Welcome to the House of Fun! This week Bilston Operatic Society come crashing into the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre for their 2016 production of Our House the Musical! This Madness Juke-Box Musical tells the story of Joe Casey (Ben Evans) as he tries to become rich, win his girlfriend over, break into flats, impress his mum and many other acts in the overcasting shadow of his imprisoned father. This particular production was very strong in presenting such a great narrative and the vocals did the Madness score more than justice!
The young talent - Ben Evans - led the piece outstandingly as Joe Casey with some particularly strong vocals and acting throughout. He was paired well with the stunning Abii Strudwicke as his onstage romantic interest Sarah, who proved her strong vocal ability in NW5. Joe’s Mum, Kath Casey (Sue Towler) really brought an emotional connection to the story in numbers such as The Rise and Fall and was contrasted well by Joe Casey's banter-filled mates Emmo (Matthew Coombes) and Lewis (Tom Withers) who brought some comic enhancement to the production leading musical numbers. Their performances in My Girl were enhanced brilliantly by their strong vocals and they should both be commended for their performances. Additionally Sarah's on stage “bitchy” mates Billy (Jordan Barratt) and Angie (Katie Harrison) again furthered the hilarity of their scenes and provided some very strong characterisation to the musical.

Technically the show also held well - Scenic Project’s set filled the stage nicely with a brickwork staging, blue wing flats and a rather funky front cloth to set the mood of this musical and created a real setting for the production as a whole.

Complementing this, Matt Bird’s Lighting Design sparkled in It Must Be Love. There were some impromptu blackouts, which distressed the narrative and one moment where there was no clear change in set or lighting for the Wings of a Dove sequence, although the choreography, direction and narrative moved to the glitzy Las Vegas.

Some nice additions in the musical came from the projection in Driving in my Car which successfully filled the whole upstage wall creating a real comical 3D effect of the moving car. A big shout out to the crew who have clearly been led well by Robbin Morrison as Production Stage Manager.

The strong talent and ability provided by the band was palpable (led by Ian Room as Musical Director), but there were moments when it was a little too quiet, there is always a tricky balance between the band and the vocals, but there was scope for the band to be a bit louder and showcase Madness's wonderful music further.

Laura Canadine’s Direction and Choreography fitted well with the piece and, despite some hyperbolized moments in the performances, their were some clear moments of creativity, particularly apparent in Baggy Trousers and Tomorrow’s Just Another Day.

In Baggy Trousers a particularly notable performance came from Jacob Kohli, who was full of energy and gave a darker tone to the musical towards the latter end of the show, as the villainous Reecey.

Kohli, the strong ensemble and Mike James as Joe’s Dad really helped to push the darker side to this seemingly light-hearted narrative. The ensemble roles shone in The Sun and the Rain with some hilarious lyric alterations and stunningly comical portrayals.
As Madness puts it: “The Sun shines east, the Sun shines west, but I know where the sun shines best… The Wolverhampton Grand this week!” Easily one of the strongest amateur dramatic productions I've had the pleasure to review - do not miss BOC’s Our House at the Wolverhampton Grand playing until 19 November 2016.

Review by Andrew Exeter.

Solihull's St Augustine's MTC have never been a group to shy away from a challenge, which was very much proved tonight, as they presented the Solihull premiere of 9 to 5 the Musical.

Dolly Parton's feel-good show is packed with warmth, charm and hilarity, and STAGS had this in oodles. Not only did each principal ooze talent, so did the ensemble - and that's what made this production so incredibly enjoyable.

Under the assured direction of Veronica Walsh, her experience was abundantly clear. This show was exceedingly well cast, with talent aplenty emerging from the central characters as well as the supporting performers. Joe was endearingly played by Ed Mears, who excellently captured the young, lovelorn junior accountant. The duet shared with Violet (Let Love Grow) was wholly engrossing.

Another super performance came from Nicola Palfrey as Roz Keith - garnering many a laugh throughout the night she delivered a confident and sassy performance.

Mark Hughes hilariously took on the role of the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot - Franklin Hart - making for a particularly smarmy, vomit-inducing boss as he ogled Doralee in Here for You. His performance was unwavering throughout.

But it was the trio of women who led from the front. They were a formidable team, each showcasing their vocal and acting talents impressively.

One of the most sublime pieces of character acting I have ever witnessed on the amdram scene came from Lauren Clarke as Judy Bernly - she really is a super talent. Her voice soared in Get Out and Stay Out and she was met with rapturous applause as she hit the last note. Joined by Jo Smith, who's wonderful country twang was a delight to the ear in Backwoods Barbie, coupled with the hilariously well acted performance from Loretta Parnell as Violet Newstead, the trio came into their own as they performed the rousing Act 1 finale: Shine Like the Sun.

Harmonies were incredibly tight throughout, under the musical direction of Stephen Powell and the complicated score was very well handled by the talented band. Plus, the choreography from Liane Hughes helped to step the show up another level.

Yes, there were some scene changes that impacted the pace of the performance, but this really is a show that deserves a sold out audience every night. The hard work of everyone involved shines through and it really was a delight from start to finish.

Review by Victoria Ellery-Jones

Inspired by the popular British film, The Full Monty took to the Birmingham Hippodrome stage last night, playing to a packed out audience.

Adapted by Simon Beaufoy (based on his own screenplay), the stage version loses none of the original charm the film possesses.

With a fourteen-strong cast, the play exploded onto stage with hilarity and energy. Although the play is primarily a comedy - which had the audience in fits of laughter throughout the night - the play addresses many sensitive issues, including unemployment, impotence, homosexuality, suicide and father's rights. All of this was handled wonderfully by the entire cast and beautifully portrayed in a slick production.

Robert Jones's set design was superb, the generic warehouse backdrop became a dynamic and essential part of moving the play along quickly and was complemented well by Tim Lutkin's lighting design. The explosion of colour in the ultimate scene really showcased the genius of the set.

Gary Lucy's Gaz led the show impeccably, delivering a well-measured performance that balanced the comedy and the desperation in wanting to see his son. Speaking of which, Lucy's relationship with Nathan was a joy to watch. Felix Yates is a star in the making, with a performance that oozed confidence - he had the audience in the palm of his hand as he handed his piggy bank money over to his Dad.

The pairing of Chris Fountain as Guy and Anthony Lewis as Lomper was perfect. Whilst there were other standout performance from Louis Emerick as Horse, Andrew Dunn as Gerald and the endearing Kai Owen as Dave.

Featuring a host of great songs from the likes of Donna Summer, Hot Chocolate and Tom Jones this is a clear audience pleaser and it's definitely worth a watch before the run ends on Saturday.

An all-time family favourite, The Wizard of Oz sweeps into Lichfield this week in the capable hands of Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company (SCMTC).

In an explosion of energy and colour, the group succeeded in transporting their astutely engaged audience into the land of oz. Led by Rene Blissett in the demanding role of Dorothy, we were swept down the yellow brick road in a flurry of wonderful performances.

Scarecrow (Ben Adams), Tin Man (Tony Orbell) and Lion (Mark Hull) were sublimely cast, with Hull's cowardly lion a clear audience favourite, but the endearing performance from Adams as Scarecrow was equally delightful. There was strong support from Wicked Witch Christina Peak and Patrick Jervis was superb as a bumbling Professor Marvel/Wizard of Oz. But, stealing many of the scenes throughout the night, was the adorable Toto, played by Tetley.

The beauty of this production lay in the hands of the exceptional work from the creative team and ensemble. The ensemble added passion and verve to an already assured principle cast and there were many individuals that stood out, including Charlotte Middleton, Ashley Leight and Sophie Hammond.

The highlight of the night was, without a doubt, the munchkin scenes, which were utterly fantastic and so cleverly executed. Many productions use a large ensemble of children, but to witness a full stage of adult munchkins was a stroke of pure genius. Kudos then to director Deb Middleton and her esteemed team of choreographer Jen Morris and music director Sheila Pearson. Dancing was impressively slick, the music was joyous and the overall direction meant there were no elongated pauses or overcomplicated scene changes.

Perfect for half term, if you can possibly grab a ticket, it's one to see this week!