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Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse Theatre, Sheffield – 3rd November 2022

Reviewed by Sophie Dodworth

4****

Following a UK tour, Mark Farrellys one-man show (written and performed by Farrelly), ‘Jarman’ arrives in Sheffield for one night only. We are taken on a journey through Derek Jarmans’ life, the iconic painter, activist, writer and film-maker. We have a transparent look at the highs and lows of Jarmans’ life, ending with his tragic death from an AIDS related illness. From the start Derek talks directly to the audience. There is lots of use of the seating areas and audience participation involved, which can be awkward for some but engaging for others.

Some of the play moved really fast and felt slightly disjointed at times, leaving me wondering what was going on. The writing and the wonderful staging is sometimes complex, which you do have to be on the ball with.

Mark Farrelly has made this production what it is with his ferocious acting talent, he is full of energy, charisma and skills that many actors would be envious of. He can completely command, entertain and charm a full theatre of people, no matter what the size (one would imagine) I am not sure I have ever seen an actor better than him and can not compliment him enough.

There wasn’t really a set as such, an empty stage in its entirety with just a chair which Derek brought on with his entrance. Credit due to Farrelly and the team for the simple minimal props they had and using them innovatively…a roll of brown paper that was used in so many different ways – scrunched up in anger and thrown into the audience, or when the lights were out – screwed up, rustled by Dereks’ hands and a red torch light shone on to emulate a fire, which was so effective, to name a few.

The sound was extremely well thought out and strongly utilised in just the right places. It created joyous moments with the audience when singing along to A Little Respect by Erasure, it was atmospheric!

A real piece of fabulous theatre, with beautiful moments. It leaves you feeling reflective with some of themes of making sure you are giving every minute your everything.

Grand Opera House, York – Thursday 3rd November 2022

Reviewed by Kevin Roberts

3.5***

The opening scenes are played out on a projector screen, drawing us in to all that is magical about the Emerald Isles and its people. The rolling green landscape, the giants causeway, whilst in the background the dulcet tones of Ged Graham telling the tale of this wonderful island and all it has to offer and explaining about the yearning to be home on Christmas day, surrounded by family and friends.

Then on come the cast belting out hit after hit of Christmas songs, littered with the old Irish favourites such as the Irish Rover and Dirty Old Town, to name but a few. Admittedly it was difficult getting in to the Christmas spirit at the beginning of November but such is the personality and mannerisms of the cast that its difficult not to be drawn in, bringing back childhood memories of Christmas.

The cast are superb and such is the eclectic array of voices on stage it never gets boring. One minute Danny Muldoon, Ged and Adam Evans have you clapping and singing along and the next the beautiful voice of Claire Gleave and the melodic sound of Meabh Kennedy on the violin has you transfixed and silent, appreciating that beautiful Irish tone. Megan Jay adds her amazing voice to the performance and the wonderful support act perform dance after dance, creating a wonderful energy to the theatre.

With over 2 hours of non stop performing, aside a 20 minute interval it is definitely value for money and by the time the Pogues classic Fairytale of New York is sung, the crowd are fully engrossed in the experience.

Ged, Danny and Adam do a wonderful job of involving the crowd and encouraging everyone to sing and have a good time. The crowd at York were a bit hesitant at first to partake in the celebration but once the boys teased and cajoled about the effort and enthusiasm, the party soon started. I would say the show is probably aimed at the older generation, aged 40 plus but there were younger members of the audience there. Some might say it’s a bit kitsch or cheesy but if you’re after a bit of nostalgia and a good sing song and wanting to get in to the Christmas spirit early, then I thoroughly recommend it. It certainly had that feelgood factor and I left the theatre whistling to myself and feeling much more festive than when I went in.

Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – until Saturday 5th November 2022

Reviewed by Steph Lott

4****

What makes a good horror story? Horror author H.P. Lovecraft wrote, “The oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” The sense of delicious, shivering anticipation is a major part of the pleasure of a ghost story. However, is the ghost worth waiting for?

It’s Christmas 1875 and Professor Gabriel Stokes (Max Caulfield) arrives to take up lodgings at The Sea House, a spooky eerie house cared for by Mrs Hinchcliffe (Juliet Mills), on a desolate stretch of the East Sussex coast. But the Professor hardly has time to set down his suitcase before Mrs Hinchcliffe tells him of the troubled history of the house, the disappearance of its owner who was a zealous missionary who mysteriously vanished, and there are unexplained bumps in the night.

Despite being a rational man, the Professor enlists the help of Tom Beauregard (Michael Praed) a troubled American spiritualist. The two men (one who bears a striking resemblance to General Custer!) then set out to discover the truth.

I don’t want to spoil the play by saying too much more about the plot. However you can expect some nice shocks and there were plenty of gasps and jumps amongst the audience on the night I saw it performed. A ghost is expected to appear but where and when?

Following the traditions of the finest ghost stories, Darker Shores is a gripping and shadowy tale of suspense. The play has a quietly menacing soundscape, and a nicely gothic set. The set is all shades of dark – black, brown and grey. There is low level background noise and eerie lighting which both contribute to the atmosphere of dread and foreboding. It seems a fitting play to enjoy during the lengthening autumnal nights.

The performance is well played by a competent and experienced company. Maxwell Caulfield plays hesitant, baffled and grief ridden Professor Gabriel Stokes with a confused gentlemanly air. Juliet Mills gives a fine performance as the slightly stiff, Northern landlady, Mrs Hinchcliffe. Michael Praed is wonderful as the American medium, Tom Beauregard, who may not be the charlatan that he appears to be. Chipo Kureya is charming as the maid Florence Kennedy, with a surprising talent for second sight. They all add real depth to the characters they portray and the gradual reveal of the backstory of each is extremely well done.

It was an enjoyable evening’s entertainment. Along with the shocks there are some very funny comedic moments and lines and it’s great to see a story that is more than one-dimensional. My only issue was with the ending. It is paramount that narrative demands are met and we have an explanation for what happened, yet what will that explanation be? If the bumps are logically explained, it’s not a ghost story. In Punter’s play, everything is finally explicit. It left me slightly deflated.

Everyone loves a ghost story. Judging by the gasps and jumps, the play delivered the delicious thrill and dread that the audience was promised.

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S

AS YOU LIKE IT

DIRECTED BY JOSIE ROURKE @SOHOPLACE

STARRING LEAH HARVEY, ROSE AYLING-ELLIS, 

ALFRED ENOCH, TOM MISON AND MARTHA PLIMPTON

• Full casting is announced for William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, directed by Josie Rourke, with a musical score by Michael Bruce, @sohoplace, the first new build West End theatre to open in 50 years.
• The first performance is on Tuesday 6 December 2022, Press Night 14 December, for a limited season until 28 January 2023.
• The production stars Leah Harvey (Foundation, The Wonderful World of Dissocia Theatre Royal Stratford East, Shakespeare Trilogy Donmar at King’s Cross) as Rosalind, Rose Ayling-Ellis (EastEnders, Strictly Come Dancing 2021 winner) as Celia making her West End debut, Alfred Enoch (Harry Potter films, Red West End) as Orlando, Tom Mison (Sleepy Hollow, Watchmen) as Touchstone and Martha Plimpton (The Good Wife, Sweat West End, Cymbeline Lincoln Centre, NY, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Public, NY, Shakespeare in the Park, Pericles Public, NY)  in the role of Jaques. 
• @sohoplace’s first production Marvellous opened last month and is running until 26 November. Following As You Like It is Fictionhouse Limited, Nica Burns and Kate Pakenham Productions’ Medea directed by Dominic Cooke, and starring Sophie Okonedo and Ben Daniels.

Producer Nica Burns today announces full casting for @sohoplace’s first original production, William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, directed by Josie Rourke with a musical score by Michael Bruce. The production stars Leah Harvey as Rosalind, Rose Ayling-Ellis as Celia, Alfred Enoch as Orlando, Tom Mison as Touchstone with Martha Plimpton in the role of Jaques. Further casting includes Allie Daniel (Amiens), Tom Edden (Duke Frederick), Dickon Gough (Charles), Gabriella Leon (Audrey), Mary Malone (Phoebe), Syakira Moeladi (Hisperia), Nathan Queeley-Dennis (Silvius), Cal Watson (Le Beau), June Watson (Adam and Corin) and Ben Wiggins (Oliver).

As You Like It will be the second production @sohoplace with the first performance on Tuesday 6 December 2022, running until 28 January 2023.

Design                  Rob Jones

Lighting                Howard Harrison

Sound                   John Leonard

Music                    Michael Bruce

York Theatre Royal – until Saturday 12th November 2022

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

3 ½***

We’ve all heard of Guy Fawkes and will soon be remembering his dastardly deeds on the 5th November, or really what could have been. This comedy, written by David Reed, who also plays the lead role of Guy Fawkes, tells the story of him plotting to restore a Catholic monarch to the English throne, along with a band of misfits, whatever the cost. Guy Fawkes was born in York, so it makes sense for this to be performed here and playing over bonfire night.

What starts out as a clandestine meeting in a pub with the motley crew of collaborators, who are more interested in the nuts on offer, than getting down to the nitty gritty and planning to dethrone King James. This all changes with the introduction of Guy Fawkes. And so, the Gunpowder Plot is created.

Robert Catesby (Robin Simpson), is the supposed brains behind the shenanigans, never have we seen a more ineffectual leader. Thomas Winter (Andrew Pollard), a gentle giant, with a hippy vibe, reminded me of Neil from the Young Ones. Thomas Percy (Greg Haiste) is the money, a dandy, keeping up with the latest fashion, however ridiculous that might be. I thought he was a wannabe Lord Flashheart from Blackadder, but my guest disagreed and thought Percy, he is a huge Blackadder fan. Cassie Vallance plays his wife Martha, who initially seemed a ditzy fashionista, but we saw a more serious side to her as it was revealed she was a past love of Fawkes. Jamie Zubairi plays her bother Kit, almost childlike in his enthusiasm and mannerisms, the final piece of the puzzle. He is an old school friend, the one who gets Fawkes involved. David Reed as Fawkes is more serious and earnest in his role. It was lovely to hear his strong Yorkshire accent, accentuated on stage, a York man playing a York man.

The set was well designed, with atmospheric lighting. The costumes where outstanding, none more eye catching than Martha’s huge frocks and Percy’s Jacobean outfits. The addition to the stage of 36 barrels for the second half, must have been a back breaker for the stagehands.

There are some seriously funny moments within the play, with some great comedic performances. Check out the bear costume, yes there is one in this show. It’s not all about humour, there are some serious moments. If I’m truly honest I would have either preferred it to have been either full on slapstick, or a completely factual production.

This show is certainly not what we thought we knew about this botched Gunpowder Plot. This is a piece of fiction, based around a factual event, that went spectacularly wrong, that for some reason we still choose to celebrate over 400 years later. Surely, that is enough of a recipe to create a comedy and the perfect time to see this show.

A New Adventure is About to Happen…

WINNIE THE POOH THE MUSICAL to open at

London’s Riverside Studios

on 26 March 2023 ahead of UK and Ireland tour!

London Pre-sale Now Open

(general on sale Monday 7 November, 10am)

Tour tickets on sale now!

UK premiere of Disney’s WINNIE THE POOH THE MUSICAL

Created and directed by Jonathan Rockefeller

Featuring music by The Sherman Brothers

with additional songs by A.A. Milne

Disney’s Winnie the Pooh will be coming to the UK and Ireland stage for the first time in Spring 2023, with preview performances at London’s Riverside Studios (Hammersmith) from 17 March and an official opening on 26 March. It will then tour the UK and Ireland until September 2023. Tickets for Riverside Studios on sale at 10am on Monday 7 November, with Tour tickets on sale now.

The UK premiere will be presented by Rockefeller Productions, in partnership with ROYO, and in association with Disney Theatrical Productions. The role of Winnie the Pooh will be played by Jake Bazel, who originated the role on Broadway.  Further casting to be announced.

Jake Bazel is a puppeteer, voice actor, writer and coach with over a decade of experience working in children’s media. Credits include Sesame Street (HBO/PBS), Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: The New Stage Adaptation (Disney Theatrical), Sesame Workshop’s Helpsters (Apple TV+), The 90th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with Disney’s Muppets (Disney/NBC), The 93rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with Sesame Street (Sesame Workshop/NBC), Duncan the Skunk and the Big Costume Trunk (Hellosaurus), The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, Paddington Gets in a Jam, Paddington Saves Christmas, Sandra Boynton’s Frog Trouble, Jim Henson’s Dinosaur Train Live! and Sesame Street in Communities. As a writer, he helped to craft Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: The New Stage Adaptation.

Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood, a new adventure is about to happen.  A.A. Milne’s beloved characters,Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin and their best friends Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit and Owl (and Tigger too!), will all arrive on stage in a beautifully-crafted musical stage adaptation.

In a new story from the Hundred Acre Wood, this fresh stage adaptation is told with impressive life-size puppetry, exciting new stories and featuring characters that have played iconic roles in the lives of children for generations. Accompanying the modern narrative is an original score by Nate Edmondson, featuring some of the Grammy award-winning songs written by the Sherman Brothers for the original animated features, including Winnie the Pooh, The Blustery Day, The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers and Whoop-De-Dooper Bounce, plus A.A. Milne’s The More It Snows (featuring music by Carly Simon) and Sing Ho in a new arrangement.

Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation is developed and presented by renowned family entertainment creator Jonathan Rockefeller (whose spectacular puppetry is omnipresent in the acclaimed productions of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show and Paddington Gets in a Jam).

Inspired by the beloved books by A. A. Milne and the classic Disney featurettes, the production was welcomed in New York in 2021, where it broke theatre box office records for the largest advance, with rave reviews where it was called “Enchanting!” (Time Out); “Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation is magical, sweet as honey, and full of humor. It’s a wholesome, delightful, enchanting piece of theatre,” (BroadwayWorld); “A perfect reintroduction to live theater. It’s a captivating adventure with spectacular puppetry,” (Mommy Poppins); “Charming and whimsical stage show that Pooh surpasses every expectation I had for it,” (The Laughing Place); “Winnie the Pooh is delightfully first-rate,” (Theatre Pizzazz); “Irresistible. ‘Winnie the Pooh’ is sweeter than honey,” (DC Metro Arts); “An hour of bountiful joy,” (New York Theatre Guide); “Mesmerizing and lifestyle puppets and original Sherman Brothers tunes, the beautiful new Winnie the Pooh musical is must-see,” (Theatrely); “The wonderful thing about musicals is that musicals are wonderful things. The New ‘Winnie the Pooh’ Musical Is Sweeter than Honey,” (Toy Insider).

Website: winniethepoohshow.co.uk

Facebook: @WinnieThePoohShowUK

Twitter: @WinnieShowUK

Instagram: @WinnieThePoohShowUK

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Disney’s Winnie the Pooh

17 March – 21 May 2023

Riverside Studios

101 Queen Caroline Street

London W6 9BN

For performance schedule and to book tickets, visit winniethepoohshow.co.uk or riversidestudios.co.uk

Tickets from: £25 (family ticket) with meet and greet options available

TOUR SCHEDULE

31 May – 4 June         Southampton Mayflower Theatre                                           02380 711811

                                    mayflower.org.uk

9 – 11 June                  Milton Keynes Theatre                                                           0844 871 7615*                                               

                                    www.atgtickets.com/venues/miltonkeynes

16 – 18 June               Birmingham Hippodrome                                                        0844 338 5000                                                

                                    www.birminghamhippodrome.com/                                          On Sale 28 Nov

20 – 22 June               Sheffield Lyceum Theatre                                                       0114 249 6000                                                

                                    www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

23 – 25 June               Brighton Theatre Royal                                                           0844 871 7615*                                                                                                  

                                    www.atgtickets.com/brighton

28 June – 1 July          Nottingham Theatre Royal                                                      0115 989 5555           

www.trch.co.uk

7 – 9 July                    Richmond Theatre                                                                  0844 871 7615*

                                    www.atgtickets.com/Richmond  

14 – 16 July                Aberdeen His Majesty’s Theatre                                                                    

                                    aberdeenperformingarts.com 

18 – 19 July                Edinburgh Festival Theatre                                                     0131 529 6000

                                    capitaltheatres.com

20 – 22 July                Glasgow Kings Theatre                                                           0844 871 7615*          

                                    www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre             

25 – 26 July                 Manchester Opera House                                                       0844 871 7615*

                                    www.atgtickets.com/manchester

28 – 30 July                 Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre                                            0818719 377 (ROI)                                         

                                    bordgaisenergytheatre.ie                                                          08442485101 (UK)

1 – 2 August                York Grand Opera House                                                        0844 871 7615*

                                    www.atgtickets.com/york                                                         

3 – 5 August                Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre

                                    www.wmc.org.uk

7 – 9 August                Newcastle Theatre Royal                                                        0844 811 2121                                                            

                                    www.theatreroyal.co.uk

11 – 13 August            Guildford Yvonne Arnaud                                                       01483 44 00 00

                                    www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/

14 – 16 August            Blackpool Grand Theatre                                                        01253 290190

                                    www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/

18 – 20 August            Canterbury Marlowe Theatre                                                   01227 787787

                                    marlowetheatre.com/

25 – 27 August            Southend Cliffs Pavilion                                                          0343 310 0030

                                    thecliffspavilion.co.uk

29 – 30 August            High Wycombe Wycombe Swan                                             03433100060

                                    wycombeswan.co.uk

31 August – 2 Sept     Cheltenham Everyman Theatre                                               01242 572573

                                    everymantheatre.org.uk

Further tour dates to be announced.

*Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge

The Rose Theatre, Kingston – until 12th November 2022

Reviewed by Bobbi Fenton

4****

As with all shows produced by The Rose Theatre, The Importance of Being Earnest takes a familiar favourite by Oscar Wilde and makes it even better. The Importance of Being Earnest is about two men, John Worthing (Justice Ritchie) and Algernon Moncrieff (Abiola Owokonira) and how their somewhat entangled aliases affect the people around them, leading to a lot of drama, misunderstandings, and the revelation of a huge secret. John Worthing, with the alias of ‘Earnest’ becomes engaged to Gwendolen (Adele James) much to the disagreement of Lady Bracknell (Daniel Jacob). However, when he decides to visit his ward Cecily (Phoebe Campbell) and her governess Miss Prism (Joanne Henry) to tell them that his unruly ‘Brother Earnest’ has died, Algernon decides to introduce himself to Cecily as the infamous brother ‘Earnest’. The two soon become engaged, and this causes quite the argument between Cecily and Gwendolen who both believe themselves to be engaged to ‘Earnest’. With amusing moments of ironic mirroring between the complete opposite characters Cecily and Gwendolen, we see John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff both confess to not be called Earnest, yet still remain engaged to the two women following a lot of begging. The play ends with a huge revelation about John Worthing’s family history, more specifically where he comes from and who his parents are. The biggest revelation of all being his real name that he was christened under as a baby.

Daniel Jacob’s portrayal of Lady Bracknell is wonderfully hilarious, with an almost pantomime dame essence to it, which is extremely funny paired with Justice Ritchie as John Worthing begging for permission to marry her daughter, and with Abiola Owokonira as Algernon begging for permission to marry Cecily. Not to mention the exceedingly comical performance of Valentine Hanson as the overly familiar butler Lane, and the awkward butler Merriman. I especially enjoyed one scene in which Valentine Hanson, as Merriman, is carrying increasingly heavy luggage across the stage in each direction as John tells Algernon to leave, and Algernon makes up his mind to stay.

On a more serious note, this play is a truly genius way for Director Denzel Westley-Sanderson’s vision of this play to come through, with the aim of highlighting the often-forgotten lives of rich, upper class black people in Victorian England.

This play, while using all the original language of an Oscar Wilde play, feels incredibly similar to the comedy commonly seen in sitcoms, and I especially agree with Artistic Director Christopher Haydon who compares it specifically with The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. This show is a wonderful display of how important names are, and the true importance of being Earnest.

The Grand Theatre and Opera House, Leeds – until 5^th November 2022

Reviewed by Katie Brewerton

5*****

South Pacific is back on tour! The classic Rogers and Hammerstein Musical is presented by Chichester Festival and is one not to be missed. First performed on Broadway in 1949 South Pacific stands the test of time. 

A classic love story based on an island in the South Pacific during world war two, South Pacific tells the story of Nellie Forbush (Gina Beck), a nurse in the navy who meets Emile de Becque (Julian Ovenden) an older French plantation owner and they soon fall in love, but Emile has secrets and is running from his past. Will Nellie be able to overlook this and her own prejudice upon learning of Emile’s mixed-race children so they can live happily ever after? 

Meanwhile we are introduced to the marines on the island, who are soon joined by newly stationed Lieutenant Cable (Rob Houchen). Lieutenant Cable has arrived on a mission to recruit Emile and use his knowledge of other Pacific Islands to spy on Japanese planes and aid the US forces in turning the tide of the war in their favour.

One of the marines, Luther Billis (Douggie McMeekin) is determined to use Cable’s officer status to hire a boat to travel to Bali Ha’i an island full of local culture, tribal rituals, dancing and women. The only problem, they are forbidden from going there. After being convinced to travel to Bali Ha’i Lieutenant Cable meets Liat (Sera Maehara), a young Tonkinese girl who he falls in love with, however he struggles to come to terms with consequences he may face should he marry someone of another race. 

South Pacific is a simply wonderful production full of fantastic music and lyrics, featuring some of Roger and Hammerstein’s most well-known songs including ‘I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair’, ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ and ‘Bali Ha’i’.  With phenomenal talent from the main cast especially Ovenden who’s solos were spectacular. The staging is marvellous, with effortless scene changes throughout and brilliant costumes, particularly during the Thanksgiving Show. 

With love and heartbreak, a whole array of magnificent music and a fantastically talented ensemble cast this really is a must-see production of a classic musical. 

Crucible Playhouse Theatre, Sheffield – 1st November 2022

Reviewed by Sophie Dodworth

3***

Emmerson and Wards’ The MP, Aunty Mandy and Me arrives at The Sheffield Playhouse for one night only on its last night of its first ever UK tour, direct from the Edinburgh Fringe 2022.

The one-man show is written and performed by Rob Ward himself and sends you on a crazy, comedic journey with him during the (just over) one hour performance. Ward tells the story of Dom, an ‘Instagay’ wannabe influencer, living at home with his MDMA popping mum. He’s looking for love and hoping to find a man who he can share his passion for steam trains with; however this is not so easy for him due to his panic attacks and lack of gay men in his tiny village. Things on that front alter a little when he arrives for a visit at his local MPs office…

Ward takes on every character in the show, executing with ease and communicating clearly with the audience. You feel all the emotions along with Dom, right from the playful opening to an especially poignant scene where his mum has had a little too much MDMA. This really is credit to Ward himself for his acting but also the effect that the lighting by Will Monks and sound by Iain Armstrong have on the show. A one-man show can be incredibly difficult to keep you engaged but this has all the ingredients to keep you hooked. The set is simple but you’re transported to different places and scenes easily through the direction and talent of all involved.

This show is certainly not for the faint hearted/anyone offended with use of profanities or details of extremely explicit, sexual acts. The storyline also explores consent, coercion and grooming within the gay male community but Ward offers support at the end of the show with details of Survivors Manchester who actually support the tour.

A funny, wild and sometimes serious play with extreme talent running through it.

Theatre Royal Brighton – until 12 November 2022

Reviewed by Sue Bradley

4****

To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect from this show. Anyone who’s had any exposure to pop culture over the past 60 years cannot help but at least know of the existence of the phenomenon known to the world as Cher. So, would it be an autobiography? Would it be a concert performance of the hits?

Well, in the end, it was something of both. We were promised 35 songs and The Cher Show certainly delivered. This means that, in what amounts to a two hour show, there is not a great deal of time to explore the more intimate details of the superstar’s life. Instead, we are treated to a series of vignettes, illustrated by the songs.

Cher’s story has the background of the far-too-familiar tale of male exploitation and manipulation, but her immense drive for success and magnificent ability to re-invent herself when success has faded has resulted in an artist of almost mythic proportions. She is a singer, a successful Broadway actor, an Oscar-winning film-actor and an ever-changing fashion icon. And she isn’t finished yet.

That success has, inevitably, not been without its costs and her private life appears to be one of heartbreak, disappointment and frustration.

Her story is told through an unusual theatrical device of an almost constant presence of three versions of the Cher persona, talking to and advising each other throughout; Millie O’Connell as the awkward and shy teenager, Danielle Steers as the sassy wise-cracking half of the song and comedy duo with husband Sonny, and Debbie Kurup as the full-on Superstar Diva. All three women manage believable incarnations of the star, and all three capture much of the essence of the voice, with Steers, perhaps, having the closest interpretation.

Written by Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher) , directed by Arlene Phillips, (perhaps now best known to us as one of the judges on Strictly Come Dancing, but with many decades of experience as a dancer and choreographer) and choreographed by Oti Mabuse,another famous Strictly alumni; the show is a true song and dance spectacular. The choreography feels heavily influenced by the styles of 60’s TV dance-troupes and, whilst perhaps oddly old-fashioned, the dancers give it their all. And the clever costumes, designed by Gabriella Slade, although not being as risqué as Cher’s own choices, give impressions of semi nudity without ever really revealing anything.

We saw the show on a packed opening night and the audience was ready to ‘Believe’ right from the off – and don’t worry – you’ll get a chance to sing along at the end. Cher is an entertainment industry phenomenon and this show allows you to feel something of the pleasure and pain that she has experienced on a journey that is still far from over.