Tour This Autumn

IMMERSIVE AND MOVING NEW PLAY TO BE PREMIERED ON TOUR THIS AUTUMN

The Possibility of Colour poses important questions around mental health issues

A powerful new play which asks questions about what is ‘normal’ – and who gets to decide – is touring to venues across the north this autumn.

The Possibility of Colour, from the acclaimed Tree Fish Productions, is an immersive and moving insight into the reality of voice hearing, synaesthesia, neurodiversity and forced treatment, and has been created over several years in collaboration with mental health professionals, academics and those who have lived experience of the themes it explores.

The production, from award-winning writer and director Pete Carruthers, will be staged at theatre spaces in Salford, Preston and Ormskirk during November, as well as being broadcast online with a live Q&A session.

And along with the public performances, special sold-out shows for up to 1,350 student nurses will also be held at each venue, funded by Health Education England and forming part of the students’ official training.

Following each performance, audience members will be able to take part in a Q&A with a panel including leading mental health experts and people with lived experience of the play’s themes.

These important discussions will continue to take place as part of a larger national tour being planned for autumn 2023 and spring 2024.

Designed by the AI-controlled ‘Vigil’ Corporation, the Implant is a new miracle device that promises to cure all mental illness.

For many, the Implant is an irresistible guarantee of eternal happiness; a life without suffering. For others though, it’s a terrifying instrument of control, stripping them of what it means to be human, and increasingly forced upon a growing number of ‘compulsory recipients’.

Will Joseph, his sister Aisling, or his best friend Helen, be able to decide which of them, if any, should have the implant? And with the ever-looming presence of Vigil, do they even have a choice?

The production is written, produced and directed by Tree Fish founder and artistic director Pete Carruthers with set and costume design by Carly Altberglighting design by Isabel Potter and Carly Altbergvideo and projection design by Ed Grimoldby, and original music and sound design is by Patch Middleton. Ally Davies is creative producer.

Its cast includes Pete Carruthers as Joseph, Rachel Marwood as Aisling, Amy Revelle as Helen, Verity Henry as Vigil, Gareth Cassidy as Lucas, Chloe Proctor as Mollie and Orla Mullan as Woman.

Tree Fish Productions is a theatre and film production company based in the north of England which creates high quality work with a mission to inspire greater understanding, empathy and compassion while contributing towards real social change.

The company is passionate about creating work which speaks to people from all corners of society, with a specific focus on reaching those who are in a position to bring about change, from changes in personal professional practice to wider social reforms.

And along with creating independent work, it also collaborates with health and education providers to create powerful, empathic and truthful stories that bring training to life.

Writer and director Pete Carruthers of Tree Fish Productions says: “The play opens up vital conversations about the ways in which we treat people who are deemed by society to be ‘abnormal’ or ‘mentally ill.

“It aims to improve understanding and empathy for others, but also to provoke discussion, reflection, and even policy change, in the long run. We don’t just want to entertain and inform, but also to challenge and inspire the audience.”

To find out more and to book tickets, visit https://www.treefishproductions.com/

Instagram:       https://www.instagram.com/tree_fish_productions/

WHAT IS BEING SAID ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF COLOUR

“INCREDIBLY THOUGHT-PROVOKING, REALLY POWERFUL…”

Sally Ashton-May, lead midwife, National Nursing and Midwifery Team, Health Education

LISTING INFORMATION

THE POSSIBILITY OF COLOUR TOUR 2022

THE NEW ADELPHI THEATRE, UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD

Thursday 17 – Friday, 18 November 2022 at 7pm

University Road, Salford, M5 4BR

Website:         https://www.newadelphitheatre.co.uk/

Box Office:       0161 295 2533

THE MEDIA FACTORY, UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE

Wednesday 23 November at 7pm and Thursday, 24 November at 2pm and 7pm

Kirkham Street, Preston, PR1 1JN      

Box Office:       07857 405681

THE ROSE THEATRE, EDGE HILL UNIVERSITY

Tuesday 29 November 2022 at 7pm

St Helens Road, Ormskirk, L39 4QP

Website:         https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/departments/support/artscentre/whats-on/

Box Office:       01695 584480

ONLINE – RECORDED PERFORMANCE PLUS LIVE Q&A

Thursday 1 December – Friday 2 December 2022 at 7pm

Website:         https://www.treefishproductions.com/

HEATHERS THE MUSICAL – UK & IRELAND TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT – 2023

‘HONEY WHAT YA WAITIN’ FOR?’

THE RECORD-BREAKING HIT MUSICAL RETURNS FOR A NEW UK AND IRELAND TOUR

BY LAURENCE O’KEEFE & KEVIN MURPHY

BEST NEW MUSICAL

WHATSONSTAGE AWARDS ‘19

****

Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, Daily Express,

The Stage, Attitude, The Arts Desk, Broadway World

*****

The New European, City AM

Following two record-breaking seasons at London’s The Other Palace and West End transfer to the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2018 and having won the WhatsOnStage 2019 award for ‘BEST NEW MUSICAL’, Heathers the Musical will embark on a highly anticipated UK tour from 2023.

Produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills, this high octane, black comedy, rock musical based on one of the greatest cult teen films of all-time starred Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, is back with a bang!

The 2023 Class of Westerberg High and the full tour timetable will be announced shortly.

Greetings and salutations! Welcome to Westerberg High, where popularity is so very a matter of life and death, and Veronica Sawyer is just another of the nobodies dreaming of a better day.

But when she’s unexpectedly taken under the wings of the three beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers, her dreams of popularity finally start to come true.

Until JD turns up, the mysterious teen rebel who teaches her that it might kill to be a nobody, but it’s murder being a somebody.

The award-winning writing team, Laurence O’Keefe and Kevin Murphy’s hit musical adaptation has enjoyed successful runs in Los Angeles and New York, and its European premiere saw it become the highest grossing show at The Other Palace, having sold over 20,000 tickets across the run and selling out prior to its opening gala performance. It had a similar success on transferring to the Theatre Royal Haymarket. The smash-hit return engagement at The Other Palace under Bill Kenwright continues to excite audiences.

The musical is directed by acclaimed American screen and stage director Andy Fickman, with choreography by Thriller Live’s Gary Lloyd, design by David Shields, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound by Dan Samson.

LISTINGS

BILL KENWRIGHT & PAUL TAYLOR-MILLS PRESENT

HEATHERS THE MUSICAL

2023 UK and IRELAND TOUR

BY LAURENCE O’KEEFE & KEVIN MURPHY

DIRECTED BY ANDY FICKMAN

CHOREOGRAPHY BY GARY LLOYD

DESIGN BY DAVID SHIELDS

LIGHTING BY BEN CRACKNELL

SOUND BY DAN SAMSON

Theatre Royal, Windsor                                                  theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk

14 – 25 February 2023                                                    01753 853 8888

New Victoria Theatre, Woking                                  atgtickets.com/Woking

7 – 11 March 2023                                                      0844 871 7615

Theatre Royal, Brighton                                                theatreroyalbrighton.com

14 – 18 March 2023                                                        0333 009 6690

Theatre Royal Bath                                                         theatreroyal.org.uk

21 – 25 March 2023                                                    01225 448844

Theatr Clwyd                                                                   www.theatrclwyd.com

28 March- 01 April 2023                                                01352 344101

Regent Theatre, Stoke-On-Trent                               atgtickets.com

11 – 15 April 2023                                                       0844 871 7615

Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin                              bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

25 April – 6 May 2023                                                 353 (0) 1 677 7999

York Opera House                                                      atgtickets.com

9 – 13 May 2023                                                         0333 009 6690

The Alexandra, Birmingham                                         atgtickets.com/birmingham

16 – 20 May 2023                                                       0844 871 7615

Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury                                   atgtickets.com

30 May – 3 June 2023                                                 0844 871 7615

Empire Theatre, Sunderland                                      atgtickets.com

20 – 24 June 2023                                                        0844 871 7615

Kings Theatre, Glasgow                                             atgtickets.com

27 June – 1 July 2023                                                   0333 009 6690

The Empire, Liverpool                                                atgtickets.com

4 – 8 July 2023                                                            0844 871 7615

Palace Theatre, Manchester                                      atgtickets.com/manchester

8 – 12 August 2023                                                     020 7206 1174                                             

Calling all #CornNuts – Be the first to hear the latest Heathers the Musical gossip and further details on dates, venues and on-sales by following us on the following:

Website:

www.heathersthemusical.com

MAMMA MIA! REVIEW

Lyceum, Sheffield – until 5th November 2022

Reviewed by Alison Beaumont

4****

I’m sure most people already know what Mamma Mia the musical is about but for those of you who don’t Mama Mia is a smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA. It tells the story of a single mother (Donna) and her daughter (Sophie) who live on a Greek Island. Sophie has never known her dad but when she is due to get married to her boyfriend Sky she dreams of her dad walking her down the aisle. Sophie finds an old diary of her mums which leads her to the possibility of 3 father’s, Sam, Bill and Harry. Sophie decides to invite all 3 men to her wedding without the knowledge of her mum to try to find out which one is her real dad.

Having seen the musical and the movie many times before I was really excited to be seeing this once again. After all who doesn’t love a bit of Abba.

The orchestra perform some of the songs before the first and second acts and gave you a small insight into some of the songs. However, the music at this point was really loud and could have done with being toned down a little bit.

Sophie is played by Jena Pandya and from the moment she stepped out on stage and started to sing I knew she was going to play the part well. Her voice seemed pure and innocent and from start to finish she didn’t fail.

It took a bit for me to get used to Sara Poyzer who played Donna but as the show went on I found I was enjoying her more and more. She totally blew me away when she sang “The Winner Takes It All” and this had to be the be one of the best songs of the show.

Unfortunately for me personally I wasn’t feeling the chemistry from Toby Miles who played Sky towards Sophie and didn’t think he was strong enough vocally for the role compared to people who have played this role previously.

I loved the costumes when Donna and the Dynamos sang Super Trooper. Tanya and Rosie were played by Helen Ankler and Nicky Swift and certainly added a comedy element to the show. Although you have to give the award for the best comedy performance in this musical to James Willoughby Moore for his role as Pepper. He definitely made the audience laugh.

I really enjoyed “Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!” I thought the choreography in this was amazing and all the cast and ensemble made this a pleasure to watch. I particularly liked Chloe Gentles from the ensemble.

It was without a doubt that this musical ended up with everyone on their feet joining in with the all time classics of ABBA.

Dreamgirls Review

Blackpool Winter Gardens – until Saturday 5 November 2022

Reviewed by Debra Skelton

5*****

Sensational is how I would describe the performance of Dreamgirls that is currently showing at The Winter Gardens in Blackpool. It transported the audience back to 1960’s Detroit telling the story of a small black record label and its stars through song and dance.

The show begins with three girls called the Dreamettes entering a talent show held in New York’s Apollo Theatre. Disappointed in their failure to win the contest, they attract the attention of a sly tongued talent agent named Curtis Taylor who persuades them to become a backup act to James Thunder Early, a rising pop singing star which ensures the Dreamettes to wide acclaim and success

At first Curtis falls in love with Effie, the full-figured lead singer who is the spark to the act but after trying to attempt to make them sultry by moving Deena into Effie’s lead spot he later also switches his love interest to her too. This prompts Effie to erupt into a rage prompted more by the hurt than the loss of her singing slot which causes the act to replace her with a new girl called Michelle. The Dreams (no longer the Dreamettes) continue to thrive and achieve international stardom and a string of chart-topping hits.

Life for the Dreams is not so smooth with Lorrell who has taken up with the married James Thunder Early being disappointed with the fact that he will not leave his wife and Deena who is now married to Curtis wanting to leave the act to pursue a career in the movies. As the Dreams seem to be falling apart, Effie has now become a solo act and is enjoying her return to fame.

Curtis tries to undermine Effie’s new revitalised career by ensuring that the Dreams record her current hit song in an attempt to push her down the music charts. Effie however manages to outmanoeuvre him triumphantly on both a professional and personal level.

After Deena decides that she needs to move on, it is announced that the Dreams will disband and on their farewell performance they are joined by Effie one last time before they all go their separate ways.

The music in the show was outstanding with a variety of styles from Motown, R&B, soul to the sensational ballads which brought rapturous applause from the audience throughout the whole of the show.

As to the cast, I would normally write a little something about the main cast but for this show, the whole cast was just stunning with their dancing, choreography and to me the most powerful and harmonious voices I have ever heard in a musical production, and you could tell from the vibe of the audience that I was not the only one who thought this.

The multipurpose set was used to its advantage for each scene. The use of angles and perspective was skilfully done in the blocking stage, as often the cast headed to the back of the stage, or a corner of the stage to act as if they were performing their routines and numbers whilst the audience focussed on what was happening at the front of the stage at the same time which was both brilliant and clever.

A final shout out goes to the costumes which are always a favourite of mine, and I was not disappointed with the variety from little dresses, slim fitting fish-tailed gowns, business suits to glittering sequined showstopper suits.

The Demon Dentist Review

Belgrade Theatre Coventry – until October 29th 2022 

Reviewed by Sarah Harris ( and Isla age 13) 

5*****

An outstanding stage adaptation by Birmingham Stage Company of one of David Walliams much loved children’s novels which is a must see for both young and old. 

The story  follows Alfie ( Sam Varley) a 12 year old boy and his friend Gabz (Georgia Grant-Anderson) as they try to find out who is leaving horrible things under children’s pillows when they leave a tooth out for the tooth fairy. 

We also see the relationship between Alfie and his disabled Dad (James Mitchell) as they accept they need help from a new social worker Winnie (Misha Malcolm). 

And no David Walliams story is complete without an appearance from Raj the shop keeper who is expertly brought to the stage by Zain Abrahams. 

Alfie and Gabz discover that the new dentist Miss Root (Emily Harrigan) is not as nice as she seems which takes them on an adventure to find out the truth and stop her. 

The show was entertaining and full of humour that was enjoyable for both young and old. It brought a much loved book alive. The Demon Dentist made some children scream out loud in the theatre but in a fun way. 

The actors playing children were so good they made you forget they were adults and Alfie’s singing voice was brilliant. 

Choreography (Paul Chantry and Rae Piper) was fun especially the improvisation scene which made us laugh out loud. 

The set was fantastic (designed by Jackie Trousdale) and changes were smooth. Although not a musical the songs sung were very good. 

The entire cast were absolutely amazing and this show is perfect for families and friends of all ages although younger children may be a little scared.