Emma Williams and Lukus Alexander complete the principle casting for the London Palladium Pantomime this Christmas playing the role of Alice Fitzwarren and Eileen the Cat respectively.  They will join the previously announced Julian Clary (Spirit of the Bells), Elaine Paige (Queen Rat),Ashley Banjo (The Sultan) and Diversity (The Sultan’s Special Advisors), Paul Zerdin (Idle Jack),Nigel Havers (Captain Nigel), Gary Wilmot (Sarah the Cook) and Charlie Stemp (Dick Whittington).

Dick Whittington will run at the London Palladium for five weeks only over the festive season from Saturday 9 December 2017 to Sunday 14 January 2018, with press night on Wednesday 13 December 2017 at 7pm.

Dick Whittington is produced by Nick Thomas and Michael Harrison for Qdos Entertainment, the team behind last year’s twice Olivier-nominated London Palladium production of Cinderella, which broke box office records for the highest grossing week in West End theatre history. Dick Whittington is written by Alan McHugh, directed by Michael Harrison,choreographed by Karen Bruce with musical supervision and orchestrations by Gary Hind, lighting by Ben Cracknell, set designs by Ian Westbrook, 3D Creations, costumes by Hugh Durrant, visual special effects by The Twins FX, projection design by Duncan McLean and sound design byGareth Owen.   

Emma Williams completes an award-winning run as Helen Walsingham in Half A Sixpence at the Noël Coward Theatre tomorrow having also played the role at Chichester Festival Theatre alongside Charlie Stemp. She returns to the Palladium where she made her West End debut as Truly Scrumptious in the original cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  Her other theatre credits includeMrs Henderson Presents at the Noël Coward Theatre, Zorro at Garrick Theatre and Love Story forChichester Festival Theatre as well as in the West End.  Her television credits include Silent Witness, Casualty, Bleak House, Doctors, Marple: The Body in the Library, Heartbeat and Where the Heart Is.

 

Lukus Alexander’s recent theatre credits include the UK Tour of The Who’s Tommy, Dick McWhittington at the SECC, Glasgow, Dick Whittington at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, Guys and Dolls at Cambridge Arts Theatre and Doctor Atomic at the London Coliseum.

As the world’s biggest pantomime producer, over the past 35 years Qdos Entertainment has established itself as one of the largest entertainment companies in Europe. Over the past three decades the pantomime giant has staged 684 pantomimes and this season expects over two million people will see one of its shows this season.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Theatre:                           London Palladium, Argyll St, London W1F 7TF

Dates:                              9 December 2017 – 14 January 2018

Press night:                       13 December 2017 at 7pm

Box Office:                        0844 874 0667 (no booking fee)

                                      All ticket prices include a £1.25 Theatre Restoration Levy

Website:                           www.DickWhittingtonPalladium.com

Twitter:                            @DWhittingtonLDN

NTLIVE SCREENING OF

BENEDICT ANDREWS’ YOUNG VIC PRODUCTION OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS’

C A T   O N   A   H O T   T I N   R O O F

FINAL LONDON PERFORMANCE 7 OCTOBER 2017

 

The Young Vic’s highly praised West End production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, currently playing to capacity each night at the Apollo Theatre, will be broadcast to cinemas around the world on 22 February 2018 marking the fourth collaboration between the Young Vic and National Theatre Live.  Tickets will be released for sale on Monday 25 September 2017.  The National Theatre’s ground-breaking project broadcasts plays live from the stage to over 700 cinemas in the UK and over 60 countries internationally. Cat On a Hot Tin Roof concludes its 12 week limited West End run on 7 October 2017.

The cast includes Sienna Miller (Maggie), Jack O’Connell (Brick), Colm Meaney (Big Daddy),Lisa Palfrey (Big Mama), Hayley Squires (Mae), Brian Gleeson (Gooper), Richard Hansel (Doctor) and Michael J. Shannon (Reverend).  Directed by Benedict Andrews, this twelve-week limited run at the Apollo Theatre, which had its official opening night on 24 July, has its final performance on 7 October 2017.  Set designs are by Magda Willi with costumes by Alice Babidge, lighting by Jon Clark, music by Jed Kurzel and sound design by Gareth Fry.

The truth hurts. On a steamy night in Mississippi, a Southern family gather at their cotton plantation to celebrate Big Daddy’s birthday.  The scorching heat is almost as oppressive as the lies they tell.  Brick and Maggie dance round the secrets and sexual tensions that threaten to destroy their marriage. With the future of the family at stake, which version of the truth is real – and which will win out?

 

For this production there are seats at £10 for under 25s for each performance booked through the Young Vic Box Office.  Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is the Young Vic’s first production to debut in the West End and is presented by the Young Vic and The Young Ones. 

 

Details of all NTLive screenings can be found at  http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/

Launched in 2009, National Theatre Live broadcasts have been seen by an audience of over 7 million people at 2500 venues in 60 countries. The first season began in June 2009 with the acclaimed production of Phédre starring Oscar winner Helen Mirren. Recent broadcasts include Angels in America with Andrew Garfield, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? with Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill, Rosentcrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead with Daniel Radcliffe, Hedda Gabler with Ruth Wilson and Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart in No Man’s Land, Sky Arts is the UK sponsor for National Theatre Live.

LISTINGS INFORMATION  

Theatre:                  Apollo Theatre, 31 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7ES

Box Office:              Apollo 0330 333 4809, Young Vic 020 7922 2922

Website:                 www.youngvicwestend.com

SURANNE JONES AND JASON WATKINS

STAR IN A NEW WEST END PRODUCTION OF THE AWARD-WINNING PLAY

FROZEN

By Bryony Lavery

Frozen by Bryony Lavery

Theatre Royal Haymarket

Friday 9 February 2018 – Saturday 5 May 2018

Suranne Jones (Doctor Foster, Scott & Bailey) and Jason Watkins (Line of Duty, Taboo, W1A) will star in Frozen, Bryony Lavery’s Award-Winning play. This psychological thriller about a mother whose child goes missing is directed by Jonathan Munby and will play a strictly limited twelve-week season at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from Friday 9 February 2018.

 

One sunny evening a young girl walks to visit her Grandma, she never arrives. A play about retribution, remorse and redemption, Frozen explores the interwoven lives of three strangers as they try to make sense of the unimaginable.

Suranne Jones is about to reprise her BAFTA Award-winning title role in the second series of BBC One’s hugely successful drama Doctor Foster. She recently completed filming for Save Me opposite Lennie James and Stephen Graham for Sky Atlantic. Other recent television work includes five series of the popular ITV drama Scott & Bailey, playing ‘Rachel Bailey’ opposite Lesley Sharp, as well as The Brian Pern Show and The Crimson Field for the BBC. Other television credits include Lawless, Touch of Cloth, Doctor Who, Unforgiven and Coronation Street. Suranne’s theatre credits include Top Girls at Chichester Festival Theatre and in the West End, A Few Good Men at Theatre Royal Haymarket with Rob Lowe, for which she received the Theatregoers’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress, Blithe Spirit and Terms of Endearment. Suranne played the role of ‘Sandra’ in the 20^th anniversary West End revival of Beautiful Thing at the Arts Theatre, as well as the title role in Orlando at the Royal Exchange in 2014.

Jason Watkins is best known for his performance in the title role in acclaimed drama The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies, for which he won Best Actor at the 2015 BAFTA Television Awards. He is also known for playing ‘Gavin Strong’ in Sky 1 comedy series Trollied, as well as ‘Simon Harwood’ in the popular BBC comedyW1A. Airing this September, Jason will be playing ‘Roger’ in the BBC One sitcom Hold The Sunset. He has appeared in over 70 plays and was nominated for an Olivier Award in 2001 for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in A Servant To Two Masters for the RSC/Young Vic production in the West End. Recent theatre includes The Late Henry Moss by the late Sam Shepard at the Almeida Theatre and A Farewell to the Theatre at the Hampstead Theatre. Film credits include Hampstead opposite Diane Keaton, Gordon Shakespeare in the Nativity! film series and future releases, The Children Act with Emma Thompson and The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, directed by Terry Gilliam.

Bryony Lavery’s plays include A Wedding Story, Last Easter, Her Aching Heart (Pink Paper Play of The Year 1992) Smoke, Dirt, and More Light. Her play Frozen, commissioned by Birmingham Repertory Theatre, won the TMA Best Play Award, the Eileen Anderson Central Television Award and was then produced on Broadway where it was nominated for four Tony Awards. Stockholm, for Frantic Assembly, won the Wolff-Whiting award for Best play of 2008. Beautiful Burnout for The National Theatre of Scotland and Frantic Assembly received a Fringe First at Edinburgh, before performances in the UK, New York, Australia and New Zealand. Stage adaptations include 101 Dalmatians (a musical), Chichester 2014, A Christmas Carol (for Birmingham Rep/Chichester Festival Theatre), Precious Bane, The Wicked Lady, Treasure Island (National Theatre 2014-5) and Behind The Scenes At The Museum for York Theatre Royal. Recent work includes The Believers for Frantic Assembly, Thursday for ETT/Brink, Australia, Queen Coal at Sheffield Crucible, and Brideshead Revisited for York Theatre Royal/ETT and Our Mutual Friend for Hull Truck. She is currently writing Balls for One Year Lease Theatre Company, New York, Forever Young for Manchester Royal Exchange, adapting Brighton Rock for Pilot Theatre The Lovely Bones for Birmingham Rep, and developing Cruising for TV.

Jonathan Munby’s UK Theatre include: King Lear starring Ian McKellen and Sinead Cusack, First Light(Chichester Festival Theatre); All The Angels: Handel and The First Messiah, The Merchant Of Venice starring Jonathan Pryce, Anthony and Cleopatra starring Eve Best and Clive Wood and A Midsummer Night’s Dream(WhatsOnStage nomination for Best Shakespearean Production) (Shakespeare’s Globe); Wendy and Peter Pan, The Canterbury Tales (Stratford, Tour and West End) and Madness In Valencia (RSC); Twelfth Night (UK Theatres Awards nomination for Best Touring Production) Company starring Daniel Evans, The Comedy Of Errors and Bird Calls (Sheffield Theatres); Thérèse Raquin starring Alison Steadman and Pippa Nixon (Theatre Royal Bath); ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (West Yorkshire Playhouse); The Prince of Homburg starring Charlie Cox and Life Is A Dream starring Dominic West (Donmar Warehouse); A Number (WhatsOnStage Theatregoers Choice nomination for Best Regional and Best Off-West End Production) (Menier Chocolate Factory and Sheffield Theatres); Serious Money and She Stoops To Conquer (Birmingham Rep); The White Devil(WhatsOnStage Theatregoers Choice nomination for Best Off-West End Production) (Menier Chocolate Factory); 24 Hour Plays (Old Vic); Henry V And Mirandola (Manchester Royal Exchange); Nakamitsu (Gate Theatre Notting Hill); Opera includes: Carmen (Opera Holland Park); Don Giovanni (English Touring Opera); Sweetness and Badness (WNO Max Project). International Work includes: King Kong: Legend Of A Boxer, the South African Musical (Fugard Theatre Cape Town and Joburg Theatre Johannesburg); Othello and Julius Caesar (Chicago Shakespeare Company); The Crucible (Cocoon Theatre Tokyo); A Human Being Died That Night (Recorded for BBC Radio 3) (BAM New York, Fugard Theatre Cape Town and Hampstead Studio); Measure For Measure and The Dog In The Manger (Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Director) (Shakespeare Theatre Company Washington DC); Romeo And Juliet (Akasaka Act Theatre Tokyo and Theatre Brava Osaka); The Recommendation (Old Globe San Diego); The Winter’s Tale (Guthrie Theatre Minneapolis); Noises Off (Kreegar Theatre Washington).

Writer                                   Bryony Lavery

Director                                Jonathan Munby

Designer                              Paul Wills

Lighting Designer             Jon Clark

Video Designer                  Luke Halls

Composer                           Rupert Cross

Sound Designer                 Christopher Shutt

Frozen is presented by Jonathan Church Productions, TRH Productions and Scott Delman.

 

Further casting to be announced in due course.

 

BOX OFFICE INFORMATION

FROZEN

Theatre Royal Haymarket

Haymarket

London SW1Y 4HT

Box office number: 020 7930 8800

Website: FrozenThePlay.com

Dates: Friday 9 February – Saturday 5 May 2018

Press Night: Wednesday 21 February 2018

Performance Times: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, Thursday and Saturday at 3pm

Ticket Prices: From £15

Premium tickets available.

 

Social media handles:

Facebook: Frozen The Play (url: Facebook.com/FrozenThePlay)

Twitter @FrozenThePlay

Hashtags: #FrozenPlay

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

WORLD PREMIERE OF

CILLA THE MUSICAL

Andrew Lancel and Carl Au join the cast of Cilla the Musical written by BAFTA® award winning Jeff Pope, with it’s world premiere at the Liverpool Empire on 7^th September.

 

Bill Kenwright’s new musical features: Andrew Lancel (Brian Epstein); Carl Au (Bobby); Amy Bridges (Rose Willis); Gemma Brodrick-Bower (Pauline); Paul Broughton (John White); Bill Caple (Ringo Starr); Tom Christian (Kenny Willis); Tom Dunlea (Hutch); Pauline Fleming (Big Cilla); Joshua Gannon (Paul McCartney); Billie Hardy (Pat); and Michael Hawkins (John Lennon).

They join the previously announced Kara Lily Hayworth as Cilla, who beat thousands of hopefuls in nationwide open auditions for the coveted role.

The musical reunites Tom Dunlea, Michael Hawkins and Gemma Brodrick-Bower, all of whom starred in Jeff Pope’s original ITV mini-series Cilla, on which the musical is based. It also reunites Andrew Lancel with the role of Epstein, which he played on stage to great critical acclaim in Epstein – The Man Who Made The Beatles. Andrew is best known to TV audiences as super-villain Frank Foster in Coronation Street and as DI Neil Manson in the long-running ITV television series The Bill.

The legendary Merseybeat sound is authentically performed live on stage by the cast who are completed by: Alan Howell; Jay Osbourne; Alex Harford; Will Kinnon; Jenny Murphy; Tom Sowinski; and Christopher Weeks.

CILLA – THE MUSICAL is the spectacular and heart-warming musical adaptation of the critically acclaimed hit ITV television series by Bafta-Award winner Jeff Pope (The Moorside, Philomena,From The Cradle To The Grave, Mrs Biggs and the acclaimed Little Boy Blue which had ITV audiences glued to their screens). It tells the extraordinary story of the ordinary girl from Liverpool whose teenage dreams of stardom lead her to becoming one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers of all time.

It’s an introduction by a young John Lennon to music mogul Brian Epstein that changes Priscilla White’s life forever. By the age of just 25 she would be known as singer and TV Star Cilla Black, Number One selling artist and at the fore-front of the Brit-Pop music scene. The musical score is the ultimate soundtrack to the 60’s including Cilla’s greatest hits Anyone Who Had a Heart, Alfie andSomething Tells Me, Twist and Shout by the Beatles, California Dreamin by The Mamas and The Papas’ and many more.

Lyric Theatre, The Lowry, Manchester – until 9 September.  Reviewed by Julie Noller

5*****

There has been a lot of hype surrounding The Addams Family, after press releases and appearances by the cast on various tv shows, I was very excited (possibly an understatement) to be asked to watch it at The Lowry and give my very humble opinions. My fifteen year old asked me was this the show with Wednesday? Could she come as she had seen clips shared on youtube and Facebook, obviously our future generation taking an interest in their own way. My interest came in remembering old black and white tv repeats dating from the 60’s strangely I would’ve been my daughters age when first watching them. We arrived in brilliant sunshine at the theatre walking the purple carpet a great touch and certainly impressed my teen. The prescence of more than one photographer told me this would be an event where we would see many celebrities, I quietly scuttled in after all I’m hardly worthy of Hello magazine. The Lowry Theatre with its welcoming environment and relaxed atmosphere meant sitting next to stars of Corronation Street – Les Dennis has walked those cobbled streets, so they were obviously supporting a fellow cast member and there to enjoy a good show.

The programme was not just a booklet this was a big glossy souvenir brochure, full of facts and photographs, I was very impressed and not for the last time.

The theatre was fairly slow to fill up but it was packed come curtain up, I noted the number of people taking selfies and including the stage backdrop with its wonderful ironggates monogrammed with A for Addams. They are afterall a family who do not shy away. There was also plenty in character dress, lots of plaits, some in fancy dress this really added to the atmosphere and reminded me of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The performance starts with The Addams Family theme tune, cue the audience clicking fingers at the right point, I noted the bemused look on my teens face a cross betweeen oh god Mum to everyones mad. I had prepared her via youtube of course but still a teens life is hard.

I was interested to learn that Charles Addams created his cartoon characters in the 1930’s which may explain cerain aspects of the family’s dress codes,

Gomez with his pinstripe suit for example it was great to see those touches from the tv show days remained. It may also explain those traits that seem exaggerated to my untrained eye and make perfect sense.

Did I enjoy the show? Of course it was fantastic, I don’t want to retell you the story I want to tell you my thoughts and feelings. Its quintessentially a love story that crosses many divides. It’s a story told with great humour, a musical that packs talent, it has stars who’s names are houshold names we all know them. Cameron Blakely may have reminded me of the late Bruce Forsyth but his spanish lilt never faltered, Samantha Womack as Morticia wow those legs such an impressive tango and what a transformation with the addition of the traditional black glossy hair. The biggest transformation had to be for Les Dennis as Uncle Fester his costume was amazing and singing in character well who knew? I did wonder if he would adlib at all but I do believe apart from jibes at the audience about cheap seats and mentioning Donald Trump at NATO he was well behaved. Grandma was my favourite character, naughty by age and able to blame age but was she actually a member of the family? Carrie Hope Fletcher as Wednesday wow wow wow what a voice, we both (teen and Mum) loved her dress, they should add those to the souvenir stall along with tshirts and mugs. Grant McIntyre as Pugsley with his high pitched screams giving the youth of today ideas. Dickon Gough as Lurch my teens favourite character she found him hilarious and totally unexpected (who doesn’t love a surprise) was his voice, I’m no expert but it’s powerful baritone richness raised the rafters.

I wish I could name everyone for special praise from Director Mathew White to Rhona McGregor who came on for Charlotte Page as Alice Beineke.

The Addams are they really depraved? Are they not just a typical family shown to the extreme, couldn’t we all sometimes just live life that little bit on the edge? What if the monster in the wardrobe was accepted? There is no PC correctness here, its all just accepted as humour and laugh we did. My favourite line had all Mums in the audience laughing before the punchline. Gomez asks Wednesday to say the words every Mother longs to hear….. you know it’s I’m sorry that’s coming, it bemused my teen that other Mums could think like me. Special Thanks for that life lesson.

The big musical numbers are reminiscent of early traditional musicals where stars would belt out numbers, I see Judy Garland on stage in my head. There was a touch of High School Musical when Wednesday and Lucas were together for the number ‘I’m crazier than you’ (I’m even singing it now to myself).

It is well deserving of 5***** why? Because it’s slick, music and songs powerful, memorable lines, fabulous costumes, my teen now wants to buy Dad a smoking jacket. Set design is eerie yet welcoming, I picture a house tucked away in Central Park. I haven’t even mentioned the Ensemble of ancestors who fill the stage and manage to stop the it from looking empty, there may be a lack of furniture for The Addams but people fill the space where material possessions are lacking. So go and see this much hyped show it’s guaranteed not to disappoint you.

DAZZLING TRIBUTE TO A TRUE LEEDS DANCE LEGEND

West Yorkshire Playhouse will be the venue for a unique and inspiring evening of dance on Sunday 8 October when Phoenix Dance Theatre and Northern School of Contemporary Dance join forces to pay tribute to Nadine Senior MBE, the Yorkshire-born dance pioneer and founding principle of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance who died in January 2016.

 

The evening promises to be a dazzling celebration of one of the most influential dance champions of her time who, through her educational vision, teaching and leadership, went on to inspire generations of dancers, choreographers, teachers and dance leaders worldwide.

 

Set to be a highlight of the Leeds dance calendar, the gala includes performances from Phoenix Dance Theatre, Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD), Darshan Singh-Bhuller, RJC Dance and many guest artists, national and international, who worked with Nadine over the past 40 years including Birmingham-based ACE Music and Dance, Balbir Singh Dance Company and work for NSCD’s Centre for Advanced Training students by Company Wayne McGregor.  The evening will also feature live music, film, poetry, and guest speakers including Akram Khan; all contributing in their own way to honour the life and work of an extraordinary woman.

 

A special performance of Robert North’s Troy Game – one of Nadine’s favourites – will be restaged by Julian Moss and performed by Phoenix Dance Theatre, RJC, Northern School of Contemporary Dance with guestsMartin Hilton, Paul Liburd and Hugh Davies. Described by the New York Times as ‘a funny and sexy romp’,Troy Game is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to male machismo which has been performed by companies throughout the world since its premiere in 1974.

 

Sharon Watson, Phoenix Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director acknowledges Nadine’s crucial role in her own career ‘Like so many others, I would not be doing what I do today if it wasn’t for the inspiring leadership Nadine gave. I’m delighted that we can pay tribute to such a motivating and influential woman with an evening of amazing dance talent, all of whom she inspired.’

 

Janet Smith MBE, Principal of Northern School of Contemporary Dance said ‘I am delighted that Northern School of Contemporary Dance is collaborating with dance partners across the city and artists from the UK, Europe and the US in celebrating the visionary leadership of our founding Principal, Nadine Senior, and the continually resounding impact of her work. This will be a very special event for us in paying tribute to an extraordinary woman who championed the value of arts education from a young age in achieving the highest aspirations for all.’

 

Even with her passing, Nadine’s legacy will continue with proceeds from the event going towards a bursary to support young dancers. The event, jointly organised by Northern School of Contemporary Dance and Phoenix Dance Theatre has gained the support of Leeds City Council and Leeds BID.

 

 

The Celebration Gala for Nadine Senior is at West Yorkshire Playhouse on Sunday 8 October at 7pm

Tickets are on sale now priced from £15

Book online at wyp.org.uk or call the Box Office on 0113 213 7700

Leeds Grand Theatre – until 2 September 2017

3***

Crazy for You appears to be a classic comedy Broadway musical written in the roaring 20s. But this is a musical from the 90s, using classical songs written by George and Ira Gershwin.  Ken Ludwig’s quirky 1992 plot gave the Gershwin brothers this new feelgood hit, based on their 1930s Girl Crazy, but unashamedly adding some of their best-loved plums from elsewhere.  You are bound to recognise many of them, especially ‘I Got Rhythm’, ‘Embraceable You’, ‘Nice Work If You Can Get it’ and ‘Someone To Watch Over Me’.

It’s back to the 1930s and the first stop is Bela Zangler’s theatre in New York. Bobby Child is the son of a wealthy banking family, but yearns for a career singing and dancing. But Mr Zangler is unimpressed with Bobby’s talents and the stage-struck wannabe is sent out west by his mother to repossess a local theatre there. When he arrives in Deadrock, Nevada, he immediately falls for Polly whose father owns the theatre. Desperate to help save the venue, Bobbly disguises himself as Zangler and rounds up some dancers to put on a show and raise much-needed funds. But Bobby’s plans go awry when Polly falls in love with his alter ego.  Things take a turn for the worse when the real Zangler turns up with hilarious results; the mirror scene is exceedingly clever and funny.

The story isn’t overly riveting, but it’s saving grace is that it does not really take itself too seriously and there is plenty of wit and wry humour to make the plot more palatable.

With TV’s Casualty and Strictly Come Dancing star Tom Chambers and Caroline Flack billed as the stars of the show it is really Charlotte Wakefield (Polly) who drives the production.  A powerhouse of a performer, she sings and dances and acts sublimely.  Chambers is the unwilling banker who would rather perform in a theatre than close it down. He might not have a show-stopping singing voice but his dancing is superb and the audience loved his charm.  Flack had a tiny part, with one song in the second act.  Hollie Cassar’s resourceful Tess proves a real leader, not just of the sparkling Follies’ girls, but knocking the cowboys into shape as a useful men’s chorus (Arthur Boan, Matthew Hinchcliffe, Ned Rudkins-Stow).

Those girls, Cassar, with Abi Casson Thompson, Serena Sandham-Davies Emma Jane Morton and Kate Robson-Stuart radiate glamour and good-heartedness, looking gorgeous in sweet-wrapper bright bodices and smiling through Nathan M Wright’s marvellous routines, often choreographed for dancers simultaneously playing instruments.  Sixteen terrific actor/musicians share the stage with the audience, spilling out of Diego Pitarch’s ingeniously busy many-levelled set, working as theatre, saloon, street and desert, thanks also to Howard Hudson’s cunning lighting.

Stacey Ghent and Kieran Kuypers shine as Patricia and Eugene Fodor, the writers of the travel guides, who turn up in Deadrock as the shows only audience. And Neil Ditt is amusing as the real Zangler.

Crazy For You has no underlying pretensions about being anything other than what it actually is – great entertainment that enables one to escape the frustrations of daily life, for just over two blissful hours in Leeds, gloom is banished and spirits soar during this show.  In Leeds until Saturday and on tour around the UK

I am incredibly pleased and proud to announce the winners of the very first Edinburgh Fringe Awards.

Positions were decided via the sites analytics, these included the newly introduced star system, the comments on the site and the social media interaction – likes and retweets etc.

Overall Winner

Tom Binns – Ivan Brackenbury’s 10 Year Anniversary Party and Tom Binns is Ian D Montfort: Ian Talk Three

Best Comedy

The Saloon Boys – Curse of the Mummy

Best Solo Performance

Tape Face

Best Drama

Victim (Bruised Sky Productions)

Best Musical

SiX

Best Improvisation

Any Suggestions Doctor

Best Family Show

The First Hippo on the Moon

Best New Writing

tie Not Lady Chatterley’s Lover (Happy Idiot) and Fat Rascal Theatre for Buzz and Tom and Bunny Save the World

Girl Power Award

2 Become 1

 

Newcastle Theatre Royal – until 9 September

5*****

I was lucky enough to have a ticket for the first night of Young Frankenstein in Newcastle.  As its not had it official press night I’ll try not to spoil anything but this preview should hopefully whet your appetite.

The legend that is Mel Brookes was in the Toon for the first night and made a speech at the end of the show.  And we were introduced to the production by Director, Susan Stroman.

If you’ve seen the film or if you’ve been lucky enough to see the musical previously then you know its hilarious, but if this is your first visit – then you are in for a treat.

Hadley Fraser (Frederick Frankenstein), Inga (Summer Strallen), Frau Blücher (Lesley Joseph) and Ross Noble (Igor) lead the wonderful cast supported by Dianne Pilkington (Elizabeth), Inspector Kemp (Patrick Clancy) and Shuler Hensley (The Monster) and the incredibly talented ensemble (Imogen Brooke, Nathan Elwick, Andrew Gordon-Watkins, Sammy Kelly, Perry O’Dea, Pichard Pitt, Harriet Samuel-Gray, Gemma Scholes, Josh Wilmott, Bethan Downing, Kelly Ewins-Prouse, Emily Squibb, Matthew Whennell- Clark, Aron Wild)

The show is side-splittingly funny with spoken, physical and visual jokes.  And it must be seen to be believed when the Monster sings and dances his way through “Puttin’ on the Ritz”.

Everything about this show is fabulous from Beowulf Boritt’s magnificent set, William Ivey Long’s costumes and Andrew Hilton’s musical direction.  Mel Brookes music and lyrics are clever, witty and, in some places, downright rude – which actually adds to the humour.

I can only say go and see this show, because you’ll regret if you don’t.  In Newcastle until 9 September and moving into the Garrick Theatre, London from 28 September

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 26 August 2017.  Reviewed by Karen Millington Burnet

3***

What a lovely, balmy, late autumn evening to be out and about, but definitely an opening night of two halves. The Man of the Match was always going to be the charmingly demure Elizabeth Carter’s Laura who, amongst a cast still warming up for much of the early numbers, shone from the first with her nicely observed portrayal of the hesitant 15 year old finding her feet in the uncertain world of 1950s adolescent relationships.  I was very uncertain about Alistair Higgins’ Bobby; in part we were put off by a pre-show announcement that it wasn’t to be him at all, but I was told by the lighting technicians after the show that it was! Well, whoever it was, the character of Bobby grew and eventually I came to the conclusion the player must be quite a talented performer with a naturally cheeky character; I’d like to think that in real life he has a streak of impishness in him and he’s probably quite a “cool” guy.  By the end I warmed to him; he certainly warmed to the part – and I rather liked him, even though his portrayal was understated in a performance which asked for more.  

My 17 year old niece who accompanied me fell for David Luke’s Ray and I have to admit that by the end I must agree…a really talented performer. The cast were lifted by the seasoned, steady hand on the tiller of Jimmy Johnston playing Phil and by Mike Lloyd’s wonderful stable of comic fellows who underpinned the performance.  I was blown away by the range of musical talents amongst the whole company but just wished there was slightly more of the high octane energy the script demanded, especially between the musical numbers – body language counts for so much in a performance like this; characters can’t just walk around the stage.  Nevertheless, it was very evident the musical score touched the sweet spot with this Southampton audience who needed little encouragement to get their feet; well done to Elizabeth Carter for making the first contact.

Huge strawberries to all the musicians – I loved the guitars and the brass, wood wind, keyboards and drums made for a great sound.  Yet again – a perennial complaint of mine at the Mayflower – I think the sound technicians need to up their game. Some of the less strong voices get lost amongst the instruments and while the sound system was not pushed to the limits as it has been in other performances, it is still not as crystal clear as I would expect for this venue…come on Mayflower, you can do better!

For the remainder of the Tech crew, good effort all round: top marks. And the same goes for the choreography and costumes: slick changes and crisp moves around a good stage set gave me confidence the show can only get better as the run progresses. Not a great opening night, but not at all bad and with huge promise for the forthcoming week – a huge thank you