Theatre Royal Haymarket – until 6 January 2019

Reviewed by Alexandra Sykes

4****

On a cold December morning the last thing most people want to do is sit in a theatre with a lot of children under 5 whilst watching a show aimed at a young audience. However, Peppa Pig does have a lot of funny moments for both children and adults.

Peppa Pigs Adventure is really good. If you’re 4. The members of the audience sat around me enjoyed joining in with looking for Peppa on the stage, singing the songs and laughing at the jokes. The characters of Peppa and George pig, Suzie sheep, Pedro pony and Gerald giraffe are large puppets on wheels operated by actors standing behind them and wheeling them around but in the eyes of a little child all they can see is Peppa and her friends.

The character of Daisy, the only human in the show, is played by Bronte Tadman. A special mention must be given to the fact that she managed to remain perky and very energetic throughout the whole show. Tadman interacted with the children throughout the show and was clearly the real star of the show, not Peppa.

The scenery is basic but the theatre is home to a musical on an evening so most of the backdrop is a rather large white sheet. The whole of the stage is used for the scenes and buildings such as the school look exactly like they do in the TV programme.

The highlight of the show had to be Santa on stage with Peppa Pig (and friends) singing Jingle Bells, which a lot of the children joined in with.

All in all Peppa Pig’s Adventure is good and makes a brilliant first theatre show for children.

Bloomsbury Theatre – until 6 January 2019

Reviewed by Alexandra Sykes

5*****

When you get told by an 8 year old that Awful Auntie is about a child trying to escape her Auntie with the help of a ghost and an owl you know you need a show just to understand the plot.

Set in and around Saxby Hall, Awful Auntie stars Georgina Leonidas as 12 year old orphan Stella Saxby who tries to escape her Auntie whilst trying to work out how her parents really died. Stella is helped by the ghost of Soot (Ashley Cousins) and Wagner the owl (Roberta Bellekom).

The awful auntie in question is Aunt Alberta played by Richard James, who is trying to find the deeds to Saxby Hall so she can sell it and turn it into an Owleum (and owl museum). However her star attraction would be Wagner stuffed and put on display which, rightly so, upsets Wagner meaning his allegiance switches from Alberta to Stella. Wagner is a very impressive puppet operated by Roberta Bellekom whose owl impressions sound like the real thing and the role is not used enough throughout the show.

The scenery is basic but impressive with 3 rotating towers that rotate to be Stella’s bedroom, the kitchen, the cellar, the garage and the study to name a few.

The highlight of the show for the entire audience was David Walliams appearing on stage at the end of the show thanking the cast and announcing that he was the new Prime Minister of the UK due the recent vote of no confidence.

Awful Auntie is fun for all the family as there are jokes for children and adults and a reference to The Shining which the adults in the audience found amusing.

Bridlington Spa – until Sunday 6th January 2019

Review by Zoe Lawton

5*****

Bridlington Spa have managed to pull out all the stops and put on a wonderful family friendly panto, and also attract some well-known names too Marina Sirtis from Star Trek: The Next Generation fame takes on the role of Empathic Fairy, and John Lyons from A Touch of Frost as King Grumble, Lloyd Warbey will be recognised by younger members of the audience from his time on Art Attack, Although Andre Vincent as Dame Trott, Aaron Steadman as Jack, Alexander Lee playing Fleshcreep, and Lucy Edge as Princess Amelia are perhaps not recognised names their performances were all equally amazing for their own individual parts for which they were playing and for bringing their characters to life not only through the script but through the songs and some strong vocal performances from all throughout.

The Collette Tyler school of dance have some very talented dancers who should feel very proud of their performances as they have obviously been practicing for some time to perfect all their routines. Jack and the Beanstalk follows the traditional story but as you would expect from a pantomime, we have a lot of fun, laughter, sing a longs and surprises as we follow Jack on his quest to win the Princess Amelia’s fair hand, look out for cast interaction!!!

The costume department had no doubt worked long hours putting every-one’s costumes together, orchestra, stage designers, make-up and hair, lighting and sound departments plus all the other back stage teams for which I’m sorry if I’ve left you out! should feel extremely proud to have put on such a funny, well written slap stick comical traditional panto.

If you are looking for a family friendly pantomime (with the odd line or two of adult humor) you will not be disappointed as Bridlington Spa have managed to achieve this once more for all the family to enjoy.

The Other Palace – until 5th January 2019

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

Patrick Barlow’s The Messiah is over 30 years old and is starting to feel a little creaky. There are moments of hilarity, but sadly they can’t make up for the hit and miss (mostly miss) material. Cut the show by at least half an hour and it could be wonderful, but in its current state it’s flat rather than festive.

Hugh Dennis plays Maurice Rose, founder of his own acting company, and John Marquez plays Ronald Bream, the other company member. Maurice is the old comedy staple of a pompous man with an inflated ego but very little skill or talent. His play and his attitude towards it are reminiscent of Ernie Wise and his “plays what I wrote”, and Barlow has slipped in lots of bad grammar just like Ernie’s. Rose is as bad an organiser as Captain Mainwaring, and acts like a petty tyrant when the audience doesn’t behave. Barlow has added a voyage of self-discovery for the character, who appears to have jumped into every self-help fad available rather than actually face his shortcomings. This is the main problem with the play – Rose’s po-faced conviction and Barlow’s determination to show that the play doesn’t mock the Nativity, or the men performing it, mean that there is a lot of cringe-worthy filler in between the jokes. If you can remember Frank Spencer’s Nativity efforts, then Raymond will seem very familiar – an accident-prone man-child with whimsical speech patterns.

The jokes are a mixed bunch. There’s a huge reliance on John Marquez’s physical comedy chutzpah, and the mis-pronunciations and spoonerisms wear a bit thin. But amongst the polite tittering are a few laugh out loud moments that spark the show back to life. The birth of Jesus, complete with midwife is a hoot, and the pantomime of the 3 kings trying to navigate their imaginary camels around the spinning stage is superbly silly.

Lesley Garret plays Mrs Fflyte, the guest soprano roped in to sing during the show. This, again, is hit and miss, with a fantastic dance and backing singing from the two men being a highlight, but most of the time, the actors and audience are watching her and waiting for her to finish. Which is a shame as her voice is still amazing.

There are moments that almost hit the heights of Eric and Ernie and Pete and Dud, but sadly not enough. The Messiah just doesn’t seem to know exactly what it’s aiming to be. Worth a look to see the stars hit a few moments of comedy gold.

Arts Theatre – until 12th January 2019

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Simon Callow was born for this. Watching his bravura performance in this one-man rendition of A Christmas Carol is as satisfying and cosy as a big warm hug. Perfect entertainment for a cold Winter’s night.

The joy and energy Callow brings to the stage retelling the classic tale is unmeasurable. His characterisations are simple but effective, he doesn’t do overmuch vocally to differentiate characters, switching seamlessly from Scrooge to Bob Cratchit with consummate ease. Whether he’s cutting a caper as Fezziwig or sitting painfully and pitifully as Tiny Tim, Callow embodies each character with passion.

The almost empty stage houses a screen for Callow to move around, and some simple but captivating pieces of scenery. At first, I thought there would be high-tech wizardry when the spirits appeared, but Adam Povey’s evocative lighting is all that changes. Instead director Tom Cairns relies on Callow’s storytelling and Charles Dickens’ glorious words to paint images in our imagination, creating an atmospheric and haunting play. It’s easy to forget how funny and playful Dickens’ language is in this story, but Callow revels in it, drawing the audience into Scrooge’s journey to redemption effortlessly.

Dickens’ tale of inequality and poverty in Victorian Britain, and the change Scrooge makes to save himself and those in need is painfully relevant today, as people with shopping bags bulging with unnecessary luxury gifts walk past the homeless on the streets. Hopefully, this wonderful show, as well as being heart-warming festive entertainment, could prompt us to think of making a few changes ourselves.

Canada Water Theatre, London – 13 December 2018

Reviewed by Antonia Hebbert

4****

Early on in Cecilia Knapp’s one-person performance, she describes cycling along a towpath by a London canal. And there’s a sense of the steady rhythms of cycling throughout this show, as Knapp carries us back into childhood memories, through great trauma and up to finding ‘home’, a place of happiness and acceptance.

Knapp is a poet, playwright and performer, and this was a beautifully written piece. I found myself wanting to stop the show to have more time to think about the words and structure of the piece, before being swept on along the journey. (I’ve found out since that you can buy Finding Home from Cecilia Knapp’s website.) It’s a mesmerising performance, flawlessly delivered with the help of screens showing snatches of film, and minimal props to convey place and time. Descriptions of small details convey a lot about relationships as she describes childhood and the fun and excitement of growing up and moving to London. The trauma at the heart of the piece is the suicide of her brother when he was 21 and she was only 19. Knapp conveys the pain and the aftermath of this very convincingly in the same measured tones, without resorting to easy emotional effects. It feels very honest, but artfully constructed too.

An atmospheric soundtrack for the work is provided by beatboxer and double bass musician Bellatrix, with sound design by Chris Redmond. Stef O’Driscoll directs.

Cecilia Knapp is an ambassador for Calm (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) which works to prevent suicide, especially among young men. They have a helpline and webchat service every night: 0800 585858 and thecalmzone.net/get-help

PLAYHOUSE THEATRE, EDINBURGH – UNTIL 05 JANUARY 2019.

REVIEWED BY SIOBHAN RICHARDSON

5*****

Unfortunately, I can only give this show 5 stars when I think it is a very strong 12/5. Absolutely hooked from start to finish. The story of young men trying to discover who they are in the world is one any young adult can relate to. In this modern age of more gender fluidity this story is suitable for everybody and is all inclusive in the most phenomenal way.

Forced to take over the family business Charlie (Joel Harper-Jackson) find his inspiration in the most unlikely of friendships with Lola/Simon (Callum Francis), to save the factory & the lively hood of the close nit family of workers. The chemistry between Joel and Callum is palpable, making their camaraderie on stage seem effortless. The slight corpsing during one scene shows that they are thoroughly enjoying the experience which clearly spilled over into the audience.

Cyndi Lauper’s score took you on a roller coaster of emotions. From everyone belly laughing at The History of Wrong Guys performed perfectly by Lauren (Paula Lane), to the breathtaking Hold me in Your Heart by Lola which had audience members living every word and on their feet applauding.

There was a pause in the production where we are advised to stay in our seats and the lighting came up. The audience don’t know why this happened but as it was just before the finale it added to the anticipation. People were looking around thinking maybe the crew were going to strut their stuff down the aisles. They did not, but it did not take away from the incredible final scene with everyone dancing in sky high heels that I wouldn’t even be able to stand in never mind pull half the moves they were. They brought the roof down and finished to a more than deserved repetitious standing ovation.

If you do not have your tickets yet – what are you waiting for? I’m off to buy the DVD to keep me ticking over until I can see it again in Glasgow next year.

Richmond Theatre – until Sunday 6 January 2019

Reviewed by Sabrina Fancy

4****

In the run up to Christmas, there is an exciting array of family friendly pantos with big named stars playing the lead.

Peter Pan is no exception with multi award winning actor of stage and screen Robert Lindsay making his pantomime debut in the role of Captain Hook! As a BAFTA and Olivier award one can see from his performance how he collected these accolades.

The panto genre seems to suit Lindsay for audiences young and old. He plays the villain effortlessly, eliciting boos from the crowd whenever he came on stage and captivated audiences.

Other cast members include Jon Clegg from Britain’s got Talent playing the role of Captain Hook’s sidekick Smee, whose rendition of Baby Shark was very well received. Rachel Stanley (Les Misérables) plays Mimi the Mermaid. Harry Francis (The Book of Mormon) plays the role of Pan, much of which is flying thru the air! With his pleasant voice, I would have enjoyed more of his vocals.

Keisha Marina Attwell who plays Tiger Lilly is frustratingly under- utilised. Her powerful voice was showcased in her rendition of the song No Place I’d rather Be and her dance moves were also riveting- she really struts her stuff and makes the most of the small part she plays and I was sorry to not see more of her.

The costumes and set design and intricate and impressive, with a giant crocodile that leads to the demise of Captain Hook. I also liked how the script incorporated modern cultural references into JM Barrie’s classic tale, as there were several references to the Brexit shambles and Theresa May which was culturally relevant and amusing.

Unfortunately, the rest of show cannot compare to the captivating Lindsay. While the children in the audience were entertained, there seemed to be a lack of humour, songs and cheekiness that one would hope for in a panto to appeal to an adult audience. However it’s worth seeing this for Robert Lindsay alone who stole the show-he really has me hooked!

The Richmond theatre itself is beautiful and was named one of the Top 10 best theatres to visit in your Life time. It is located 5 minutes from the station with plenty of restaurants and bars in the area.

We held the inaugural AURORA AWARD FOR RISING STARS this year

Our reviewers nominated and voted and our first ever winners are Marlow and Moss for Six the Musical and Bobby Hirston for The Play That Goes Wrong on tour.

MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL

Sheffield Crucible – until 12 January 2019

Reviewed by Lottie Davis-Browne

3***

Following the huge success of Annie Get Your Gun, Director Paul Foster returns to Sheffield with the 1948 classic Kiss Me Kate.

The musical was inspired by the on-stage/off-stage battling of husband-and-wife actors Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne during their 1953 production of Shrew, witnessed by future Broadway producer Arnold Saint-Subber. In 1947 he asked the Samuel and Bella Spewack (the book writers, who were undergoing their own marital woes at the time) to write the script; Bella Spewack then enlisted Cole Porter to write the music and lyrics.

The story opens with a theatre company rehearsing ahead of their opening night of a tour in Baltimore of their production of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. The opening number – Another Op’nin’, Another Show introduces the audience to the full theatre company – from the wardrobe department to the lighting guys (who in my opinion have one of the most difficult roles in this production – working at such heights yet fully visible to the audience), the live band behind the theatre company’s stage set, as the company prepare for yet another touring production and all the fun and mayhem that comes with it.

The Company Director and Producer – the self obsessed  Fred Graham (Edward Baker-Duly) is also staring in the production as Petruchio alongside his movie-star ex-wife Lilli Vanessi, (Rebecca Lock) who is playing Katherine (Kate). The pair bicker constantly and Lilli is particularly ferocious, especially with Fred pursuing the younger actress Lois Lane (Amy Ellen Richardson). When there’s a mix-up sending some first night flowers to Lilli (from Fred) with the card being addressed to Lois, Lilli sees red and confronts Fred on stage. Meanwhile Lois’ boyfriend Bill (Dex Lee) has skipped rehearsals to go place a bet having had some recent luck with gambling, but when he loses money he signs a $10,000 debt in Fred’s name. (Why Can’t You Behave?)

It isn’t long until two gangsters (Delroy Atkinson and Joel Montague) appear in Fred’s dressing room demanding the $10,000 they claim he owes them. At first Fred insists there has been a misunderstanding but when Lilli threatens to leave the production before the end of the tour, he spots an opportunity to make her stay and it isn’t long until Lilli is threatened by the pair of crooks to stay and to ensure she continues with the show, the pair find themselves thrown into the unfamiliar world of show business. Cue barrels of laughter! I particularly loved Delroy Atkinsons’ performance for the comedy he brought to the production. His facial expressions when he found himself performing in the middle of a Shakespearean production were priceless.

Prior to this evenings performance I had very little knowledge on the musical, apart from being familiar with a couple of the bigger numbers (Another Op’nin’, Another Show It’s Too Darn Hot and Brush Up Your Shakespeare), however I waited for months in excitement to see it, having thoroughly adored Paul Foster’s last work with Sheffield Theatres – Annie Get Your Gun. After seeing Rebecca Lock in Heathers The Musical earlier this year, I was also keen to see her in something else. From the opening number it was clear to see that casting for this production had been done based on strong vocals. Locks flawless operatic vocals had the audience in a stunned silence – with each big number she sang resulting in deafening applause and cheers.

Her character is an aggressive, fierce and feisty one – which really comes through in her rendition of I Hate Men – during which at one point in the song Lock approached a man sat on the front row and with much laughter from the audience – directed the characters anger and utter hatred to the male species. Gosh I’m not even a man and I was scared stiff of her! Locks humour and wit continues as Katherine is forced to continue with the production whilst being held hostage by the two gangsters.

Whilst I find The Taming of The Shrew and anything remotely Shakespeare tedious, I enjoyed this production for the strong vocals from the lead characters and the sensational choreography (Matt Flint) – particularly in Too Darn Hot. My biggest bug bear however was the duration – at just under three hours long with a short interval, I felt the constant back and forth of the story – from on stage to off stage (Lilli to Kate, Fred to Petruchio etc) was somewhat nauseating, making me feel I was aboard the titanic with the constant choppiness of changing from one character to the next.

Whilst there were plenty of great elements to this production, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat deflated following all the hype leading up to it. If you’re a fan of older musicals then this one is certainly for you, however if like myself you tend to steer clear of the old time classics then maybe wait for Sheffield Theatre’s next season which boasts some of the best up-to-date musicals to come from the West End. From Kinky Boots to Avenue Q and a screen-to-stage adaptation of The Life of Pi, there’s still time to ask Santa for tickets to one of the upcoming productions scheduled for 2019.