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Maeve Binchy novel brought to life on stage for first time tours to The Lowry

Minding Frankie
Tue 19 – Sat 23 June

Breda Cashe Productions presents the world premiere production of Maeve Binchy’s Minding Frankie, adapted for the stage by Shay Linehan and directed by Peter Sheridan.

Minding Frankie is a family love story by one of Ireland’s most popular writers. Full of Maeve Binchy’s trademark wisdom, warmth, and humour, the hugely popular novel has now been adapted for the stage. Directed by Peter Sheridan and starring Steve Blount and Clare Barrett, ‘Minding Frankie’ is at The Lowry Tue 19 – Sat 23 June.

Noel Lynch is struggling with an alcohol addiction, when he gets a call from Stella, a girlfriend with whom he shared a drunken weekend. Stella is having Noel’s child; she is also dying from cancer. Noel must raise their daughter, Frankie. Social worker, Moira Tierney, has other ideas, and is prepared to do battle for custody of the child. In order to prevail, Noel must prove that he can fill a woman’s shoes, break all the stereotypes, and become the best mother than he can be. Along the way, he discovers that it takes a village to rear a child, or at least a street.

Maeve Binchy is one of those rare writers – like Dickens, Wilde, Shaw, Behan – whose work springs from their larger-than-life personalities. More so than other writers, their unique voices are captured in their work. This production of ‘Minding Frankie’ once again makes Maeve’s voice available to all those who love her, and to those who will come to love her.

Liz Pichon’s best-selling series TOM GATES comes alive on stage for the first time!

The award-winning series of books TOM GATES will receive its world stage premiere at the Capitol Theatre, Horsham on 14 February 2019 followed by a year-long UK tour. The producers behind the Olivier award nominated Gangsta Granny and the celebrated Horrible Histories stage shows have teamed up with acclaimed author and illustrator Liz Pichon to create a brand new story exclusively for the stage.

The show follows Tom as he tries to keep out of trouble while things go increasingly wrong at home and school. It features favourite characters from the stories including Tom’s best friends Derek and Norman and their band Dogzombies. It’s not easy to impress Amy Porter and moany Marcus Meldew is doing his best to disrupt things while their teacher Mr Fullerman keeps his beady eye on them all. Things aren’t made easier when his grandparents – The Fossils – announce a big surprise and his Mum, Dad and sister Delia are doing everything to make his life difficult, which means Tom will need all the help he can get to save the day!

With 14 books in the Tom Gates series so far, Liz Pichon is a multiple number one bestselling children’s author and illustrator. Over 5 million copies of Tom Gates books have sold in the UK and abroad and the Tom Gates series has been translated into 43 languages. Liz has won over 20 awards including the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for ‘Best Fiction for 5 to 12 year olds’, multiple Specsaver Bestseller Awards and a Blue Peter Book Award – and badge! In 2017, Liz was the World Book Day illustrator.

The Birmingham Stage Company, which is celebrating its 25^th anniversary year, is the award-winning producers of David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny and Awful Auntie. The company produce all the Horrible Histories shows live on stage including the West End productions of Barmy Britain. The company also performs internationally, including David Almond’s Skellig on Broadway and Horrible Histories at The Sydney Opera House.

Tom Gates is an amazing adventure for all the family, especially for children from 5 to 12.

The show is adapted by Liz Pichon and Neal Foster with music by Mark Flannery, directed by Neal Foster, designed by Jackie Trousdale, lighting by Jason Taylor and sound by Nick Sagar.

Tour dates currently on sale are:

Capitol Theatre, Horsham                                   14 – 17 Feb 2019

Bristol Hippodrome                                               20 – 23 Feb 2019

Lyceum Theatre, Crewe                                       27 Feb – 2 Mar 2019

Darlington Hippodrome                                       6 – 9 Mar 2019

New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham             13 – 16 Mar 2019

Richmond Theatre                                                 20 – 24 Mar 2019

King’s Theatre, Southsea                                     27 – 31 Mar 2019

Guild Hall, Preston                                                 10 – 14 Apr 2019

Liverpool Empire                                                    17 – 21 Apr 2019

New Theatre, Hull                                                  1 – 5 May 2019

Milton Keynes Theatre                                         8 – 11 May 2019

Swan Theatre, High Wycombe                           5 – 9 Jun 2019

Playhouse, Weston Super Mare                        12 – 16 Jun 2019

More dates on sale soon…

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR UK TOUR OF

84 CHARING CROSS ROAD 

STARRING STEFANIE POWERS AND CLIVE FRANCIS

Cambridge Arts Theatre and Lee Dean in association with Salisbury Playhouse present

84 CHARING CROSS ROAD

By Helene Hanff, adapted by James Roose-Evans

Director: Richard Beecham; Designer: Norman Coates; Lighting Designer: Chris Davey; Sound Designer: Chris Warner; Composer and Musical Director: Rebecca Applin

On tour:

23 May – 30 June

Cambridge Arts Theatre today announce full casting for James Roose-Evans’ adaptation of Helene Hanff’s novel 84 Charing Cross Road, in collaboration with Lee Dean and Salisbury Playhouse. Joining the previously announced Stefanie Powers (Helene Hanff) and Clive Francis (Frank Doel) are Fiona Bruce (Mrs Todd), Loren O’Dair (Megan/Maxine), William Oxborrow (Mr Martin), Samantha Sutherland (Cecily Farr) and Ben Tolley(Bill Humphries/Alvin). The production opens at Darlington Hippodrome on Wednesday 23 May before touring to Wolverhampton, Malvern, Richmond, Oxford and finishing at Cambridge Arts Theatre on 30 June. 

A tender and heart-warming tale of transatlantic friendship, 84 Charing Cross Road is a bittersweet comedy based on the extraordinary true story of the remarkable relationship that developed over 20 years between a vivacious New York writer and a London bookseller. Through their exchange of humorous and often intimate correspondence a snapshot of Britain from the post-war 1940s to the swinging 60s is revealed, alongside a touching human story that still resonates today.

Helene Hanff (1916-1997) was an American novelist and screenwriter whose principal works include 84 Charing Cross Road, Q’s Legacy, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street and Underfoot in Show Business.

James Roose-Evans founded the Hampstead Theatre in London and The Bleddfa Centre for the Creative Spirit. His numerous credits also include a landmark adaptation of Laurie Lee’s Cider with Rosie; and directing Sir John Gielgud’s last appearance on the London stage. He is the first British theatre director to be ordained a non-stipendiary priest, and has preached in Westminster Abbey, Winchester, Chichester, Gloucester, and Norwich cathedrals. 

Fiona Bruce plays Mrs Todd. Recent theatre credits include Scrooge! (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), The Snow Queen (Theatre by the Lake, Keswick), Once (Phoenix Theatre and Seoul , South Korea), Mother Courage and Her Children (Watford Palace Theatre), The Waltz (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Threepenny Opera (London Bubble Theatre), The Mayor of Casterbridge (Cheltenham Everyman), and Playing for Time (Salisbury Playhouse). For television, her credits include Last of The Summer Wine, The Royal; and for film, Brothers of War.

Loren O’Dair plays Maxine/Megan. Theatre credits include The Grinning Man, Celebrity Night at Café Red(Trafalgar Studios), King Lear (Shakespeare’s Globe), Still Waiting (Vault Festival and Battersea Arts Centre),Made in Dagenham (Queens Theatre Hornchurch and New Wolsey Ipswich), The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (US tour), Once (Phoenix Theatre), The Jungle Book (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow) and Sexing The Cherry(Southbank Centre). For television her credits include Rellik.

William Oxborrow plays Mr Martin. Theatre credits include I Happen To Like New York (The Orange Tree Theatre), Saving Jason (Park Theatre), Guys and Dolls (Savoy Theatre and UK tour), As You Like It(Shakespeare’s Globe and UK tour) The Tempest (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Boyband (Gielgud Theatre), The Deep Blue Sea (Royal Exchange, Manchester) The Picture of Dorian Gray (Gate Theatre, Dublin), The Clandestine Marriage (Queen’s Theatre), The Madness of George III (National Theatre), A Clockwork Orange, The Silent Woman, Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet (RSC). For television, his credits includeRosemary and Thyme, Spooks and The Mrs Bradley Mysteries; and for film, Muppets Most Wanted, Sweeney Todd and All the King’s Ladies.

Samantha Sutherland plays Cecily Farr. Her theatre credits include The Recruiting Officer (Salisbury Playhouse), Beauty and the Beast (Tobacco Factory), The Paper Dolls (Polka Theatre) and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Les Enfants Terribles). For television, her credits include The Green Green Grass.

Ben Tolley plays Bill Humphries/Alvin. His theatre credits include Dusty (Charing Cross Theatre), As You Like It, Macbeth, The Changeling and Beauty and the Beast (Tobacco Factory), Dickens and The Great Operatic Disaster (Nuffield Southampton Theatres), Dick Whittington (Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford), Dreamboats and Petticoats (UK tour) and Matilda and Duffy’s Stupendous Space Adventure and Pinafore Swing (The Watermill Theatre, Newbury). His television credits include The Jury II and The Great Escape – The Untold Journey. 

Richard Beecham directs.  His theatre credits include Broken Glass (Watford Palace Theatre), Driving Miss Daisy (Theatre Royal Bath and UK tour), Rose (Home, Manchester) Playing for Time (Sheffield Theatres),Dancing at Lughnasa, In Praise of Love, Humble Boy (Royal & Derngate, Northampton), Rutherford & Son(Northern Stage), Red Light Winter, In A Garden, Henry IV Part 1 (Theatre Royal Bath), The Invention of Love, The School for Scandal, The Miser, Side by Side by Sondheim (Salisbury Playhouse), A Taste of Honey, Neville’s Island, How The Other Half Loves (Watford Palace Theatre), The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Private Lives, Charley’s Aunt, Black Comedy/Real Inspector Hound (Northcott Theatre Exeter) and Entertaining Mr Sloane, Early One Morning (Octagon Theatre Bolton). Beecham also curates large cultural events including theNational Commemorative Event for Holocaust Memorial Day (Newcastle Theatre Royal), and The Human Cost(Young Vic London). He is an Associate Artist of HighTide Festival Theatre. For film, his work includes The Guitar. 

84 CHARING CROSS ROAD                                                                                                                                Listings                                                                                  

Darlington Hippodrome
23 – 26 May 2018
Box Office: 01325 405405
www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
29 May – 2 June 2018

Box Office: 01902 429 212
www.grandtheatre.co.uk

Malvern Festival Theatre
4 – 9 June 2018

Box Office: 01684 892277
www.malvern-theatres.co.uk

Richmond Theatre
11 – 16 June 2018

Box Office: 0844 871 7651
www.atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre

Oxford Playhouse
18 – 23 June 2018

Box Office: 01865 305305
www.oxfordplayhouse.com 

Cambridge Arts Theatre
26 – 30 June 2018

Box Office: 01223 503333

www.cambridgeartstheatre.com 

Southwark Playhouse – until 19 May

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

This remarkable show is the result of speaking with 10,000 children and young people aged between 6 and 22 from all around the UK to find out about the impact of pornography on their lives.

Pornography is a lot easier to access for the young nowadays, they don’t even have to actively search for it, with ads popping up on their devices. Whereas adults can go into panic mode at the thought of children accessing porn, Why is the Sky Blue? tackles the issue with careful thought, heart and understanding.

Abbey Wright, Shireen Mula and Matt Regan have collated the interviews and created a mix of comedy, interviews and songs that the talented cast, aged between 6 and 22, perform with a delightful confidence and light touch. The message isn’t preachy, it just presents the reality of the situation and the effect porn can have on young lives.

Masturbation, porn addiction, the representation of minorities and women in porn are all discussed with endearing but hard-hitting honesty; either through witty songs or monologues, or in interviews between 2 of the cast. The older female cast sing about porn being produced for the male viewer, and have a very uncomfortable conversation (for the audience) about whether you can trust a boy who watches porn, and the question of consent. The teenage boys compare porn to junk food, and the underlying message of porn not actually filling the need for human contact and real love is beautifully realised in a song about connections where the love and touch of a mother is celebrated.

Why is the Sky Blue? is uncomfortable to watch at times, but the content is so important and presented in such an accessible, humorous and entertaining way that you can’t help but love it and admire the cast. This is a show that needs to travel around the country to let young people know that they aren’t alone in their fears and worries, and one which will hopefully start many important conversations between the generations.

Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield – until 5th May 2018.

Reviewed by Sophie Dodworth

3***

For the majority, when thinking of The Rat Pack; images of Frank Sinatra and his buddies, smoking and drinking on stage, glamorous ladies with beautiful voices will spring to mind. That is pretty much what you find during the two act Live From Las Vegas, West End production. This is not just a touring tribute act. This is almost a carbon copy of the performances that the Rat Pack used to give their audiences in times gone by.

You are transported back in time to the luxurious Sands Hotel to see Sinatra, Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin lead the show. Vocals are backed by the wonderful Burelli sisters trio who also provide well choreographed routines. Special guest Ella Fitzgerald appears during the second half.

The stage is set and one by one we meet the popular singers…lots of dialog and banter between the main three acts. The personalities of each of the artists are well replicated and instantly you are most drawn to Dean Martin, played by Nigel Casey. Martin is the charming and tipsy comic that he was. Casey has the best voice out of the three main male acts, smooth, clear and evidently well trained.

Stephen Triffett playing Frank Sinatra, had all the Sinatra charm but lacked on the vocals somewhat due to poor diction in parts and just missing the absolute perfect edge that Franks voice had. Triffett sang some of the most famous out of the catalogue including ‘My Way’ and ‘New York, New York’.

David Hayes as Sammy Davis-Junior was full of energy, charisma and charm. Some fine dancing moves coming from his quick tapping feet and very similar in personality and voice to the original.

The Burelli Sister Trio, supplied the most harmonious backing vocals and also had a little stint on their own as their introduction which was spot on. The costumes that the glam three wear are a great depiction of the era and inject the necessary glamour, style and colour in to the show.

The star of the show that should have been centre stage for much more than she was, was Nicola Emmanuelle. What a voice, she was powerful and clear and filled every inch of the auditorium with her jazzy tones. The audience loved her portrayal of Ella Fitzgerald, applause galore.

The 11 piece band kept the stage alive at times and really ploughed energy in to the atmosphere throughout. Conducted by Martin Freeman.

This show is full of authenticities and if you look hard enough you will notice little touches like the fact that no actor has an individual body microphone and they just have the use of lead microphones at all times. Cigarettes are smoked on stage and of course the stage is set with the old school, typically cabaret, light up steps.

If you are a fan of this music then this would be the show you should make the effort to attend. You will be taken back in time and treat to some of the most famous songs from the Rat Pack era.

The Lowry, Salford – until Sunday May 6th 2018

Reviewed by Julie Noller

5***** 

Rudyard Kipling wrote his tale of man cub Mowgli in 1894, it was the story of a lost boy and his journey through life with the help of the jungle creatures. Over a hundred years later and it’s still a much loved story following mans inhumanity and his willingness to survive against all odds. I’m sure Rudyard Kipling never imagined that Walt Disney would work his cartoon magic; the version of his classic many of us are familiar with, the same could be said for tonights performance by The Children’s Touring Partnership alongside Royal and Derngate Northampton, a classic in the making. Jessica Swale and Joe Stilgoe as writer, composer and lyricists have worked their very own brand of magic to bring a new adaption to the stage. There is no age limit for this performance, old and young will all be drawn into the magical jungle world unfurling on stage. It’s funny in a basic down to earth, let’s just laugh way. It has spine chilling music, songs that you sway and clap along to.

We all know our favourite characters and they’re all there ticked off in The Jungle Book register. I admit to being confused when we first meet Mowgli being tucked in by his Mother as she sings him to sleep. He cradles his teddy bear and next we know the wolves are circling, the bed has gone and Mowgli is all alone. I wondered why the teddy bear was crying out and giggling and then realisation dawned I wasn’t looking at Mowgli and teddy bear but just Mowgli for Keziah Joseph was showing great skill as a puppet master, of course Mowgli was just a baby. Keziah Joseph brings Mowgli’s feisty nature and impetuousness to life as a young boy developing and moving towards adulthood. She sings and climbs around a fantastic adult playgroundesque set in a way Mowgli’s fellow wolf cubs can only watch in awe and wonder, I even looked on in envy, much like the kid at school who isn’t allowed to play and run with everyone else. The Wolf pack itself led by Tripti Tripuraneni as the ever watchful and wise Akela, welcomes Mowgli in as one of it’s own – the wolves dance, sing and howl around the stage swishing their tails and using a handy tool of two walking sticks each to cleverly give the impression of four legs better than two. Rachel Dawson is Mowgli’s best friend cub and believer Grey she also plays Kaa a rather larger and glittery Indian Python who despite not having hypnotic eyes whilst leading Mowgli astray does manage to aid his escape from the monkeys or should that be the funkies. Our pack of monkeys who resemble a west side posse, even venture into the audience, trying on jackets and attempting to find the elusive banana. They are desperate to be accepted and liked by the self proclaimed king of the jungle, the royal Bengal tiger called Shere Khan brilliantly portrayed by Lloyd Gorman who was rather a Keith Lemon meets Elvis kind of guy. His costume stood out as glitzy, his Elvis look of tight leather pants, quiffed hair, guyliner and Khan on the back of his jacket, rather like he should be entering into the boxing ring. It’s just one of many fantastically funny touches that make this a five star show.

The heroes of the performance who stood up for the man cub and thus invoking jungle law, in order to stop Shere Khan , Bagheera (Deborah Oyelade) the stealthy black panther (I’ve tried many times to watch the black panther at the zoo and know how easily it can hide in plain sight) she obviously takes inspiration from Eartha Kitts catwoman, she is strong and fiercely proud of being a woman she sounds like a princess from Wakanda but has a strong maternal side when it comes to teaching Mowgli the jungle laws and ways. In sharp contrast to Balloo (Dyfrig Morris) whose costume of furry tramp/clown dungarees helps us to understand this lovable rogue. Always looking for his next honey pot, it is Balloo who welcomes us back into our seats after the interval singing to us about sweets and fizzy pop all whilst starving and being extremely very thirsty (if I hadn’t been mid row I may just have thrown him a chocolate bar from a well known dietary lifestyle change) You know despite his bumbling ways he has Mowgli’s best interests at heart.

You want time to stand still, for Mowgli not to grow up, live for ever more as a man cub within the wolf pack. But time doesn’t and Mowgli makes the difficult decision to return to the man village. He steals the red flower which the animals tell him only man is not afraid of. Finally using both his intelligence, agility and animal courage to defeat Shere Khan once and for all. Encountering a local woman Mowgli finds himself torn, drawn to her but not understanding he feels pain in his chest and wonders why his eyes are leaking water down his face, a wonderfully sensitive, charming and once again humorous way to deal with sadness and emotion. It’s fair to say I loved this musical version of a well loved tale, I hummed and clapped along, laughed but above all I left with a huge smile as I’m sure did all the audience.

Northern Stage, Newcastle – until 5 May

Reviewed by Andy Bramfitt

4****

Following on from Playwright Bryony Lavery’s much acclaimed and award nominated Frozen, her adaptation of Graham Greene’s Brighton Rock is a darkly delicious descent into the anguish and turmoil of a young man trying to understand who he is and what is his place in life. Whilst Greene wrote this story in 1938, the themes and characters are instantly recognisable today, thanks in the main to the brilliant directing of Pilot Theatre’s Esther Richardson, who uses both traditional and contemporary techniques to present the multiple personas constantly in bitter struggles with themselves.

The story focuses on Pinkie, a 17 year old wannabe gang leader who craves respect far greater than his tender age deserves meaning when he doesn’t get it he inevitably turns to violence. Brilliantly played by Jacob James Beswick, Pinkie is constantly on the edge, the edge of reason, the edge of glory, the edge of sanity – Beswick’s energy is truly scary, never quite knowing whether he is about to smile or scream. The rest of Pinkies gang are forever tiptoeing round on eggshells, fearful for saying the wrong word, looking the wrong way, and yet magnetised by his charisma and forthright ambition. Sitting in the 2nd row I felt myself shrink whenever Pinkie took on a rant and yet, like his gang, felt attached to him with an illogical loyalty.

On Pinkie’s orders, the gang murder a rival who was masquerading as a newspaper celebratory but find they have left a witness who can link them to the killing, a young waitress, Rose, and so Pinkie must decide whether to kill her too or befriend, and ultimately try and control her. Rose, played with a heart-breaking mix of wide eyed innocence and adolescent passion by Sarah Middleton, falls for Pinkie, despite (or perhaps because of) his manic obsessions, and agrees to not only keep quiet, but to help him avoid further detection. Sarah is a wonderful actor and in Rose, she is able to take the audience on an accelerated journey to becoming a woman, yet never loses the childish binary belief of right and wrong. This is further reinforced as both Pinkie and Rose are from devout Catholic families, brought up on the premise of Heaven and Hell, of mortal sin and of repent and atonement. When Greene wrote his original story, there were only two dominant paths of fate but you can substitute Catholicism for any religion, faith or belief system making this story as true and relevant to today’s youth as it was for those in the 30’s.

Following all this action is Ida Arnold, a seeker of truth and justice with more than a passing resemblance (in investigative prowess at least) to sleuths of Agatha Christie. Ida, played by Gloria Onitiri, pieces together the fragmented detritus left in Pinkie’s wake and begins to see that the police have either missed, or chosen to ignore, vital clues linking several suspicious deaths all back to Pinkie. When Ida realises that Rose is being drawn into this underworld she vows to protect her, even if it means taking on Pinkie and his gang herself. Gloria gives Ida some real spunk; at first she seems like a bit of a lush, hanging round the bars, betting at the races, but all too soon displays a steely resolve to go toe to toe with the gangs.

The choreography and scene setting is elaborately simple – movement around the stage is poetic, even the set shifting is done with an artistic flourish meaning the audience never drops its gaze. The soundscape, an ever present live accompaniment composed by Hannah Peel is possibly the best I’ve ever heard – it is reminiscent of David Lynch’s underscoring of scenes in the TV series Twin Peaks – rhythmic heartbeats, low and metronomic are almost imperceptible until the action at which point they help drive the audience into the heart of Pinkies psychosis before subtly fading back.

Bristol Hippodrome – until 6th May 2018

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

3***

From the Birmingham Stage Company, comes an adaptation of “Awful Auntie”. Originally penned by David Walliams, Neal Foster has taken this best selling children’s book and created a dynamic piece of theatre that is visually very impressive.

In 1940’s Britain, young Stella Saxby awakes from a coma by her Aunt Alberta. Alberta explains that both Stella’s parents are dead and immediately begins to ask for the deeds to ‘Saxby House’, which Stella refuses to hand over, subsequently causing her to be thrown into a dark dungeon.

She meets the ghost of ‘Soot’ down in the dungeon and he helps her to escape. Whilst doing so, Stella’s comes across the car her parents drove when they died, but finds no faults with it sparking a Holmes and Watson style investigation into her parents death. Stella determines that they were poisoned by Alberta, so she contacts local authorities to report the murders instigated by her Awful Auntie. The detective shows up to investigate, but is really Alberta in disguise! She reveals that she did use poisonous plants to kill Stella’s parents and locks Stella in an electrocution chamber, from which she can’t escape. However, with the help of Soot, Stella manages to retrieve her freedom. The 2 embark on an adventure; making Alberta leave Saxby Hall. Eventually, Alberta is carried away by her pet owl, Wagner and Stella adopts all the nearby orphans to live in Saxby Hall with her.

Aunt Alberta, played by Timothy Speyer, was splendid. His performance was light-hearted and consistent throughout. Along with the bright purple, green and orange costume, the garish and unsightly character Alberta was matched with a high pitched voice. At times, this voice change from Speyer was difficult to understand through the sound system, but nonetheless enhanced the performance greatly.

Stella, played by Georgina Leonidas, was also glorious. She played to the audience and really managed to capture the imagination of all the children in the audience. Whilst the character of Stella didn’t really provide us with an emotional arc, she was a joy to watch. Georgina was on the stage from the beginning of the show and didn’t leave at all, showing her brilliance and ability to fully stay in character.

Soot, played by Ashley Cousins is no stranger to the David Walliams stage adaptations and relished his role as a ghost. The vocal ability was brilliant-he had an unfaltering cockney accent that provided back story, as he was a chimney sweep from a workhouse who died. Ben was dynamic and provided some humour for both the children and the adults.

Detective Strauss, played by Peter Mistyyoph, was also skilled. He only had a small role but was everything a stereotypical detective is-loud, brash and has a distinguished look.Peter also provided some comedy, but personally, I would’ve liked to see more of his character.

Richard James portrayed ‘Gibbon’, an old, senseless butler who appears at moments to break the tension. With his hair in a mess, James didn’t need to try to provide the comedy-as soon as he walked onstage the children in the audience were in fits of laughter.

Roberta Bellekom encompassed the role of ‘Wagner’, Alberta’s pet owl. Roberta was exquisite. With no speech, she managed to make the audience believe she was the owl. Her handling of the 3 different puppets for Wagner were flawless. She was gliding through the stage amazingly, soaring high and low and at points I forgot the owl was a puppet. She was outstanding and truly was the star of the show.

This was quite a visual performance, with only 4 turrets onstage that twist and turn to become different areas of Saxby Hall. Some of the turrets have ladders inside and are used frequently, allowing the escape scenes to be executed with ease. Real cars and motorbikes were also used onstage, along with pyrotechnics. The electrocution scene was very dark, both in tone and lighting-as it took place in the dungeons. The darkness was cut with very bright lights showing the electrocution of Stella; accompanied by screams this was difficult to watch for some.

Roman Stefanski deserves much praise for the execution of the show, as his puppets were phenomenal-so realistic and beautifully crafted. They were a treat to watch and showed his excellent craftsmanship.

‘Awful Auntie’ was an easy watch, however some of the characters were difficult to understand – whether that was due to the sound systems or speech I don’t know, but it left me feeling that the show could be a little more refined. With that in mind however, both Walliams and Foster have done a wonderful thing with this piece. They have brought children to theatres and sparked their enjoyment in this excellent craft. To hear the roar of laughter from the children in the audience was a special moment and this show will no doubt spark the next generation of Awful Aunties.