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Award winning Drag Superstar Velma Cellia and her alter-ego Ian Stroughair sat down with fairypowered to answer 20 questions.  Velma is currently on tour  in Show Queen and can be seen at York Theatre Royal on May 23rd, tickets can be found here

Let’s start with a few favourites

Favourite show (whether you have been in it or not)? 

RENT 

Favourite book? 

Any of the Harry Potter’s but The Deathly Hallows one and two are the best 

Favourite theatre? 

The Theatre Royal, York! OBVS 

Favourite song? 

I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Whitney Houston AKA the greatest singer of all time 

Favourite music? 

Ooooooooo SOOO many genres. Nina Simone, Amy Winehouse, Whitney, Aretha 

Favourite food? 

Sunday roast and (at the moment) Sushi. I just got back from Australia and their Sushi and any food to be honest is INCREDIBLE! 

Favourite drink? 

Morning, Yorkshire tea (obvs). Evening, Gin and Tonic and / or Champagne but I am not drinking alcohol until my show at York Theatre Royal! You’ll understand when you see the gown! It’s EPIC 

What is your favourite role? 

Angel in Rent. I LOVED every moment of that tour 

What was your first role? 

Kes the Musical at The Theatre Royal, York! 

And what role would you really like to play? 

A few. Mrs Trunchbull in Matilda, The Witch in Into The Woods and obviously HEDWIG 

If you weren’t a performer what would you be? 

A Chef. In fact that’s all I ever wanted to be. Might still happen 

What made you decide to be a performer? 

A mistake. Just randomly auditioned for a performing arts school and got in. I was sort of forced to audition and went for a bit of a laugh and a day out. The rest is history 

Do you enjoy touring? 

I love it. I love meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds. 

What advice would you give 16 year old you? 

Never compare yourself to anyone else, be yourself no matter what and find your own way through the industry we call show I did it too! HA 

Do you fancy branching out in Producing or Directing? 

I have done both! I really enjoy it! I will never rule it out but for a few more years the stage is my home 

What was the last stage show you saw and really enjoyed? 

Moulin Rouge in The West End. ZOE BIRKETT gave me EVERYTHING. She stole the show! 

Favourite line from any show? 

Today for you, tomorrow for ME! 

If you could be anyone else for the day, who would it be? 

I would be Louise Dearman and I would put on my own concert as her. She has (unequivocally) the best voice in the business. She can sing ANYTHING and is such a wonderful actress and an all round mega talent. She is the absolute top level of what it means to be a leading lady! Oh, and she’s the nicest person in any room! 

What are the nicest/weirdest things you have ever received from fans? 

This year I received a hand made cookie with my face on it when on tour in Australia 

Can you tell us what you will be up to next? 

My show “SHOW QUEEN” opens at York Theatre Royal on May 23rd. It is going to be EPIC and my band and guests are sensational. The BEST BURLESQUE Star in the business.. Miss Betsy Rose is coming up to blow everyone’s minds and York’s own voice of DREAMS.. Jessica Steel will blow the roof off too! 

God Save The Queens at Skipton Town Hall on June 15th and also July 13th at FieryBird in Woking. We just Won Best Cabaret award in Australia for this show! Catch Christina Bianco and I in the 10 year anniversary of our show DIVALLUSION at Crazy Coqs on August 30th

Royal Shakespeare Theatre Stratford-Upon-Avon – until 18th May 2024

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

5****

Love’s Labour’s Lost follows the King of Navarre and his three companions as they endeavour to swear off women for three years to focus on study and fasting. The Princess of France and her ladies arrive, wishing to speak to the King regarding the cession of Aquitaine, but must ultimately make their camp outside the court due to the Kings vow of female abstinence. However, upon visiting the Princess and her ladies at their camp, the King falls in love with the Princess, as do the lords with the ladies and these encounters make them break their oath. In an untraditional ending for a comedy, the play closes with the death of the Princess’s father, and all weddings are delayed for a year.

Sounds like a pretty straight forward piece to stage, yet many have struggled. Emily Burns’ rendition for the new season at the RSC is simply sublime. Every scene is meticulously thought out, every word perfectly placed. Whether it’s a Morecambe and Wise style water bottle exchange, or some finger snaps as the princesses discuss the archaic attitudes of the King and his Lords, there were no static moments, everything flowed and beautifully so. Navarre has now been reimagined as a Pacific Island and the King and his Lords have retreated to a sports and spa facility to endure their oath of lady abstinence. Tech wizards, they discard mobile phones, masks become face packs. It’s all so brilliant.

Polished and oozing luxury, the sets were opulent and dazzling. Designer Joanna Scotcher’s dramatic opening backdrop, set the political scene well, only to have us move on swiftly to a gold and cream haven which was framed with lights and boasting palm trees. At its center, the set contained a revolving, open staircase which added depth to the performance. Paul Englishby’s dulcet pacific island tones drew us into the story, like waves lapping on a beach. It was wonderful to see the musicians on the stage, with their garlands, flutes, and such.

The cast, as a whole, were a joy to watch, all coming together to bring this performance to life. Luke Thompson was endearing as Berowne and plays him in a cleverly understated way. Never missing a beat, he delivered a perfect performance. The same of which can be said of his ‘bro’s’, King Ferdinand (Abiola Owokoniran), and the lords Longaville (Eric Stroud) and Dumaine (Brandon Bassir). As a group, they were brilliant. Gelling together, bouncing off one another, fabulous viewing. Then we had the single ladies, who were sultry and smart. Less bawdy in their humour they none the less brought some strong and sophisticated sass to the stage. Princess (Melanie-Joyce Bermudez) opened and closed the play with such strength and tenderness, it brought a tear to my eye. Her ladies Rosaline (Ioanna Kimbook), Katherine (Amy Griffiths) and Maria (Sarita Gabony) were superb as the ‘straight guys’ to the antics of the King and his Lords.

The physical comedy was incredible, The boy band knights singing scene and the breaking the oath scene were utter genius, as was the final performance withing a performance. Don Armado, the fantastical Spaniard (Jack Bardoe), Boyet (Jordan Metcalfe), Holofernes (Tony Gardner) and Costard (Nathan Foad) raised thunderous laughter with their many antics.

This version of Love’s Labour’s Lost was a revelation. Modern, masterful, a contemporary handling of the battle of the sexes. Thoroughly enjoyable to watch and I felt so respected as a viewer by the attention to detail and the fun whimsical nature that ran through it like a cool breeze, but no doubt took so much effort to be this effortless. It really is a must see.

Jack Studio Theatre – until 11 May 2024

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Described as a journey in 31 cantos, Jan Noble’s Body 115 is a powerful poetic monologue about love and loss, and enduring history.

Body 115 was the name given to the body of a victim of the King’s Cross disaster, unidentified for 20 years. In Jan Noble’s classically inspired piece, Body 115 emerges from the London mud, imbued with history and pre-history, and becomes the narrator’s guide on his journey to find his lost love and reasons for his present state.

Noble’s writing is packed with visual imagery which, together with Justin Butcher’s direction, Tom Turner’s lighting design and Jack Arnold’s sound design, evoke dank subterranean rivers and windswept cliffs brilliantly on a stage empty except for a large suitcase.

Nothing is clear in Body 115 as time and settings change and merge as the narrator searches his soul. (The audience members are given a QR code for the Body 115 website with notes on many historical and mythical references, and recordings of readings of selected cantos as they enter that I am sure most made use of on leaving the performance.) Personal musings about what went wrong in his relationship provide quieter, more immediate connections with the audience and are something of a respite before we are swept along in the roiling mix of history and modern commentary. Here mythical and historical characters are in the mix with selfies, Brexit, football and folklore, we pass through the London below, red with Roman and Celtic blood and on to the camps at Calais, unable to fully escape our history but still struggling to change with the repeated line “As we go we grieve, as we move we mend”.

Noble’s performance is full of passion, and he commands the stage in this intriguing production. Body 115 demands attention throughout, it’s not a drama you can drift in and out of, but it is well worth the effort. A masterful performance of a stunning piece of writing.

Recordings and information about future performance dates can be found at: bodyoneonefive.com

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is currently on its 2024-25 UK tour. We spoke with its Director, Thom Southerland, about this new production and what audiences can expect from it.

What can you tell us about the brand-new Chitty Chitty Bang Bang tour?

It’s been over 20 years since Chitty Chitty Bang Bang first premiered at the London Palladium and we are now bringing a brand-new production of this well-loved story to stage. For me, Chitty is like an old friend. I used to watch it as a child and was in fact in the audience at the very first preview of the Palladium production, so it’s a show that has always stuck with me and it now feels very special to be putting my own stamp on it.

Ian Fleming wrote the book over 50 years ago and this will be an amalgamation of his original story, the film version by Roald Dahl, and the previous stage production.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will be familiar to a lot of people coming to see the show, how will you be bringing a fresh look to such a beloved show?

Although this is a story that is very well-known and loved by audiences, there are also aspects of the original story which are lesser known and which we will be showcasing in our version. Of course, our show will still have all the wonderful parts that we remember from the film. Caractacus Potts will still have his bamboo stick to dance to Me Ol’Bamboo, and we will be dancing through Scrumptious’s Sweet Factory to Toot Sweets, but we will also be bringing something that feels fresh and new within this story and have even added some new songs.

One thing we definitely won’t be changing, though, is Chitty herself. She will be as spectacular as ever and I can’t wait to see her take flight.

What do you hope the audiences will take away from the production?

I really hope that when people come to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, they simply enjoy a wonderful evening at the theatre. This is a wildly entertaining show which all the family can enjoy. It has beautifully lavish sets and costumes, phenomenal special effects and, in my opinion, one of the greatest musical scores ever written.

Can you describe the show in three words?

Chitty in three words would be extravagant, joyful and, dare I say, fantasmagorical!

You’ve just got into the rehearsal rooms for the brand-new tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, how excited are you to be working with this cast?

I can’t tell you how excited I am to have this team in the rehearsal room. We have a phenomenal cast, as led by Adam Garcia in the central role of Caractacus Potts, who are really helping to create a unique retelling of this story on stage.

I’m also very lucky to be collaborating with the creative team on this show, including Ben Cracknell in lighting, Morgan Large on sets and costumes, our sound designer Gareth Tucker, George Dyer on musical supervision, and Karen Bruce who has been doing wonderful work with the show’s choreography. It’s been a total joy being in the rehearsal room so far, and it’s been a real collaborative process with the entire team, from the creatives to our incredible cast.

PLAYHOUSE THEATRE, LIVERPOOL – UNTIL SATURDAY 11TH MAY 2024

REVIEWED BY MIA BOWEN

5*****

Titled ‘Showstopper! The Improvised Musical’, this show truly lives up to its name by featuring an improvised musical where the audience gets to decide the setting, genre, and characters on the spot. Without any pre-planned audience involvement, the cast and live band are challenged to create music and a storyline in the moment. Each show is unique, as every performance is crafted from scratch.

Showstopper! has been running successfully for nearly 16 years because it is simply brilliant, despite the potential for messiness. It has toured extensively around the UK, consistently selling out at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe each year. In 2011, it had its own series on BBC Radio 4 and in 2015, it performed a 10-week run in London’s West End, winning an Olivier Award for its outstanding performance.

Showstopper! effortlessly makes improvisation appear easy, almost making you forget that the 90-minute performance, songs included, is being created right before your eyes. The way they make music out of literally anything is phenomenal.

In every show, a team of six performers called Showstoppers don vibrant red, white and black costumes paired with corresponding bowling shoes. They are brought on stage by a well-dressed character called The Writer and accompanied by musicians. The Writer receives a phone call from a producer, who is in urgent need of a fresh musical idea. The audience is then invited to suggest a setting, title, and various musical styles, which the actors will use to create a unique story. This format enables us to feel that we play a vital role in shaping the musical, it involves us in making important decisions.

During the performance of production number 1322 at The Playhouse, we decided to set the show in a nursing home, narrowly choosing it over a multi-level car park. We titled it Between The Sheets and requested songs from Sondheim, Oklahoma, Book of Mormon and Hairspray. During the interval, we were encouraged to tweet suggestions for the second half. It became more outrageous as people suggested songs from “Hamilton” and appearances from the felines in Cats! It seemed so polished; I cannot believe they made it up in front of our eyes.

The entire cast is exceptionally talented. It is a pleasure to watch them all collaborating in the moment. However, special recognition must be given to Pippa Evans for her exceptional contribution to the success of last night’s play.

Head to the Playhouse and immerse yourself in the sheer creativity of spontaneous theatre that guarantees to captivate you with each delightful and one-of-a-kind show. It’s a joyous celebration of the art of improvisation.

Richmond Theatre – until Sunday 12 May 2024

Reviewed by Carly Burlinge

5*****

Richmond brings you the well known and loved story written by the very talented David Walliams – Awful Auntie.

It tells the story of a young girl Stella Saxby (Annie Cordoni) who wakes up from a coma to realise that she has been involved in a terrible accident alongside her parents who unfortunately were not as lucky as she was and have sadly passed away! With only her Crazy Aunt Alberta (Neal Foster) there to give her all the details. Stella begins to realise that things are not as they seem and that she is actually a prisoner in her own home with her Auntie alongside her pet owl Wagner (Emily Essery) and they are both only after one thing … The deeds of Saxby Hall. As Stella begins to think she has no way out she discovers Soot (Matthew Allen)t he Ghost of Saxby Hall, and together, like detectives, they begin to piece the evidence together only to realise that Aunt Alberta is not whom she seems and will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

The cast were just fantastic from start to finish with Awful Auntie – despite being the villain of the show she truly did bring us all the comedic relief we needed. Neal Foster played Awful Auntie perfectly, it was  almost as if she was straight out the book itself!

Emily Essery the puppeteer  as Wagner gave us a truly spectacular performance during the entirety of the show really allowing all the children and adults to be fascinated by the  movements, so much talent. Watching the children’s faces as she stopped through the front of the audience was magical to watch.

Stella managed to capture the essence of a younger child full of imagination and wonder along side Soot (Matthew Allen) A rhyming Cockney chimney sweep Ghost, who offered much entertainment together they showed some exceptional acting and a good partnership on stage.

I also loved how the stage changed when they left the house with everything becoming small and puppetry being used for each character. This was just fascinating to watch and very cleverly done just outstanding.

This was certainly a phenomenal show, truly wondrous! Definitely one for the whole family-just spectacular and not to be missed.

It was also very special to see David Walliams himself onstage giving a warm hello to all his fans what a wonderful ending to a wonderful show

RAMIN KARIMLOO AND ANOUSHKA LUCAS TO LEAD THE WORLD PREMIERE OF A FACE IN THE CROWD WITH SONGS BY ELVIS COSTELLO

• Directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, featuring Music and Lyrics by Elvis Costello and Book by Sarah Ruhl, A Face in the Crowd is a cautionary tale about the dangers of celebrity, power, and politics.

• A Face in the Crowd runs at the Young Vic Theatre from 10 September – 9 November. Tickets are available at www.youngvic.org

The Young Vic Theatre today announces Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables) and Anoushka Lucas (Oklahoma!, Elephant) in the world premiere of A Face in the Crowd,directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah in his final production as Young Vic Artistic Director, designed by Anna Fleischle. This brand new adaptation of the Hollywood classic, a cautionary tale about the dangers of celebrity, power, and politics, features original songs by Grammy Award-winner Elvis Costello and a Book by Sarah Ruhl (Eurydice, The Clean House), based on an original story by Budd Schulberg and the Warner Bros Film.It will run at the Young Vic from 10 September to 9 November with opening night for press on Tuesday 17 September.

Tony and Olivier Award nominated actor Ramin Karimloo,seen in major musical roles including as The Phantom in The Phantom of The Opera and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, will play Lonesone Rhodes. Actor, singer, songwriter and playwright Anoushka Lucas returns to the Young Vic where she performed as Laurey in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! and in the West End transfer, earning an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. She will play Marcia Jeffries. Further casting will be announced in due course.

You gotta keep him here, Miss Jeffries. He’s the goose who laid the golden egg.

When local radio producer Marcia Jeffries interviews drunk drifter ‘Lonesome Rhodes’ in his jail cell, she immediately sees his potential and gives him a slot on her show. But as Lonesome’s fans grow more clamorous and the politicians start taking notice, Marcia realises she has unleashed a force she can no longer control.

A Face in the Crowd is a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of elevating celebrities to positions of unchecked power.

The creative team also brings together Lighting Designer Jackie Shemesh, Musical Supervisor and Musical Director Phil Bateman, Sound Designer Emma Laxton, Choreographer Lizzi Gee and Casting Director Heather Basten CDG.

Ramin Karimloo’s (Lonesome Rhodes) stage credits include: Songbird (Washington National Opera), The Addams Family (London Palladium), Nicky Arnstein in Funny Girl (August Wilson Theatre, NYC), Rumi: The Musical (London Coliseum), Anatoly in Chess in Concert (Umeda Arts Theatre, Osaka & Tokyo International Forum), Judas in Jesus Chris Superstar in Concert (Theatre Orb, Tokyo), Che in Evita (Theatre Orb, Tokyo & Vancouver Opera), Gleb Vaganov in Anastasia (Broadway),The Secret Garden (Lincoln Centre), Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (Toronto, West End & Broadway, Tony Award Nominee), The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera (West End, Italy & Monte Carlo) & The Phantom in Love Never Dies (West End, Olivier Award Nominee).

Film/TV includes: Bound, Holby City, Nativity Rocks, Life’s Too Short, Blue Bloods, The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall, Les Misérables in Concert. Ramin has toured worldwide both solo and with Ramin Karimloo & The Broadgrass Band. He has released five solo albums on Sony Records: From Now On, Human Heart and The Road to Find Out series.

Anoushka Lucas (Marcia Jeffries) returns to the Young Vic where she played Laurey in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! and in the West End transfer, earning an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. She recently played Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible at Sheffield Theatres. Anoushka’s debut play Elephant, which she wrote and performed in, premiered at The Bush in 2022, and was reprised in 2023 to wide critical acclaim. She won a Stage Debut Best Writer Award and was nominated for an Evening Standard Theatre Award. She is currently recording her second studio album. Previous theatre credits include lead roles in Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Henry V (DonmarWarehouse) and Afterlife (National Theatre). Film includes: Murder on the Orient Express.

Elvis Costello is a writer and part-time musician who made a number of records in the 20th Century, some of which are still remembered today. Costello has been performing in public for over fifty years, writing over 500 songs and collaborating with Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach and his wife, Diana Krall.

Sarah Ruhl is an award-winning playwright, author, essayist, and professor. She has received the Tony Award nomination for Best Play and is a two-time Pulitzer Prize Finalist. Her many plays include Eurydice, The Clean House, Stage Kiss, In the Next Room, or the vibrator play, Stage Kiss, the Oldest Boy and Letters from Max.  

Kwame Kwei-Armah is Artistic Director of the Young Vic Theatre and Artistic Advisor at Manhattan Theatre Club. He was previously Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage and Artistic Director of the Festival of Black Arts and Culture, Senegal. As a playwright, Kwame was the first black Briton to have a play produced in the West End (Elmina’s Kitchen). His triptych of plays was produced at the National Theatre where he created the online resource The Black Play Archive. Kwame was awarded an OBE for Services to Drama and has been listed as one of 100 Great Black Britons.

BSL Performance:  Tue 15 October, 7.30pm 

Captioned Performances: Thu 26 September, 7.30pm & Sat 5 October, 2.30pm 

Relaxed Performances: Sat 19 October, 2.30pm & Thu 24 October, 7.30pm 

Sensory Adapted Performance: Thu 10 October, 7.30pm

Audio Described Performances: Tues 1 October, 7.30pm & Sat 26 October, 2.30pm

WE’RE GONNA GIVE YOU TO THE COUNT OF TEN, TO GET YOUR UGLY, YELLA, NO-GOOD KEISTER TO THE OTHER PALACE STUDIO…1, 2, 10!

AT THE OTHER PALACE STUDIO
29 NOVEMBER 2024 TO 05 JANUARY 2025

Following on from the highly successful A Very, Very Bad Cinderella last year, Jodie Prenger (Coronation Street, I’d Do Anything), along with Bobby Delaney (Zog and the Flying Doctors; As You Like It),are back writing this year’s The Other Palace Studio Christmas show: Homo Alone! Which will play from 29 November 2024 until 5 January 2025. 

KEVIN!!!!! Stood at Mykonos airport baggage carousel Kevin McCallister’s Dads realise they have left their beloved son at home. With the Soho flat all to himself, he devises a plan to protect his home from a bumbling duo of burglars. These flamboyant intruders have their sights set on the family’s most prized possession. But our little Kevin has other plans for Marvina and Harretta.

A parody like no other. Come join the party and get ready for a laugh-out-loud festive musical extravaganza, that will have you cracking up this Christmas!

Jodie’s last festive show, A Very, Very Bad Cinderella, has not only been the best-selling Christmas show at The Other Palace Studio, it also received rave reviews. With West End Best Friend saying, “…this is definitely not one to miss!”,and “I came out at the end with a great big grin on my face” from What’sOnStage.

Writer Jodie Prenger says: “when I was asked to be involved with such a camp, glorious Christmas parody…(!) let me tell you, they had me at camp. Winter can be grim, so I really hope this tickles your tinsel. Enjoy, and be prepared to laugh for all the wrong reasons”

Paul Taylor-Mills, Artistic Director at The Other Palace: “I’m thrilled to be welcoming back such a talented writing team, to create a bit of extravagant Christmas fun in the Studio with another festive, naughty musical parody”

Homo Alone is written by Jodie Prenger and Bobby Delaney. Cast and creatives to be announced.

Ian Stroughair present

Velma Celli: Show Queen

York Theatre Royal, 23 May

Join international award-winning Cabaret super-star Velma Celli for an evening celebrating the very best of London’s West End and Broadway Musical Theatre hits.

Velma “herself” has appeared in hit iconic mega shows such as Cats, Chicago, Fame and Rent but this show takes us to every corner of the fabulous genre from Webber, Schwartz to Schönberg and many more.

There will be special guests joining Velma, including internationally acclaimed Burlesque super star Miss Betsy Rose, and local talent and incredible vocalist, Jessica Steel.

Velma Celli is known as “The UK’s Queen of live vocal drag” and has been charming audiences across the globe for the past 14 years. She is the alter ego of West End star Ian Stroughair, who has appeared in hit musicals Cats, Fame, Chicago and Rent, to which he received critical acclaim.

Velma’s A Brief History of Drag has entertained audiences across the globe on a tour which included Australia (Best Cabaret Nomination in Perth), 54 Below in N.Y.C, a sell-out U.K tour ending in a smash hit run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, plus their show Me and My Divas won best cabaret at Fringeworld 2020! He won the ThreeWeek Editors show award for Divalussion which he co-wrote and starred alongside Christina Bianco so we cannot wait to see what their new show God Save the Queens involves!

“The U.K’s QUEEN of live vocal Drag”

 Broadway World

“The Voice of an Angel”

 Metro

“Powerhouse vocals’

 Gay Times

“Velma Celli is a STAR”

 Attitude Magazine

“Wonderfully witty and outrageously funny”

 Musical Theatre Review

 “Standing ovations are rare but not only stand for Ian you’ll dance”

 British Theatre

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Velma Celli: Show Queen

York Theatre Royal Main House

23 May 7:30pm

Running time: approx. 1 hour 15 minutes

Age guidance: 14+

Content warnings: Strong Language

Box office 01904 623568 | yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

New Wimbledon Theatre, Wimbledon – until 11 May 2024

Reviewed by Amber Mills

4****

Based on the classic film Madagascar this is a family oriented show, that is full of passion and energy. The whole cast delivered an exuberant and animated performance.

JARNÉIA RICHARD-NOEL who played Gloria the hippo really embodied the bubbly, beautiful bright eyed woman Gloria is. She’s got a big personality that shines throughout the musical, not to mention her powerful vocals and her cheeky flamboyant dance moves!

KARIM ZEROUAL who played King Julian stole the show when making his spectacular
entrance in Act 2. King Julian is a self centred lemur who is easily distracted and often
becomes consumed by an idea or notion. He never takes the blame for his actions which
becomes very entertaining to watch as the blame is always put on Moet or Maurice. Every
time Zeroual came out onto the stage he commanded it from start to finish whilst smoothly
gliding across on his knees. Every dance number looked effortless to him and his speed
across the stage when portraying the energetic, colourful lemur is a skill in itself. King Julian
is a party animal and insists on everyone having fun, and this is something Zeroual impersonates very well throughout the whole show.

The one aspect no one could fault is the puppetry. It’s a talent to be able to bring these
characters to life in a realistic way whilst singing and dancing. The puppets are so life like
and the kids loved them!

The overall set was minimal but effective. The set highlight for me was when they were in
there shipping containers as the lighting and acting aspect was very life like and natural.
The music was original and vibrant, with hip-hop style songs that were catchy and dynamic.
The only downfall to this lively show was that the transitions between scenes were too long, which meant the musical lost its energy slightly. However despite the long transitions the whole cast always gave off a vibrant energy that kept you engaged throughout.

Overall this is a family friendly show that kids will love and with the show only being 1 hour
40 minutes it’s a great night out that will leave long lasting memories.