Month: February 2019

Union Theatre, London – until 9th March

Reviewed by Lisa Harlow

2**

The Phil Willmott Company brings this Belle Epoque era experience to the stage as part of the ‘Enemies of the People’ Essential Classics season.

It is set in Paris at a time of the introduction of the daring and vivacious can-can dance. Willmott has ‘freely adapted’ the ideas set within Pinero’s romantic comedy Trelawny of the Wells, in which a London theatre troupe take on a well to do family. Alongside many of Offenbach’s musical pieces are those of his contemporaries, with the production being the outcome of Wilmott’s exploration of a time full of librettos, waltz and advancing freedoms in fashion and expression.

If the focus and energy had been harnessed from the dancing,or indeed, more dancing had featured, this would have been a very different performance. The dynamism from the beginning and end dances were exciting and a worthwhile feast for the eyes, and the ballet duet between Christian (Damjan Mrackovich) and Jane (Kathy Peacock) was poetical and graceful. Beyond these interludes of movement, there lay a cliché storyline.

The stereotypical roles both in the theatre troupe of ‘gypsies’ in contrast to the starched family of bankers (the Bontoux) played out predictably. After Jane’s engagement to Christian is tested beyond limit, pushing her to return to her theatre family, the storyline plods along with some light-hearted moments and amiable musical numbers. The action is all rather lacklustre however, in spite of the best efforts of some of the cast members. Offenbach (Sam Woods) himself is a figure of frothy fun throughout and Monsieur Bontoux’s (Phil Willmott) revelations are entirely perplexing. If only the flair and colour provided from the dancing could have injected more life force into the plot. The promise of the title and the historical era it is set within, unfortunately failed to deliver any feathery vibrancy and depth.

Soho Theatre London -until 16th February

Reviewed by Heather Chalkley

4****

We were thinking our view of the stage is blocked until this bear of a man walked on. Comedian Garrett Millerick carries a big presence both physically and energetically. His use of the stage and booming voice fills the room.

Millerick tells a story of two halves, sown together with an honesty and sensitivity that keeps the audience fully engaged. He unfolds the traumatic experience of loosing a baby and almost loosing his wife. The overwhelming impression is his love, to do the the thing he does best and desperately holds on to throughout- to make his wife laugh. With no control over everything else happening, he could at the very least do that.

Millerick’s command of the stage was balanced with the real emotion seen in his eyes, the soft and light tones of his voice. He uses the spoken word to build a clear picture of that awful night, leaving you with no illusions about how desperate it was. He gave a true life experience of how impersonal the NHS can become when it is at full stretch and beyond. There will be some part of this performance that will strike a cord with every audience member and then make you laugh harder and deeper as a result. Because you can find something to laugh about in the context of every situation. Garrick says, in fact it is important to do that so you can live through it. Garrick illustrated this with examples of humorous situations taken out of context and turned into something nasty and ugly by the national press.

In the end the self professed clown finished with the chorus of Chesney Hawk’s ‘I am the one and only’, which was very funny within the context!

Old Red Lion Theatre -until 2 March

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Rachel Harper’s new play opens with Em (Harper) standing on a station platform, ready to step over the yellow line into the path of an approaching train. She doesn’t but spots a baby carrier on the platform. Unable to recognise the baby as her own, Em reluctantly stays with it and begins talking about her life and what brought her to this point.

Harper, drawing from one woman’s real-life experience and therapy sessions, has created a fast-paced monologue that perfectly captures Em’s fractured mental state. The story swerves back and forth from Em’s tragic childhood to her unhappy marriage to musings about motherhood in the animal kingdom with moments of frank horror and dark, dark humour. Em’s armour against the world is her humour, but Harper masterfully captures the near hysteria in her laughter that could turn into a heartrending howl of pain in a heartbeat. Harper’s performance is dynamic and pitch perfect. She is never still, in the quieter moments Em’s inner turmoil is always visible, through drumming fingers or almost unnoticeable tiny movements of her head and hands.

Even though Em is a dog groomer, she constantly returns to the fact that she cannot understand why people would want a pet or a child to take care of. There are some lovely lines about babies being master manipulators to avoid being dumped in the woods, and the descriptions of Em’s husband, Ian, are wonderfully bitchy. Amongst the belly laughs, postnatal depression, mental stress and breakdowns are discussed with arch humour but unsentimental and piercing understanding. The comparison of the Japanese art of repairing a broken pot using gold and “fixing” a shattered mind is one will set you giggling and sobbing at the same time.

This engaging and entertaining play is a wonderful way to open dialogue about pre and postnatal depression and needs to be seen by as wide an audience as possible.

Lyric Hammersmith presents a bold new production ofNoises Off directed by Jeremy Herrin

By Michael Frayn

Directed by Jeremy Herrin

Designed by Max Jones

A Lyric Hammersmith production 

27 June 2019 – 27 July 2019

Michael Frayn’s award winning Noises Off makes a welcome return to the Lyric Hammersmith nearly forty years since it premiered to great acclaim at the theatre in 1982 and instantly became an iconic British comedy. The multi award winning backstage comedy, which runs from 27 June until 27 July, will be directed by Jeremy Herrin and designed by Max Jones in a new production.

With technical brilliance and split-second timing, it takes us behind the scenes with a company of actors in a hilarious and heartfelt tribute to the unpredictability of life in the theatre.

Hailed as one of the funniest plays of all time, Noises Off makes its triumphant return to the Lyric almost 40 years on, in a bold new production by Jeremy Herrin (Wolf Hall/This House) for fans to enjoy and new audiences to discover.

Michael Frayn said, “It’s a great personal pleasure for me, of course, to see my play come home, after all its travels around the world in the last forty years, to the theatre where it took its first hopeful but still uncertain steps.”

Casting and full creative team to be announced.

Michael Frayn has written sixteen plays, including Copenhagen, Afterlife, Benefactors, Donkeys’ Years, and Democracy. He has also translated for the theatre, mostly Chekhov and other plays from the Russian, and adapted Chekhov’s first, untitled play as Wild Honey.  He has written a number of screenplays, including Clockwise, starring John Cleese. His eleven novels include The Tin Men,Towards the End of the Morning, Headlong, Spies, and Skios. He has also published various collections of articles, including Collected Columns, Stage Directions, and Travels with a Typewriter; two works of philosophy, Constructions and The Human Touch; and a memoir, My Father’s Fortune.  His most recent book, Matchbox Theatre, a collection of thirty short entertainments, was produced on the stage by Hampstead Theatre in May 2015. Copenhagen was revived at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2018 (director Michael Blakemore).

Jeremy Herrin is Artistic Director of Headlong. His directing credits for Headlong include All My Sons(The Old Vic), Labour of Love (Noël Coward Theatre); People, Places and Things (National Theatre/West End/UK Tour/New York); This House (National Theatre/West End/UK Tour), Common (National Theatre); The House They Grew Up In (Chichester Festival Theatre); Junkyard (Bristol Old Vic/Theatr Clwyd/Rose Theatre Kingston); The Nether (Royal Court/West End); Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme (UK Tour) and The Absence of War (UK Tour). Other directing credits include the world premiere of Hilary Mantel’s Man Booker prize-winning novels Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies in two parts (RSC/West End/Broadway) for which he was nominated for an Olivier and Tony Award for Best Director, That Face (Royal Court/Duke of York’s); Tusk Tusk for which he received an Evening Standard Award nomination, No Quarter, Hero and Kin, The Heretic, The Priory, The Vertical Hour (Royal Court); The Plough and the Stars (National Theatre, co-directed with Howard Davies); The Moderate Soprano (Hampstead Theatre); Another Country (Chichester Festival Theatre /West End); The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe); Uncle Vanya (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Absent Friends (Harold Pinter Theatre).

Max Jones is currently working on All My Sons (Old Vic). Credits include: Shakespeare In Love (UK tour); Crime and Punishment, A Streetcar Named Desire, Orpheus Descending (Bunkamura, Tokyo);Meek (Headlong); Close Quarters; Love and Information (Sheffield Theatre); The House They Grew Up In (Headlong and Chichester Festival Theatre); The Hypocrite (RSC/Hull Truck); The Shoemakers Holiday, Merry Wives of Windsor (RSC); True West (Citizens Theatre Glasgow & Tricycle, UK theatre award nomination,); Trainspotting, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, The Caretaker (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow); Pride and Prejudice (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre & UK tour); The York Mystery Plays (York Minster); The Crucible, Brilliant Adventures, Miss Julie (Royal Exchange);  A Time To Reap, Spur of the Moment (Royal Court); Così Fan Tutte (Welsh National Opera & UK tour); Little Shop of Horrors, Educating Rita, Glengarry Glen Ross, Bruised, A Doll’s House, Dancing at Lughnasa, Blackthorn, A Small Family Business, Mary Stuart, Measure for Measure, Two Princes, The Grapes of Wrath (Theatre Clwyd); Queen Coal (Sheffield Theatre);  The Broken Heart, The Tempest (Shakespeare’s Globe); Play Strindberg (Ustinov, Bath);  Much Ado About Nothing (NPAC, Japan); Of Mice and Men (West Yorkshire Playhouse); The Winter’s Tale (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre);  Twist of Gold (Polka Theatre); Fatherland (Gate Theatre and Munich); The Hard Man (King’s Edinburgh and UK Tour); Party (Arts Theatre); Mad Forest (JMK Award, BAC); Dumb Show (New Vic Theatre, Stoke); Sweeney Todd (Welsh National Youth Opera); The Lady from The Sea (Theatre Genedlaethol Cymru); Blasted (The Other Room); The Life of Ryan…and Ronnie (Script Cymru) and Salt Meets Wound (Theatre 503).

Max is a graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff and was a winner of the Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design in 2001. He was formerly an Associate Artist at Theatre Clwyd under Terry Hands.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR ACTING FOR OTHERS’ GOLDEN BUCKET AWARDS 2019

Theatrical charity, Acting for Others today announces the winners for the Golden Bucket Awards 2019. The ceremony took place at the Prince of Wales Theatre and was hosted by Carl Mullaney. The awards celebrate some of the most supportive and successful fundraisers who have helped the charity raise over £400K in the last twelve months both through bucket collections across UK theatres and a variety of events throughout the year.

The awards were attended by nominees and friends of the charity including Jenny Agutter, Christina Bianco, Samantha Bond, Kara Lily Hayworth, Sara Kestelman, Robert Lindsay and Dame Monica Mason. Presenters include Ben Forster, Ginny Holder, Danielle Hope, Geraldine James, John Partridge, Harriet Thorpe and Hannah Waddingham.

Stephen Waley-Cohen, said today, “We are delighted to see so many of our supporters at this year’s Golden Bucket Awards. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners and a huge thank you to everyone who has so generously donated throughout 2018 and made this a record-breaking year for Acting for Others!”

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

IT STARTS WITH A SPEECH

This award is for those that made the speech night after night encouraging audiences to donate, making a huge impact during the Bucket Collections in 2018.

Winner: John Partridge

FABULOUS FUNDRAISING AWARD

This award is for the most inventive way of fundraising for Acting for Others.

Winner: Patti LuPone

SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

This category is for those supporters that have spread the ‘Acting for Others’ message in person, on social media and always make a noise about our campaigns.

Winner: The Theatre Cafe

WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT YOU AWARD

This recognises those in the industry that actively promote donations throughout their companies and help to ensure the success of the theatre bucket collections – they are Acting for Others’ ‘go to’.

Winner: Bill Kenwright Ltd

SUPERSTAR AWARD

This is the award for someone that has gone above and beyond with their support for Acting for             Others.

Winner: Cleve September

FANTASTIC FRONT OF HOUSE AWARD

The generosity and dedication from the theatre management and front of house staff are invaluable. They are there for us coordinating the team and ready with the collection buckets each night.

Winners:Victoria Palace Theatre and Hamilton

THE GOLDEN BUCKET AWARD – REGIONAL

This is the regional theatre that raised the most in the 2018 Theatre collections.

Winner: Wicked and The Mayflower Theatre

THE GOLDEN BUCKET AWARD – LONDON

This is the London theatre that raised the most in the 2018 Theatre collections.

Winner: The Book of Mormon and Prince of Wales Theatre

Impatient Productions in association with CKP and InterTalent Group

Present

 Winner – Chortle Best Compere Award 2017

JUSTIN MOORHOUSE

NORTHERN JOKER

Comes to Leeds, Darwen, Burnley, Barnsley, Hull, Northallerton, Harrogate and Sheffield

Directed and script-edited by Henry Normal

UK TOUR 2018/2019

“NOT A MOMENT WITHOUT LAUGHTER. HE SMASHED THE HOUR OUT OF THE PARK.” ****Chortle

Following his highly anticipated return to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018, award-winning comedian Justin Moorhouse is pleased to announce the UK tour of his brand-new show.

“HE CHARMS THE PANTS OFF THE CROWD” Sunday Times

These days Justin’s not certain about anything apart from his uncertainty – Brexit looms, it appears the Cold War is being rebooted and that’s before we begin to worry about what’s happening in America…closer to home he’s starting to feel redundant as a parent. One kid is leaving home, the dog is getting older and needs fewer walks, and the youngest kid hits thirteen and cancels the family subscription to The Beano.

On top of this the golden age of the Northern straight white male comedian has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Can he adapt to survive? What next for this Northern Joker? What can he talk to his daughter about now she cares little for Dennis the Menace and the Bash St Kids? Hang on. Perhaps nothing has changed that much. When he was thirteen, the Russians were scary, the White House was a madhouse and he’d never been to Europe anyhow. Thinking back this is when his reading habits changed too, more Dark Knight than Desperate Dan, more Catwoman than Minnie the Minx. Perhaps our heroes never went away…they just waited for us to pick them up again. Perhaps she just needs a different type of comic….

“HILARIOUS STORYTELLING COMBINED WITH A QUICK WIT.” **** British Theatre Guide

Justin has performed around the world and his TV and film credits include tiger-faced Young Kenny In Phoenix Nights, Ken Loach’s Looking for Eric,Live At The Apollo, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow ,8 out of 10 Cats and Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled.

He’s also a regular contributor to BBC’s The Premier League show.

He has won Celebrity Mastermind majestically, won fortunes for charity on Celebrity Storage Hunters and lost even more magnificently on Celebrity Eggheads and Pointless Celebrities (twice)

“SIMULTANEOUSLY DOWN TO EARTH AND OUT OF THIS WORLD” List

On radio he has written and starred in two series of his own Radio 4 sitcom Everyone Quite Likes Justinand often appears on Radio 4’s The News Quiz. He’s a regular on 5 Live’s Fighting Talk. He is also a frequent guest on Shaun Keaveny’s Breakfast Show and Radcliffe and Maconie in The Afternoon (both 6 Music). He also pops up on TalkSport often as well as helming his own critically acclaimed podcast, About 30 Minutes, No More Than 45. 

www.justinmoorhouse.com  |    justinmoorhouse    |    @justinmoorhouse

Listings information:

Venue:              The Wardrobe LEEDS

Dates               Thursday 28th February

Time:                7.30pm

Box Office:        0113 383 8800

Online:              thewardrobe.co.uk

Venue:              Library Theatre DARWEN

Dates:               Friday 8^th March

Time:                7.30pm

Box Office:        0844 847 1664

Online:              darwenlibrarytheatre.com

Venue:              Mechanics BURNLEY

Dates:               Friday 22^nd March

Time:               8.00pm

Box Office:        01282 66 44 00

Online:              burnleymechanics.co.uk

Venue:              The Civic BARNSLEY

Dates:               Saturday 23^rd March

Time:                8.00pm

Box Office:        01226 327 000

Online:              barnsleycivic.co.uk

Venue               Fruitspace HULL

Dates:               Thursday 4^th April

Time:                8.00pm

Box Office:        01482 22 11 13

Online:              fruitspace.co.uk

Venue:              The Forum NORTHALLERTON

Dates:               Friday 5^th April

Time:                8.00pm

Box Office:        01609 776 230

Online:             forumnorthallerton.org.uk

Venue:              The Studio Theatre HARROGATE

Dates:               Saturday 4^th May

Time:                8.30pm

Box Office:        01423 502 116

Online:              harrogatetheatre.co.uk

Venue:              City Hall SHEFFIELD

Dates:               Sunday 5^th May

Time:                8.00pm

Box Office:        0114 2789 789

Online:              sheffieldcityhall.sivtickets.com

Charles Court Opera’s 10th Gilbert & Sullivan season at King’s Head Theatre, H.M.S. Pinafore, to be a joyous homage to the golden age of technicolour that satirises ‘entrenched British class divisions.’

Season: Wednesday 10 April – Saturday 11 May

Following nine critically-acclaimed, wildly popular seasons of Gilbert & Sullivan’s beloved operettas at King’s Head Theatre, internationally-renowned chamber opera company Charles Court Opera’s humorous, heartfelt and high energy take on H.M.S. Pinafore will run from 10 April to 11 May 2019, with a press night on Tuesday 16 April.

In the 15 years since the company was formed, Charles Court Opera have toured Gilbert & Sullivan productions across the UK and USA to some of the most high-profile venues and arts festivals and have built a reputation as ‘the masters of Gilbert & Sullivan in small spaces’ (Camden New Journal). In 2016, they became an Associate Company of King’s Head Theatre.

H.M.S. Pinafore is set on board a strictly hierarchical naval ship and satirises the rigid British class system. Josephine, the Captain’s daughter has fallen in love with a lowly sailor, Ralph Rackstraw, despite being promised to the First Lord of the Admiralty.

Featuring some of Sullivan’s best loved music, including ‘I am the Monarch of the sea’ and ‘He is an Englishman,’ audiences can expect an evening of rollicking choruses and tender tunes imbued with unique wit and infectious energy in a show suitable for all ages, that harks back to the golden age of technicolour.

Director John Savournin said ‘I’m delighted to bring our visually explosive and playfully joyous production of H.M.S. Pinafore, in our 10th Gilbert & Sullivan season, to King’s Head Theatre. In an age where British class divisions seem more entrenched than ever, Gilbert & Sullivan’s witty satire is not only superb entertainment, it’s incredibly relevant to the times in which we live.

York Theatre Royal until Saturday 23 February 2019.

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

4****

Grease is the word, is the word that you heard, it’s got groove, it’s got meaning, Grease is the time, is the place, is the motion, Grease is the way we are feeling. Yes, Grease with its feast of 1950’s music and dance, has come to York Theatre this February thanks to York Light. Grease is one of the best known musicals thanks to the John Travolta and Olivia Newton John film, which is over 40 years old (how did that happen?).

Grease follows a group of high school kids from the fifties, going back to school as seniors after summer break. Sandy (Sarah Craggs) is new to the school and is taken under the wing of the Pink Ladies, Frenchy (Hannah Witcomb), Jan (Fiona Baistow), Marty (Rachael Whitehead) and of course Rizzo (Emma-Louise Dickinson). Meanwhile Danny (James Horsman) is the leader of the T-Birds, Kenickie (Jack Armstrong), Doody (William Darwin), Roger (Finn East) and Sonny (Jonathan Wells). What follows is the story of friendship, love and teenage pressure, and of course all those memorable, iconic tunes.

Horsman played Danny as a lot gentler character than we are used to, his vocals were smooth, and the perfect partner for this Sandy, in fact they are a couple in real life. There is a lot of energy on stage, and with a few of the audience, who were singing along with hands in the air for quite a bit of the performance. The cast really looked like they were having a blast, who can blame them, doing what they love, singing and dancing to a packed audience?

One of the highlights of the show for me was the “Mooning” scene, a duet with Roger and Jan. It was hilarious and got the whole audience going, both are truly wonderful. East is such a presence on stage, with his over the top expressions and comic timing, it so works in this production. As for Baistow, she was just an energetic bundle during the dance routines, mesmerising to watch. Another highlight was of course Kenickie and the T-Birds performing “Greased Lightnin’”, probably the most well known of all the songs in the show. Armstrong was amazing as the supposed bad boy, who is really just a softy. He is a real talent and I would love to have seen him in the lead role in the future, hopefully a star in the making.

The set is quite simple, but more than effective, with the use of panels, benches and of course Kenickie’s car. The band, led by John Atkin, did great justice to all the fabulous tunes, that we know so well. Hair and costumes had that true 50’s feel, men with slicked back hair, combs always at hand, and the girls in their full skirts. There was also quite a bit of sparkle in the Teen Angel scene, and I do love a bit of sparkle. Teen Angel (Richard Bayton,) got probably one of the loudest cheers on the night and he sure camped it up, he is a well known face at York Theatre Royal.

It was sometimes hard to remember that this was an amateur production with a predominantly young cast. It was performed with such energy and enthusiasm that it was catching. I had such a grin on my face for most of the show, what more could anyone ask for? This show is a must see for any age. Please go and see it and support this local drama group, you will leave feeling so much happier, with a smile on your face, you will not be disappointed.

York Theatre Royal – 13 February 2019

Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

5*****

Gypsy Queen a match both in and out of the ring. A play that explores the world of sexuality and sport, and how the two rarely intertwine. Written by Rob Ward, a plays of two actors follows the life of ‘Gorgeous’ George a gypsy who gets into professional wrestling, and Dane ‘The Pain’. The two form a close bond as sparring partners and end up romantically together. George who hasn’t come to terms with his sexuality and we watch as their relationship changes both characters. We are given themes of identity as George is stuck between polar worlds such as being a gypsy, gay and getting into boxing from scrapping.

The two actors on stage are the writer of the play Rob Ward and John Askew, playing a multitude of character but mainly focusing on the two main characters. The play is something beautiful and the way both actors approached it created such a moving piece. Askew played Dane, a boxer open with his sexuality, trapped under his father empowering grip; Askew takes on other roles such as George’s mother, giving some good comic relief in the play, yet still dealing with an important issues properly. Ward played George, Ward does a phenomenal job of giving the character a story that is both heart breaking and engages the audience with a lot of attention. Both the actors know how to work with each other on stage both as different characters and as actors. One of the best aspects of the show isn’t the relationships with Dane and George but all the relationships, that of a mother, a father, and a lover.

It has been a while since I have been blown away from a show on this level; a play where we can really focus on the acting without the need for a large distracting set, we listen to what the actors are saying and for me personally the issues raised become more relevant.

The stage did have a changing room bench which was used for many things, smart little scene changes were both effective and quick done by the two actors on stage, a no fuss, no frills situation. Music in the show was thought out and changes scenes so much making them raw and emotional, Artic Monkey’s ‘Do I Wanna Know?’ made an appearance lending itself to be a good fight style song. The lighting was also simple with only three colours used, your basic stage lights and red and blue. Everything was thought out and fitted perfectly with each other and the show.

With the amount of shows I have seen, it’s very rare that I am moved this much by a performance, that’s not saying all the other shows are bad, it’s to say that this show was in a league much higher than your average show. Lasting for ninety minutes with no interval we are deeply submerged into the show. Its a show that is captivating and creates a story that is beautiful beyond words. The show is on tour until 26th of February across the UK and I would highly suggest you watch, if I could force you to watch I would.

The Lowry, Salford – until Sunday 17th February 2019

Reviewed by Julie Noller

4****

Billionaire Boy written by one of Britains most loved all round entertainers and good guy David Walliams was published back in 2010. Along with with his numerous other titles it’s popularity remains to this day with many school children enjoying reading and delighting in the humour within it’s pages. My own teenagers accompanied me to a show that had a pantoesque feeling and warm welcome from the outset.

This is a musical with show tunes and key changes mid song. All that’s missing is a staircase and a water feature to be a true old school film musical. The creative team is a mutli-award winning talented one, writers, lyricist and composers Miranda Cooper and Nick Coler have worked with stars such as Kylie, Sugarbabes and Girls Aloud; Jon Brittain in 2017 was awarded an Olivier. So you know those tunes will be catchy and they are indeed. The audience is predominately young children but that should not stop you going and enjoying it’s simple, easy to follow story, but as with all of David Walliams books there is a strong moral compass running throughout.

Billionaire Boy is a moral story that children will understand and a warming tale many adults will be pleased to be reminded of. There’s chuckles a plenty throughout and sometimes I wondered if the humour was too close to the bone in a very camp David Walliams of Little Britain fame; but don’t worry it’s only as close to the bone as a traditional panto is; where silliness shines through and there’s lots of giggling.

In one scene the school bullies Dave and Sue Grubb (Jared Leathwood and Natalie Morgan) are doing their thing, their words are bleeped out and I heard a mother and child from the row behind me ‘it’s instead of a naughty word’ ‘are they swearing Mummy? That’s bad’ We’ve all had those conversations when out and about.

The interaction with the audience is fantastic, from narration by Sophia Nomvete who incidentally also plays a variety of characters from the upstanding lovely Bobs Mum – Gwen to hilarious and rather ridiculous substitute school teacher Peter Bread. Avita Jay is the star of reality TV show and gold digger Sapphire and I dare you to not wonder which star she’s based on, but as shop owner Jay the inventor of the microphone mop she is a firm audience favourite; linking with the audience to usher in the second act, again in a throwback to panto we have the promise of sweets but get lettuce chucked off stage.

Lem Knights deserves a round of applause he was quite easily us older patrons favourite character, from Bob to the Spuds cleaning lady I couldn’t take my eyes away from his camp movements and even wondered if his influences came from watching soaps such as Eastenders. Ryan Heenan is Joe Spud our 12 year old Billionaire Boy who just wants an ordinary life, to attend his local comprehensive school, have friends any friends. He’s lonely and any Mum or Dad watching in the audience will feel the pull on their heart strings for isn’t it all any of us really want for our children to be truly happy?

Dean Nolan is Len Spud inventor of BumFresh that still has me in fits of laughter (yes I gave in to childish humour and it felt great) the man who has forgotten how to be a parent and in his own fit of loneliness throws his money into buying lot’s of expensive ill fitting wigs. All Joe wants is his time and his love and that message has got lost along with his hair and his amazing shepherds pie recipe. But when he buys the headmaster a brand new Harley Davidson and even pays Lauren (Eleanor Kane). Well it’s a step too far and as the play is wrapping up, everything is imploding in Joe Spuds life.

Dean Nolan is also Mrs Trafe from the school canteen with it’s disgusting food, she is the Pantomime dame of Billionaire Boy especially after using the money Joe gives her for a hip replacement on cosmetic enhancements. This is one of my many highlights that had me in stitches.

Billionaire Boy is fantastically camp, warm and witty. You’ll leave humming even singing those big show tune numbers. It works so well as a musical in fact it’s great strength may just be that it’s a fabulous starting block into the world of musicals for those younger and not so younger patrons of the theatre.

It’s strength throughout is it’s moral story line of loneliness, money doesn’t buy you happiness; simple happiness is sharing a chocolate bar with a friend and not buying the whole shop. There’s also the encouraging theme of talking about bullying and it’s effects on everyone. As with all Walliams stories the good guys despite their purple bottoms from minty BumFresh and becoming bankrupt they always win in the end and everyone is just happy in warm fuzzy glow as you will be leaving the theatre.