Richmond Theatre – until 13 April 2019

Reviewed by Prachya van de Gevel

3***

Full disclaimer, I am a scaredy-cat and didn’t know what I was getting into when agreeing to review this play, but you will be pleased to know I survived Peter James’s adaptation of House on Cold Hill.

The synopsis is that a family moves into their forever home Ollie (Joe Mcfadden), his wife Caro (Rita Simons) and daughter Jade (Persephone Swales-Dawson) soon discover their forever home may not be the dream life they expected.

Their performance as with the rest of the cast were ok, perhaps a little over the top but it’s a horror story so maybe you need to be a little more theatrical.

The bad news here is every cast member gets outshone by Alexa… yes the now familiar Amazon personal digital assistant. I won’t give too many spoilers away, but if you hadn’t guessed this house is haunted and it seems the supernatural can now possess all manner of digital devices.

Helping to bring this ancient house into the 21st century was tech boffin would be spirit hunter Chris, played by Charlie Clements. He is absurdly manic in his mannerisms and his portrayal is a shy awkward “geek”, he is joined by Annie played by veteran of the stage Tricia Deighton. Annie is our resident spirit guide, tarot card reading spiritualist and her performance as well a little over the top but sufficed for the part she was playing.

I do think that Jade did well playing the teenager  not so much the sullen teenager but a more modern, entitled teenager very reminiscent of the youth today and that was well portrayed. The cast is rounded out with Fortinbras (Padraig Lynch), Phil (Leon Stewart) and O’ Hare (Simon Balcon).  None of the cast overly impressed me with their acting and whilst there was some humour within the performance it is bad that we are almost anticipating Alexa’s next actions and lines over the actors.

Having seen the Woman in Black as a stage play, this tale could have taken inspiration from their atmosphere and style of story telling. Whilst there was the expected jump scares and moments, it lacked that same eerie ambience you get, perhaps lower the temperature, darken the sets a little more, and just make things just a little more subtle. In some ways it was clever to bring aspects of the modern life into the play, but I think there was much more potential to make it darker and more chilling. Even at some climatic scenes, due to the same staging being used consistently there was a few times I asked my friend if they’d seen what happened as I hadn’t been able to discern what actions had taken place.

The special effects were well done, but having seen what can be done through other shows and plays using holographic techniques and projection overlays you do feel a little shortchanged. So yes I jumped at the appropriate times, and I laughed at Alexa’s lines, it was an ok play, but I think I just wanted more scares, more jumps, and a more chilling atmosphere.

Soho Theatre, Upstairs – until 13th April 2019

Reviewed by Elizabeth J Smith

4****

Entering the studio you are greeted by William Andrews himself. He is wearing a bread bag on his head giving out badges with “Willy” written on them. He seems a little agitated, perhaps nerves are taking their toll as this is his first show after a sabbatical where he got married and became a Father.

All these facts go into his show. He reminisces about his childhood and college days, where he first wore a bread bag on his head. I think that was the only reason for such head gear.

He talks at an incredible pace and covers a wide range of scenarios with great enthusiasm, if a little scatty. With the addition of photos and videos and a talking crash helmet, you truly feel part of his story, from his speech therapist to dog poo and everything in between including a little audience participation with a hilarious outcome.

With laugh out loud material and statements that make your toes curl it was an exceptional piece of stand up. A must see!

REVIEW: FAME THE MUSICAL (Sunderland Empire) ★★★

April 11, 2019 

For: West End Wilma 

https://www.westendwilma.com/review-fame-the-musical-uk-tour-sunderland-empire/

Fame, for me, evokes a wealth of nostalgia. I watched the TV show in the 80’s and the the 1980 Alan Parker film (which introduced me to the Rocky Horror Picture Show). I have fond memories of sleepovers with my best friend Melanie and listening to her sister Dawn singing the songs of the Kids from Fame over and over again until she was word perfect. So I arrived at the Sunderland Empire, expecting to see Doris, Leeroy, Coco, Danny and Bruno. To hear them singing Starmaker, Hi-fidelity and Desdemona as well as the title track of Fame itself.

Selladoors version of Fame, directed and choreographed by Nick Winston, starts in 1980 and follows the students of PA, from the auditions to their 4 years of study up to graduation. With hundreds going through the audition process and only 97 being accepted these are the best of the best.

Miss Sherman (Mica Paris) is in charge of the Academic side of life at PA and she is adamant that the students must pass English and Maths as these are equally, if not more, important than their performing majors. Miss Bell (Katie Warsop) teaches the dancers including Tyrone (Jamal Crawford) who dances like a dream but can’t read and beautiful ballerina Iris (Jorgie Porter). Mabel (Hayley Johnston) who needs to lose weight but eats everything in front of her and changes to acting. Mr Scheinkopf (Duncan Smith) is the music teacher and Mr Myers (Cameron Johnson) who teaches acting.

Whilst the students have stars in their eyes, Carmen (Stephanie Rojas) ends up in the seedier side of life, after an Agent takes her to California to make her a star, introducing her to drink and drugs and she ends up stripping to make ends meet to fuel her addiction. Her relationship with Schlomo (Simon Anthony), helping him to write lyrics to the tunes he composes, starts out so beautifully and after her death from an overdose his tribute to her is an emotional one. The other faltering relationship is that of Serena (Molly McGuire) who adores Nick (Keith Jack) but thinks he’s gay, however during Romeo and Juliet they fall in love.

The rest of the ensemble Joe (Albey Brookes), Goody (Alexander Zane), Lambchops (Louisa Beadel) play musical instruments on stage, along with the off stage band Tim Whiting, Dave Keech, Manolo Polidario, Mike Nichols and Brady Mould

For me this was a perfectly acceptable performance, no stand out moments just a perfect ensemble piece. But maybe the nostalgia clouded my judgement. I was so looking forward to the Fame of my youth that this show was, however, lacking something for me. And I found the toy cars in the finale quite juvenile.

Fame is touring the UK for the rest of 2019 with a stint in the West End from September.

THE INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED

 ST PETERSBURG BALLET THEATRE PRESENTS

SWAN LAKE

BORD GÁIS ENERGY THEATRE

Tuesday 22^nd – Saturday 26^th October

Following two sold-out seasons at the London Coliseum, the internationally acclaimed St Petersburg Ballet Theatre  is set to perform at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre this autumn, with their full-length classic production of Swan Lake. Last year’s run in London was such a success that extra performances were added due to unprecedented demand. The 2019 season is strictly limited and takes place between Tuesday 22^nd – Saturday 26^th October.

Arguably the world’s most loved ballet, Swan Lake tells the immortal and classic love story of Prince Siegfried and Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer’s curse. St Petersburg Ballet Theatre will perform this balletic masterpiece as it was meant to be seen, boasting gorgeous traditionally painted backdrops, Tchaikovsky’s moving score, a full-sized orchestra and critically acclaimed dancers performing the full-length production for Dublin audiences. Swan Lake is undoubtedly a production everyone must experience at least once in their life.

Founded in 1994, St Petersburg Ballet Theatre is renowned globally not just for its beautiful Vaganova trained dancers but also for its stunning full-length productions. Led by prima ballerina Irina Kolesnikova, the company travels internationally, performing classical masterpieces from its repertoire including Giselle, Don Quixote, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty. The incredibly popular Company is in such demand that it gives 200 performances every year.

Irina Kolesnikova has a wealth of leading credits  to her name, having been prima ballerina at St Petersburg Ballet Theatre since the age of 21.  Following last year’s performances in London, the Sunday Express praised her “stunning classical technique, alone worth the price of the ticket” and declared that she has “the dramatic power of a Maggie Smith or Judy Dench.”

Kolesnikova will also be joined on stage by  guest  stars from Russia’s leading ballet companies, who will be  announced at a later date.

St Petersburg Ballet comes to Dublin following performances in London, Spain, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Ireland, France, Italy, Austria, USA, Brazil, Turkey, South Africa, South Korea, New Zealand, Japan, China, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan and Australia. 

As producer of the tour with decades of experience presenting quality Russian ballet around the world, Andrew Guild said:

“We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing Swan Lake to Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin. Without doubt, Swan Lake is the world’s most famous classical ballet. And no one dances it as beautifully as St Petersburg Ballet Theatre. The full length lavish production shows Russian classical ballet on a

grand scale. It’s the real thing. Gorgeous Tchaikovsky music, magnificent sets and costumes, superb Russian classical dancers and brilliant Guest Stars. The Performance will look magnificent on the stage of the Bord Gáis and I urge every ballet lover not to miss it.  See it once, remember it forever.”

Tickets for Swan Lake can be purchased at https://bordgaisenergytheatre.ie/artist/st-petersburg-ballet-theatre-swan-lake

KEPOW! Theatre and Veritas Theatre in association with Park Theatre present
BENEATH THE BLUE RINSE

By Tom Glover

21 May – 15 June| Park Theatre

Quentin Tarantino meets Last of the Summer Wine in this wickedly funny, high octane comedy about growing old passionately and disgracefully.

Following their hugely successful production of Spiral last year, Veritas Theatre are delighted to return to Park Theatre in collaboration with KEPOW! Theatre with their production of Beneath The Blue Rinse, a wickedly funny, high octane comedy about growing old passionately and disgracefully. The production runs from 21^stMay – 15^th June

Beneath The Blue Rinse is directed by Glen Walford (Shirley Valentine – UK Tour) and stars Ian Redford,Marlene Sidaway and Kevin Tomlinson. The play was written by Tom Glover, who was selected as one of three winners of the 2018 BAFTA/Rocliffe New Writing Showcase Competition.

When unscrupulous, over-confident salesman Simon Sudgebury comes knocking on the door of the seemingly timid Flora Parkin, hoping to scare her into buying an expensive alarm system, little does he realise what he is about to let himself in for. Feisty, charismatic 75-year-old Flora and her gentle 72-year-old ‘toy boy’ lover George are not what they first appear!

Whilst being incredibly funny, this explosive play also quashes stereotypes surrounding senior citizens and questions how society views and treats the elderly.

Playwright Tom Glover says:

“I hate little old ladies – the ones you see in dramas who are pottering, harmless cardigan-wearing biddies. I wanted to write a piece which challenged that cliché and packed a punch demonstrating that age is no barrier to radicalism and relevance.”

Marlene Sidaway plays the feisty character of Flora. She is perhaps best known for playing the role of Maureen in Mum (Big Talk). Other recent credits include In The Long Run (ITLR Productions); Doc Martin (ITV); Doctors (BBC); Return To Haifa (Finborough); Talking Heads: A Cream Cracker Under The Setee (West Yorkshire Playhouse) and Kenny Morgan (Arcola). 

Kevin Tomlinson plays confidence trickster, Simon. Kevin’s theatre credits include: Spiral (Park Theatre); Seven Ages (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough); On The Edge! (York Theatre Royal / UK tour); The Ragged Child (Royal and Derngate Theatre, Northampton); Whose Story Is It Anyway?(Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds); Flat 73 (Cheltenham Everyman Theatre); Maestro (Hackney Empire) and Godspell (Royal and Derngate Theatre, Northampton). Kevin also played Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream for BBC2 Open University.

The cast is completed by Ian Redford in the role of George, Flora’s 72-year-old ‘toy boy’ lover. Ian’s credits include Mary and Martha (Working Title Films); The Secret Theatre (Shakespeare’s Globe); Loot (Park Theatre); The Alchemist (RSC); The Seagull (Regent’s Park Theatre Open Air Theatre); Our Country’s Good (Out Of Joint Theatre Company); Love The Sinner (National Theatre); Six Degrees of Separation (Old Vic) and Romeo & Juliet(The Globe).

www.parktheatre.co.uk

Box office: 020 7870 6876*

Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! The Musical

Beano Studios and Selladoor creating family musical based on TV show

Beano Studios is teaming up with award-winning production company Selladoor to create an all new musical stage production based on hit TV show Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed!

The family friendly show, which is being developed by Selladoor – the company behind hits includingMadagascar the Musical and Avenue Q – will launch in 2020 on a year-long tour of 40+ theatres and venues across the UK and Ireland.

BAFTA-winning writer/producer-director Will Brenton is on board to write the show which will feature Dennis and Gnasher’s hallmark slapstick comedy and ageless humour delivered with a repertoire of songs.

The stage production follows on from the success of Beano Studios’ international Emmy-nominated TV series Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! The TV show stars Beano’s irrepressible hero Dennis (voiced by Freddie Fox), his dogged side kick Gnasher and fearless mates including Rubi, JJ, Pieface and his pet potato Paul. Together they cook up crazy plans, get in all sorts of scrapes and take on every challenge, no matter how big.

The hit TV show recently secured its second series (52 x 11min episodes) on CBBC and has been sold in over 24 countries and airs on the biggest broadcasters including Super RTL in Germany, Rai in Italy and France Télévision to name a few.

Emma Scott, CEO of Beano Studios said: “Following the success of Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed around the world, bringing our gang to life on stage is the perfect next step. Selladoor are the ideal team to take on the exciting challenge of bringing the iconic characters to life in a show to entertain all ages.”

David Hutchinson, CEO of Selladoor said: “Selladoor are delighted to be working with Beano Studios to bring the iconic Dennis and Gnasher to the stage for the first time with a really exciting creative team, led by Will Brenton under Anna Fox’s dramaturgical eye.

Selladoor recently launched Selladoor Creation, our development wing focused entirely on commissioning new stories for the stage. We are delighted to have been entrusted by Beano Studios with their well-loved characters who have endured for generations, and now finally leap from the page to the stage. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring one of the Nation’s favourite rebels to life so everyone can join in on the mischief and adventures. Keep your eyes peeled for Dennis and the gang hitting a theatre near you!”

Back Room of The Star Inn, Guildford – April 10 2019

Review by Heather Chalkley

3***

A full on hour of précised prose, speedy changes – both character and costume – and classic Shakespearean bawdy humour. Shakespeare wrote for the common people of his century, Helen Manners and Ian Renshaw have rewritten it the for 21st century!

The performance space is small and made smaller by the screens, behind which all manner of costumes and props appeared and strange noises emitted!

The basic and sometimes disheveled appearance of the set and actors (Helen Manners and Ian Renshaw) added to the humour of the piece.

I like it that both actors played male and female roles, particularly when you consider all roles were played by men, in The Bards time. Renshaw’s depiction of Queen Margaret D’Anjou as a cussing, straight talking, angry woman was hilarious. Manners’ dead pan portrayal of Lord Buckingham had me in stitches. The star of the piece is Richard the lll himself, played by Renshaw true to the original as a nasty piece of work.

This is a cleverly put together and unique adaptation of a play that was dark and brooding in its original form (and far too long!). The occasional intersection of a song and the inclusion of the audience gave it a pantomime feel at times. Like Shakespeare meets Horrible Histories for grown ups!

Part of the Guildford Fringe Week

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR

UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF

THE FIRST NEW PRODUCTION IN 25 YEARS OF

GREASE

The producers of the 2019 UK and Ireland tour and first new production in 25 years of Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey’s iconic musical GREASE are delighted to announce that Dan Partridge, Martha Kirby, Louis Gaunt and Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky will star as Danny, Sandy, Kenickie and Rizzo respectively. They join the previously announced Peter Andre playing Teen Angel at most performances.

Dan Partridge most recently played Rum Tum Tugger in Cats (International Tour), Link in Hairspray (UK Tour) and Pepper in Mamma Mia! (Novello Theatre). Martha Kirby will be graduating for the Guildford School of Acting this summer, 2019, and makes her professional debut as Sandy. Louis Gaunt recently played Will Parker in Oklahoma!(Grange Park Opera), for which he won the 2018 The Stage Debut Award for Best Actor in a Musical, and Manfred in Sweet Charity(Nottingham Playhouse). Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky most recently appeared in Bat Out of Hell – The Musical (Dominion Theatre). Prior to that, she appeared in The Book of Mormon (Prince Of Wales Theatre).

Also in the cast are Jordan Abey as Doody, Ryan Anderson as Roger, Damian Buhagiar as Sonny, Eloise Davies as Frenchy, Natalie Woods as Jan, Tara Sweeting as Marty, Dale White as Eugene, Jessica Croll as Patty Simcox, Corinna Powlesland as Miss Lynch, Abigail Climer as Cha Cha, Darren Bennett as Vince Fontaine and Will Haswell as Johnny Casino. Completing the cast are Thea Bunting as Cynthia, Emily Beth Harrington as Carly, Jonathan Hermosa Lopez as Bobby, Dom Hutcheson as Mickey, Ruby May Martinwood as Sofia and Lindsay McAllister as Donna Sue.

Producer Colin Ingram said, “At last a new production of GREASE with a cast who look and dance like they are in high school! It’s time to come back to one of the most popular musicals of all time with this new production with grit, energy and sass.”

Curve’s Artistic Director and director of GREASE, Nikolai Foster, said, “This cast are going to blow audiences’ minds with their edge, life-force and sheer exuberance. Just as the 1950s kids who heralded the birth of the teenage movement, these talented young people will breathe new life into this terrific musical.”

Choreographer Arlene Philips said, “I’m so thrilled to have the opportunity to choreograph a new production of GREASE. This new production is going to be edgy, vibrant and certainly takes a new look at this very exciting musical. The cast are incredible, many of them fresh out of college and ready to burst onto the stage.” 

Following a highly acclaimed, sold-out, eight-week run at Curve over Christmas 2016, the tour will open at Leeds Grand Theatre, playing from 19 June to 20 July. GREASE will then play at Cliffs Pavilion, Southend 23 – 27 July, Sunderland Empire 30 July – 3 August, Birmingham Hippodrome 13 – 24 August, King’s Theatre, Glasgow 27 – 31 August, Curve, Leicester 3 – 14 September, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin 17 – 28 September, New Theatre, Oxford 1 – 5 October, Churchill Theatre, Bromley 8 – 12 October and Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff 15 – 19 October.

Peter Andre will appear at most performances in Leeds, Southend, Sunderland, Birmingham, Leicester, Dublin, Oxford and Bromley with additional performances just announced in Southend on 26 July (matinee and evening) and Birmingham on 21 and 22 August (all four performances).

GREASE originally opened in Chicago in 1971, followed by a move to Broadway in 1972, where it received seven Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical. During the show’s eight-year run, at the time, little known actors, including Peter Gallagher, Patrick Swayze and John Travolta, all appeared in the production, with Richard Gere understudying many roles before going on to star as Danny Zuko in the 1973 London premiere.

The 1978 film adaptation starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, when adjusted for inflation, is the highest-grossing live action musical of all time and celebrated its 40^th anniversary last year. The musical features beloved songs, including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly Devoted To You and You’re The One That I Want.

GREASE is directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Philips, with designs by Colin Richmond, orchestrations and musical supervision by Sarah Travis, lighting design by Guy Hoare and sound design by Tom Marshall.

This new production of GREASE is produced by Colin Ingram for InTheatre Productions, Donovan Mannato, William Sinclair, Ricardo Marques, Hunter Arnold and Curve.

Website: greasethemusicalontour.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/greaseUKTour

Twitter: @greaseuktour                     

2019 TOUR SCHEDULE19 June – 20 July                      Leeds Grand Theatre                                        0844 848 2700
www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

23 – 27 July                              Cliffs Pavilion, Southend                                 01702 351135                                                                                                                                                      www.thecliffspavilion.co.uk                               

30 July – 3 August                     Sunderland Empire                                          0844 871 3022                                                                                                                                                     www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland 

13 – 24 August                          Birmingham Hippodrome                                 0844 338 500

                                                  www.birminghamhippodrome.com

27 – 31 August                          King’s Theatre, Glasgow                                  0844 871 7648

                                                www.atgtickets.com/venues/glasgow    

3 – 14 September                      Curve, Leicester                                               0116 242 3595

                                                   www.curveonline.co.uk                                     

17 – 28 September                    Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin                    0844 847 2455                                                                                                                                                  www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie                           

1 – 5 October                            New Theatre, Oxford                                         0844 871 302

                                                  www.atgtickets.com/oxford                              

8 – 12 October                          Churchill Theatre, Bromley                              020 3285 6000                                                                                                                                                 churchilltheatre.co.uk    

15 – 19 October                       Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff                     029 2063 6464                          

                                                www.wmc.org.uk  

World premiere of Kema Sikazwe’s Shine
Live Theatre, Broad Chare, Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3DQ
Thursday 2nd – Saturday 11th May 2019

Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED
Thursday 16th – Saturday 18th May 2019

The music is always present, you just have to hear it.

Actor, rapper, singer and rising star Kema Sikazwe (I, Daniel Blake), also known as Kema Kay, will make his powerful stage debut in Shine. Premiering at Live Theatre in Newcastle before transferring to the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, this world premiere is written and performed by Sikazwe and features seven new songs written specially for the show.

Shine, named after the writer whose name means ‘one who shines’ in Gambian, mixes Sikazwe’s own bittersweet story with an electrifying live soundtrack and heartfelt words. Through his words, songs and stories, this multi-disciplinary production explores growing up in a world that doesn’t always accept you while learning to gain self-belief and to always trust your head and your heart and always chase your dreams

Kema was three years old when his family moved from Zambia to Newcastle’s West End; this coming of age story follows a family immersed in new surrounding, and what happens when that new life begins to fall apart. Shine asks what makes us who we are and whether the choices in our lives determine who we become – are we in control of our own story or is it in our DNA?

Having developed a passion for rap, singing and song writing at his local youth project in Newcastle, the Chat Trust, Kema has a longstanding connection with Newcastle and Live. In his early 20s, he landed a role in Ken Loach’s hard-hitting film I, Daniel Blake which was filmed on location in Newcastle, where it won the Palme D’or for Best Film at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016 and a BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film the following year. Additionally, in 2017, he was selected as a Live Theatre Associate Artist.

Kema Sikazwe says, I’ve always wanted to inspire people to follow their heart through storytelling and personal experience. When I was given the opportunity to get up on stage and share my story at a scratch night at Live Theatre the response was beyond what I expected. Although we all have a different journey, we also have many similarities. I’ve wanted to tell this story for years and now I have the platform it’s a dream come true.

Graeme Thompson, Live Theatre’s Creative Producer and Director of Shine, comments, Kema is a great musical talent and when he first came to Live Theatre to develop his writing and performance skills it was clear we had a real opportunity to make a unique show. What we have created is something that really speaks to this city and the things happening in our world today. To think that this is his debut theatre show is very exciting, it’s a very ambitious piece of work. It’s a very personal story to Kema but there is so much people can relate to. Also, it has an amazing original soundtrack and music

In addition to the run of performances at Live Theatre, there is the opportunity to meet writer and performer Kema Sikazwe in a free post-show talk on Tuesday 7th May. There will be two free preshow events on Saturday 4th and Saturday 11th May at 6pm which showcase work by local musicians and performers.

Alhambra Theatre, Bradford – until Saturday 20th April 2019.

Reviewed by Aimee Liddington

5*****

If you’re looking for an uplifting evening that is packed full of iconic music, great talent and fun that never stops, then look no further. Motown the Musical is waiting for you. You will find yourself laughing, singing and bopping through the tales of young, ambitious, black artists reaching for their dream in 1960s and 70s America.

The storyline not only gives the audience an education on the history of Motown music, but also provides an insight into the American civil rights movement and the integration of white and black people after segregation ended in the United States. Such a serious topic is entwined with a light-hearted love story and through well-placed and well-timed humour, the story manages to makes us smile and laugh the whole way through.

The acting is fantastic and the singing is phenomenal. Cordell Mosteller as Berry Gordy and Karis Anderson as Diana Ross bring the soul that we all expect from Motown music. Anderson really captures the heart of the audience through her rendition of Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand), bringing members of the audience onto the stage to sing with her. Of course, the actors are immensely supported by a very talented band. From high-energy, upbeat numbers to slower power ballads, this team certainly knows how to work together to produce a well-finished production.

A review would not be complete without a mention of the creative team. Simple electronic backdrops, lights and sound are used to transport the audience from America, to Great Britain and even to the Bahamas. Glamourous and realistic costumes, that mimic the clothes actually worn by artists such as Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson, create a sense of credibility and really take the audience back to the Motown era.

Don’t waste any time, get yourself a ticket and see for yourself. It will not disappoint and you will leave feeling positive and full of energy. It certainly will build you up, buttercup!