 Highbury Players brings elegance and sophistication with this J.B.Priestley play set in the 1930s.
This dark play of secrets and lies starts with a slow steady pace, building the dramatic tension throughout. Intrigue is heightened with lots of twists and turns, and an even bigger final twist. The play starts with four women sat in a drawing room. They've been listening to the radio after dinner, one is a novelist, Maud Mockridge, and there's two director’s wives, Freda and Betty, plus close friend, Olwen. They begin talking about the suicide of Freda's brother-in-law Martin Caplan who worked at the firm. After being interrupted by their husbands, Robert and Gordon, and fellow work colleague, Charles, they all begin discussing whether it's always best to be fully truthful. Then one event, a chance remark, starts a cascade of revelations that slowly helps the audience piece the circumstances together; unpick the situation for what it is and see the characters for who they really are. This includes the circumstances of Martin's death and the mystery of a theft of £500. This strong cast gave a skilled performance, holding their characters secrets close to home, whilst being intrigued to uncover each other's. Their individual performances were well-crafted, in-keeping with the setting of the play. The costumes were immaculate and fitting for the era and the set design was also impressive and detailed. The lighting was particularly effective as it was altered to adjust the atmosphere of the story. Two scenes that worked particularly well included the flashback scene with the voiceover and the looped events at the end. Whilst finding out some answers, this play also raises many more questions in a continuous manner, which kept the audience both interested and intrigued throughout.  Guiseppe Verdi's opera Aida was received with critical acclaim when it opened in Cairo on 24 December 1871, and the great man himself would be proud to know that, 146 years on, it lives on in all it's dramatic glory, thanks to Elton John's soaring score, Tim Rice's terrific lyrics and Solihull Theatre Company's brilliantly sparkling performance of this classic tale of love, war and tragedy.
The central theme of star crossed lovers is set against the backdrop of war and the capture of slaves from the land of Nubia by the Egyptians. Among those captured in one raid is Aida, a Princess of Nubia, who quickly makes an impression upon the Egyptian Court, as well as Captain Ramades (who captured her and her countrywomen), and becomes hand maiden to an Egyptian princess. The story may have been set in ancient Egypt, but there was nothing old or tired about this production. The set impressed from the moment it was revealed at the beginning of the show, with a refreshingly bright look to it and skilfully managed by the invisible backstage team. The show begins in modern Egypt, with tourists admiring the ancient monuments on show, and we are quickly introduced to the pleasingly strong vocals of Princess Amneris, played by Kara Robinson, in the opening number Every Story Is A Love Story. Kara continued to impress as she played the Egyptian princess, who seems at first to be rather shallow but who then reveals a more mellow and deep side to her character; these were depicted with surety by Kara's excellent acting and particularly fine rendition of the number My Strongest Suit. Guiseppe Verdi wrote the role of Aida originally for Teresa Stoltz, and had Charley Branson been alive in 1871, Ms Stoltz would have had a run for her money. Charley's authoritative and beautifully controlled vocals stood up to the challenge of the huge role of the Nubian princess captured into slavery with what seemed like effortless ease in every number, with superb light and shade and magnificent volume in equal parts. She injected pathos and strength into the character and Radames, the Egyptian captain who is betrothed to Amneris, could not fail to be won over by this wilful, charming and unlikely slave. The role of the ultimately doomed Captain was played with mastery by Dan Gough, who left the audience in no doubt of the dilemma he found himself in by falling for Aida. The principal line up was complemented superbly by David Page's wonderfully convincing portrayal of Mereb, another Nubian slave and servant to Captain Ramades, who's commanding vocal talent was on show in the duet How I Know You, and by STC debutante Emily Gee, who delighted the audience with her fiercely loyal depiction of slave Nehebka, surprising us with an excellent vocal performance in The Dance Of The Robe, and pleasing us with characterisation worthy of a more experienced actress. The dishonourable and sinister side of ancient Egypt was also on display in Steve Hayes's evil and chilling depiction of Ramdes's father Zoser, and he shone superlatively in the duet Like Father Like Son. There were some truly wonderful musical moments, enhanced by the outstanding band; the quartet Not Me was delivered with pristine, spine tingling harmonies, the reprise of Enchantment Passing Through brought a tear to the eye, and the chorus numbers stood out for their tight, securely delivered singing. In a musical it is easy to forget the non-singing roles; Jon Sheridan (Pharaoh) presided over the Egyptian court with fearsome authority, and Paul Stainton was equally strong as Amonasro, Aida's father, the King of Nubia. A company performance can only ever be as good as the production team behind it, and huge praise and accolades must be heaped upon the superb production team of Terry Wheddon (Director), Pauline Elliker (Choreographer) and Stephen Perrins (Musical Director). It was clear from the moment the curtains opened that this was a production of vision and conviction, supplemented by precise drilling of the entire cast which paid off in spades with the slick dancing and dazzling singing of the entire company. If you would like to be transported back to the Land of The Pharaohs this weekend, there are still ticket available.  Photo: Marc Brenner As the audience took their seats last night, there was a palpable excitement in the atmosphere. And as the band struck up, under the sublime musical direction of Ben Van Tienen, we were transported to 1920s New York. For over two and a half hours our eyes were transfixed as Funny Girl graced the Hippodrome’s stage in all its wonderful glory.
An endearing tale of one young girl’s journey from stage-struck teenager to star of the Follies, Funny Girl is packed with boundless energy, yet tinged with sadness. Fanny Brice is a young Jewish girl, desperate for her chance in the spotlight, but with a slightly quirkier disposition to your typical chorus girl, her rise to fame comes out of her faultless talent for comedy. Who better to step into a role like this than the undeniably talented Sheridan Smith? She delivered an absolute masterclass in performance, and even in the larger Hippodrome auditorium you were sucked into her story. It was intimate and beautiful. Her comic timing is second to none and there was not one hilarious quirk, twitch or gurn missed. Not only that, coupled with vocals that soared through the theatre, her performances of some of the most iconic songs from this striking soundtrack were stunning. Particular highlights included People and Don’t Rain On My Parade, delivered with sheer vim and verve. Paired with Darius Campbell, as her love interest and eventual husband Nick Arnstein, their relationship on stage was tender and captivating. They complemented each other well and their rendition of You Are Woman, I Am Man was utterly brilliant. There was an abundance of outstanding performances from the rest of the cast, notably Rachel Izen as Fanny’s mother and Joshua Lay as the haplessly lovelorn Eddie Ryan. Desperately seeking his chance with Fanny Brice, he never quite manages to ‘win the girl.’ Lay’s dancing is exceptional, and between him and Izen they create an unlikely, yet comical duo in Who Taught Her Everything She Knows? with Izen’s impressive vocal range shining. Special mentions also to the Cornet Men (Peter Nash and Lloyd Davies), who, alongside Smith, created a fantastic trio in Cornet Man, Brice’s debut performance. It’s these little asides throughout that hold some of the funniest physical comedy. From a pregnant bride to a mustachioed bloke, Smith transitions through these characters faultlessly. As the story moves along, the ingenious set from Michael Pavelka seamlessly transforms from train station, to theatre, to dressing room, with very simple touches. Heightened by the lighting from Mark Henderson and costumes from Matthew Wright, it is vibrant and colourful throughout. Under the direction of Michael Mayer and effective choreography from Lynne Page, the show is undeniably slick and glorious to watch. Theatre that takes you from rolling with laughter to tears rolling down your cheek is something quite magical. And that was all epitomised in this exquisite performance. Smith has something special; she is undoubtedly one of ‘the greatest stars’ and with a closing scene that displays such glorious resilience, Funny Girl is a superlative show that must be seen.  Presenting such a classic, cherished show as Oliver! is not as easy as you might expect. The challenge to strike a balance between doing justice to the nostalgic memories your audience may have of previous versions, against bringing something fresh and unique to the production is a very real one. And that is before you add in a large children’s company and a dog for good measure.
Fortunately, Tudor Musical Comedy Society’s production of Oliver! meets this challenge head on in the safe hands of Director Faye O’Leary, Musical Director David Easto and Choreographer Paula Lumsden. All the elements that keen fans would like to see are there – from the horse and carriage made by Fagin’s gang with umbrellas, to the gutsy Oom-Pah-Pah dancing – but the production also has a renewed modern energy that is often lacking in performances of this show, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. The music is energetic and played at a slightly faster tempo in some numbers than you might expect, but it helps push the whole production along. The direction is slick and simple, but with lovely attention to little comic touches and delivery of phrases that just lift the whole story. Leading the cast in the title role Nathan Wallace is the perfect Oliver Twist. He has a beautiful voice and displays excellent acting skills throughout, working equally well against the other children in the cast and as the only child in an adult-led scene. Lewis McLaren is a confident cheeky Artful Dodger who oozes stage presence and has excellent dance skills to lead the big production numbers. They are supported by a mixed team of young performers aged from 6 up who perform with energy and enthusiasm throughout. Alistair Jolliffe is a delight as Fagin; spritely, sardonic and full of charisma, while Kerrie Davies is a strong Nancy who handles her tricky musical repertoire effortlessly. They are ably supported by a whole host of striking performances including Elliott Beech as a quintessential Mr Bumble, Mia Turley's expressive Bet and Paul Lumsden’s threatening Bill Sykes. Special mentions are also due to Julia Radcliffe, James Rowney, Nathan Rock and Stevie Morgan for making the most of the difficult Funeral Parlour scenes. Finally, a special award for most endearing cowardly performance is most definitely owed to Archie the Bulldog whose performance as Bullseye, though rather struck with stage fright, won over the audience in a heartbeat! This is a delightful, punchy rendition of a classic. There are seats left across the run and Tudor deserve full houses!  Questions of morals, life decisions, friendship and aspirations are what create Jonathon Larson’s classic and uniquely brilliant: RENT. In this 20th anniversary UK Tour, the cast and creative team bring to life the story of 7 artists in the wake of the American AIDS epidemic, Mark documents the whole show on his camera as he aspires to become a filmmaker, whilst his best friend Roger hopes for just one song in his pursuit of becoming a music artist. As the story turns into the darker side of Larson’s piece, this production deals with it through sheer maturity, respect and creative genius.
The whole cast is simply faultless, with highlights from Javar La’Trail Parker as the antagonist Benny in You’ll See. His aggression towards the bohemian life is heightened in the show’s classic La Vie Boheme in which Billy Cullum reaches a real high point as the filmmaker Mark and Lee Proud’s choreography really re-invents this number for the better. For the audience, colour and movement make this the most memorable end of act one. The relationship between struggling and bereaved Roger (Josh Dever) and Mimi (Philippa Stefani) is full of energy and yet totally heartbreaking in act two. Dever’s vocal ability was clear in One Song Glory and much like Christina Modestou as Maureen, the two prove that you should never underestimate the understudy. Stefani is vocally strong throughout, particularly during Out Tonight and her heart-wrenching performance of Goodbye Love. One other performance that strikes a chord, is that of the selfless Angel, where actor Layton Williams’ dance ability is clear. Angels’ tragic downfall in the show from AIDS is depicted in the most creative and raw way, through movement and projection in Contact. Larson’s showstealing number Take Me or Leave Me was exactly that: showstealing. Dramatizing the argument between Maureen (Christina Modestou) and Joanne (Shanay Holmes), it is a song that fully exploits two feisty female performers with vocals that soar across the auditorium. It leaves the audience in absolute awe and really is a high point in the production. One number, however, that does rival this is Ryan O’Gorman as the distraught and broken Collins in I’ll Cover You (Reprise). Vocally O’Gorman executes this number with sheer force and dexterity, bringing shivers to every member of the audience. Backed vocally by the ensemble, this number has a similar impact to the act two opener Seasons Of Love - an expositional number which really heightens the show’s morals, telling us what act two will bring. On a design front, Anna Fleichle’s take on the classic raw, sparse and industrial RENT set really works, and the detailing of the neighborhood through spray paint, lampposts and street signs is what really sets this apart from being just a scaffolding structure. Aside from Proud’s stunningly slick, but rather abstract choreography, the set is probably the only other thing about the production that is not naturalistic, creating a false world on the stage for these naturalistic performances. Loren Elstein’s costume does not directly copy the cliché original Broadway costumes, but instead opts for a more realistic approach in what the characters are wearing, similarly in Rick Fisher’s lighting design it is not a rock show, and instead just a raw depiction of life in New York during the American AIDS epidemic. This fresh, new naturalistic take on a classically Brechtian piece, comes directly from Bruce Guthrie’s direction which has done away with the ensemble standing behind mics in their musical interludes “Christmas bells are ringing…” and instead helps to tell the stories of these individuals through movement. It really is a production that places the storytelling of Larson’s work at its heart and this really helps those who do not know the show to understand its sometimes intangible plot. What did let this production team down was the sound problems throughout act one with the cast being drowned out by the band and mics being lost, notably this was resolved in act two but was very distracting. It is truly the most honest and clear depiction of Larson’s masterpiece you will ever see. Do not miss this production on its UK Tour, playing at the Belgrade until Saturday. Review by Andrew Exeter. La Strada (The Road) is based on the subject and script work by Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano and Tullio Pinell. It is a story about a young girl who is sold to a travelling performer and the journey she takes to get back home. Prior to its West End run at the Other Palace this summer, the show has embarked on a UK tour. Transporting its audience across post-war Italy through the struggles of the working performer, it’s a show that places the purpose of theatre boldly at its heart: storytelling. The prologue is spoken by the ensemble: “This is an old story” and from then on, Cookson’s Brechtian inspired direction takes the stage into its own and pulls it apart to its raw roots. Its devising comes from working with this ensemble and a ‘writer in the room’ – Mike Akers – to transform this Italian cinematic spectacle into a live action stage show, and it is in this devising that so much creativity is clear.
Audrey Brisson provides an innocent and enthralling Gelsomina throughout the story and, in direction with Sally Cookson, the two provide an immersive experience for the audience as we are captivated by her story with every inch she moves about the stage. Brisson is also vocally talented and it soothes through Benji Bower’s stunning original soundtrack. Likewise, the vocals of the actor musician ensemble soar through the score with delicacy and tact creating real scope for Bower’s music to be exploited throughout the piece. It is in the transformation into act two that the strength in Bart Soroczynski as Il Matto (The Fool) really comes into play. His character evokes empathy from the audience and makes it all the more captivating as the show climaxes in Act Two – a truly striking moment in the show. Meanwhile, antagonist – Zampano (Stuart Goodwin) provides our empathy for Gelsomina through his harsh abuse and narcissistic deeds. With movement direction from Cameron Carver, the fight sequences between Goodwin and the rest of the cast are horrifyingly real, and reflect nicely Carver’s movement in transition sequences. It is, however, the ensemble of actor-musicians who really emphasise the artistic integrity behind this storytelling. The ensemble personify the emotion behind what Gelsomina experiences throughout the story with movement, sound, instruments and particularly during the transition sequences where movement through tyres reflect the nature of Gelsomina and Zamphano’s travel across the country. It is raw, striking and yet delicately beautiful to watch and a real reflection on the state of post-war Italy. On a design front, this feeling of a bleak setting is further heightened in Katie Sykes’ stripped back and sparse wooden and metal-chained set. In collaboration with Aideen Malone’s lighting design there is scope for pure excellence across the show and some real moments of visual sensation are created. Sykes’ costuming is also unique in its approach, opting for a rather industrial and bleak look into the character’s appearances, allowing for a little colour in the circus character’s facades. La Strada really places the audience on ‘The Road’ with the performers to experience a tale of hate, love and passion. It truly is one of the rawest depictions of storytelling across contemporary British musical theatre and you mustn’t miss it on its UK Tour this year. Review by Andrew Exeter I will be the first too admit, I was sceptical walking into The Shop Front Theatre, Coventry. I had envisioned the intimate venue to be a hindrance to the performance of All is Well, but, if I learnt anything, it's to never judge a book by a cover... or a shop by its windows. The intimacy and absurdity of the venue was wonderful, and there was something deeply moving about hearing the ticking of a clock on a back wall whilst watching a show about somewhere lost to time.
All Is Well tells the story of four strangers exploring Chernobyl, each examining the lost town with their own reasons for being there. Mark Carey plays Aleks, a nuclear safety inspector with a tragic past. Carey was glorious to watch, his monologue about seeing his mother drunk was a personal highlight, he encapsulated the audience on his every word. Jack Richardson plays the sheepish Stefan (along with a rather gloriously designed puppet of a Blackbird), he provided some of the biggest laughs of the night with his nervous and pessimistic imagination. Aimee Powell plays Nina, the moral compass of the piece, Powell plays a strong character, and delivers a terrific performance throughout the piece, however I couldn't help but feel that playwright Vanessa Oakes somewhat underdeveloped her character. She appeared for most of the play to talk about several bad experiences, if this play is staged again, it would be interesting to see her character develop into the audiences eyes of Chernobyl, with her being the most unfamiliar with the area. Finally Janice McKenzie plays the mysterious Anna, McKenzie's turn of phrase was a delight to watch, her bleak and rather sadistic view on the world brought many a laugh to the audience, it is a shame we never got to understand her true character in the slightly muddled final scenes of the play, however her performance would leave the audience wondering for days after. Director Mark Evans encapsulated the world of Chernobyl beautifully, having the characters describe the stage directions was an interesting approach which paid off, we were no longer looking at the constraints of a shop and instead the audience felt absorbed in the action. The simplicity of Nancy Surman's set design of Chernobyl was beautiful, fitting the conditions of the auditorium well and yet never feeling that the stage was bare at any moment. All Is Well was an interesting and thought-provoking hour of theatre with bags of potential. The run continues at the mac in Birmingham this week. Catch it while you can.  P.T Barnum is the name as Hinckley Concordia Amateur Operatic present Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart’s biographical tale about the life and times of 1830’s P.T Barnum. Highlighting the ups and downs in Barnum’s life, the story is told through narration via 2 characters - Barnum and The Ring Master. The audience is rather uniquely told all this as if they are the circus audience and even in more intimate scenes this is not taken away. It's unique storytelling pattern is clever and this production presented it very well.
Daniel Morrison leads with dexterity and strength as the protagonist P.T Barnum reaching a real climax of performance ability in the finale of act one, which concludes with the tense scene in which Morrison defeats the tightrope - a real turning point for the character in the lead up to act two. Morrison is made for this role and rivals that of the professional productions of this show: a truly commendable performance. Additionally, Craigie Morrison provides a heartwarming Chairy Barnum - her character shift unveils Chairy’s real life. As the leading female, she contrasts the performance of Jessica Clarke-Wheatley as the circus’ vocal phenomenon: Jenny Lind and it is clear that this role is suited to Clarke-Wheatley perfectly. Finally, it is Ringmaster (James Martin) that adds real storytelling to the piece, as the writer’s expository device, allowing for constant belief and immersivity that we are inside Barnum’s circus tent. It is a real treat to see amateur societies take on such a hard production. Learning various circus skills and flips is a nice touch, maintaining the integrity of the show. Notably, the circus style talent is clear in Matthew Perry as he slides onto the stage and breaks into the splits – a moment not to be missed! In addition to this, Perry’s ability to multirole across the show as Chester Lyman, Edgar Templeton and more provides a sense of strong professionalism that is not often utilised in amateur theatre and is a real treat in this show. Barnum’s circus' performers are also strong with notable performances from Tom Bell as Tom Thumb - his vocal ability is strong, but particular strength comes from his movement in his song Bigger Isn't Better. The show's set (provided by Scenic Projects) is fitting as the traveling circus setting and has real depth for the change in the show from scene to scene. It is in Nanette Goodman’s Direction that there is real interaction with the set, but more noticeably in Lisa Marsh’s choreography there is scope for excellence across the piece. Lighting compliments and despite being dark in a few places and followspots occasionally missing some performers, it lifts the piece well. Similarly, there are some mic issues throughout and Sarah Bright’s undeniably strong musical direction isn't as impacting as it could be, in order to hype the scale of Barnum's circus, because of how quiet the output is. Aside from this, the crew and creative team on this show deliver a strong and convincing show. Fundamentally, Barnum is unique, not often chosen by amateur companies because of its demanding staging. The show aims its appeal at those who want to simply watch a nice tale about success and failure. The show doesn't challenge its audience and for what it is, is a really enjoyable show. What is notable is the scale of this particular production by Hinckley Concordia and the efforts and talent of those involved really is commendable for amateur theatre. Visually the show really heightens in Black and White as the crisp monotone design engulf’s the Concordia’s stage. Slick dancing and stunning costuming (provided by The Loft Costumes) really knocked this number up to the highlight of the production, and its burst into colour at the end is a visual sensation – the show is worth seeing just for this sequence alone. In the words of Barnum… 'Come on Follow the Band and Join the Circus' at the Concordia Theatre, Hinckley before 13 May!  Rock ‘n’ Roll productions present the musical All or Nothing. It begins at the end with The Small Faces' final performance at the Alexandra Palace. Rewinding back to the beginning with Steve Marriot (Chris Simmons) reliving the life and times of his once successful band. This expository ‘onlooker’ narrates the audience through the band’s successful years until it’s penultimate moment, with a dark realization of the future of the band, stunningly depicted by Carol Harrison as Marriot’s mother.
It is undoubtably the music of The Small Faces that really lifts the show but, often a quality that lacks in many jukebox style musicals, the music has been very cleverly integrated into the text with a clear feel of musical clarity. Carol Harrison’s book and direction creates a real consistency in this, and ensures that there are no moments where the show just feels like a Small Faces concert. Peter Small’s lighting design is rocky and heightens the feel of the Mods' musical context. It really reflects Rebecca Brower’s set, which is a raw backdrop of cockney London. Real depth is created on the stage with corrugated metal sheets and sliding sheets suggesting other areas that the set extends to. Chris Simmons plays an emotionally charged Steve Marriot. His reflection of Samuel Pope as Young Steve Marriot elicits the more mature side to his character, with real empathetic questioning from the audience. Simmons performs with sheer dexterity and strength, showing clear deterioration across the show as he goes from the cool calm Marriot with a beer in hand, to a broken and visually distraught man. It is the actor-musician performers who make up the Small Faces band that really steal the show. They are literal reflections on what older Marriot is thinking and narrating throughout, but you can't help but fall in love with their love for music. The cheeky attitude of Ronnie Lane (Stanton Wright) and Ian McLagan (Josh Maddison) as they enter the music shop at the start is what begins the journey of The Small Faces and their partnership with cocky Steve Marriot (Samuel Pope). A moment of tension arises as the band reach success and Jimmy Winston (Joseph Peters) is kicked out the band in replacement of Kenney Jones (Stefan Edwards), who really captures the essence of the 'lad' attitude of the band with his opening words: "I didn't realise you lot were a bunch of short arses like me!". There is notable strength from Daniel Beales, who adds real comedy as he multiroles between characters, contrasting the antagonistic attitude of Russell Floyd as the band’s manager. There is no ‘or’ at the Belgrade this week – you get ALL from this production and the musical’s stunning cast will have you rocking into the night.  The Arcadians is an amateur musical theatre group founded in 1971. The members produce two musicals each year at The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham. They also raise funds for local good causes.
Loosely based on the story of Faust (Faust being the lead character of a German legend who makes a pact with the Devil and trades his soul for ‘knowledge and worldly pleasures’) Disco Inferno is a modern style musical set in ’76. The show features memorable songs of the 1970s era, including the well-loved Boogie Nights, I Will Survive, Disco Inferno and Hot Stuff. Working late in a London nightclub, Disco Inferno, Jack (Lee Powell) meets Lady Marmalade (Michelle Burgess) - a femme fatale and associate of the Devil himself. Dreaming of success, Jack makes a pact with Lady Marmalade and trades his soul to fulfil his wildest imaginations. Jack soon becomes an international success, making appearances on radio and TV, but he soon finds his success insignificant - having finally found the fame and fortune he dreamed of but losing the love of his loyal girlfriend, Jane (Sarah Corden). As his situation worsens, Jack wishes only to get his life back to the way it used to be and looks to trade all he has for the love of his life. With a dazzling starlight backdrop and lots of crazy 70s style costumes, the show opens with a big fun dance routine to Kool and the Gang’s Celebration. The show then steams ahead with disco hit after hit. Rock star and nightclub singer Heathcliff is played with passion by Daniel Guzman who performs a fabulous Ballroom Blitz, complimenting Kai McNamee’s very sexy vocals as Tom and a handsome and stage-confident Jack. Highlights of the evening for me included the red spandex’d Lady Marmalade’s Hot Stuff song n’ dance routine and the very funny Back Row of the Movies sequence including plenty of popcorn, hand jiving and velvety harmonies performed delightfully well by the cast. In contrast to the nasty Heathcliffe is a firm favourite of mine in Terry the DJ (Derek Harker) who was dressed in some of the most entertaining outfits and wigs of the night, especially in the Village People medley. Tom and Jack’s arrival on a purple chopper was also most amusing, as was the Beatles song title sketch which was presented with some lovely comedy timing and worked very well with the audience. Great casting of nightclub owner, Duke (Steve Halfyard) and consultant Nicky Diablo (Eleanor Hewer), along with Kathy (Gemma Lee) and Maggie (Abigail Underwood) makes this a fun show packed with well-played and arranged music and disco dancin’ divas, typical of the era. But most importantly it’s a show that demonstrates a lot of love, camaraderie and enjoyment on stage, which is exactly what amateur dramatics is all about. |
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