Happy Days, Theatre Royal

Cast your mind back almost 60 years to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1959.

Richie Cunningham and his friends are about to graduate from High School – and there’s the little matter of getting his love life on a firm footing too!

Solid performances from the boys’ new harmony group The Dial-Tones, along with duets from Marion and Joanie (Cheryl Baker and Emma Harrold) were among the first act highlights, as we learn in a straightforward plotline that Arnold’s Diner is under threat from developers. 

A fundraiser with the Fonz (Emmerdale’s Ben Freeman) as the star turn would bring in some money for a fighting fund. Alas, as the curtain falls on Act I, Fonzie has ridden off into the night to escape his responsibilities – which include former squeeze Pinky Tuscado, played by former Sugababe Heidi Range.

Great care had been taken with some superb scenery, clever scene changes and neat changes of pace - such as the Leopard Lodge scene, where Howard’s (James Paterson’s) comic secret society does its work – move the story along.

Deft little touches like Howard Cunningham’s cardigan and Big Al’s white hat for the diner brings the characters from the TV show to life in this brand new musical, enjoying only its second week for its stint in Nottingham.

But there was a nagging feeling at the interval that something was required to lift the show. The orchestra was a little too panto-esque to be big band, and with a little too much grimacing from Fonzie, no single character having the presence required to take over the stage - and the lack of a show-stopping number - we were ready for the party to start in Act II.

And yes, the musical numbers after the interval were bigger and more accomplished, the show had finally made its mind up to take things less seriously and the actors were hamming things up as they should. We saw Cheryl’s fine pair of pins, shared some ‘in’-jokes and enjoyed the creative theatre that brought the fundraiser to its inevitable conclusion.

There are over 20 new songs to enjoy – and therein may be exactly what’s holding the audience back; I’m not sure there’s a chart-topper in this musical.

But if you can free your mind of the 70s television show – and what the “real” Fonz looks and sounds like – and throw yourself into the 50s, you could get along and be able to say you were in at the start of something new.

Science Museum Live - The Energy Show, Nottingham Playhouse

The fast-moving Energy Show Live is thrilling the nation after a hit run at The Science Museum in London over Easter.

This lively, fun, informative – and loud – visual performance is perfect for kids of all ages but really appeals to the eight to 12-year-olds the most.

It’s an upbeat performance featuring two futuristic scientists faced with the challenge of demonstrating all nine forms of energy in a five-minute presentation.

We have the straight-laced Annabella and the rather more fun-loving, impish, Philomena ("that’s ‘Phil’ to you!"). Pitched in together after both failing their exams, they find a way to work as a team and thrill the audience with some ear-splitting and eye-popping physics stunts and tricks that the youngsters will remember for a very long time. 

With help from android Bernard and virtual lab assistant i-nstein, the steampunk ladies whizz through the flames, explosions and tricks, explaining the chemicals and science behind everything they do.

They’re so accomplished that it’s hard to tell if they are scientists doing a bit of acting or actors who’ve learned some science. Either way it’s an action-packed 90 minutes or so, which builds up to the all-important exam presentation at the end.

So we get the biggest and best bangs saved until last! There’s even a series of missiles fired into the audience – but we’ll save the details so as not to spoil the surprise.

Bruce Forsyth, Royal Concert Hall

Thank goodness Bruce Forsyth has parted company with Strictly Come Dancing.

Because it finally nails the myth that he's past it. He's a supremely talented song and dance man at heart and proved it in his visit to Nottingham. 

With a skip and his characteristic dancer's stride, a lively Brucie entered from stage left, started singing and held the audience in the palm of his hand.

A magical piano solo of Misty followed – and the evening simply flowed with song, dance, anecdotes, backchat and music from the showman. He admits it's what he loves most – after all, he's been doing it for 70 years.

There was plenty of trademark banter with the audience – and this is where he shows how it's done. Within the first few minutes he was off the stage and mingling with the Concert Hall crowd, thrilling the stalls with his chit-chat as he made his way up the aisles.

The first half drew to a close with a Generation Game-style skit, as four likely lads were pulled up on stage to don top hats, carry canes and perform a soft shoe shuffle with Sir Bruce. It was natural comedy, amazing theatre and completely family-friendly. 

Before then, the 86-year-old 'entertainer' (as he labels himself) had given us Give Me The Simple Life, and a swift comedy version of Singing in the Rain.

The sign of a true master, it all seemed to have passed in a flash and on his return to the stage, he collected a fiver from band leader Dave Arch after winning a bet that we'd all be sitting there for more!

Sarah from Gloucester will look back on the night as the one when she was picked out of the audience to tango with Sir Bruce in the spotlight. Both looked to be enjoying their moment, even if Brucie was a little risque as she left the stage, pleased he'd made her day but admitting it was a pity he couldn't make her night...

Tales of how he met his beautiful wife Wilnelia, how he can't quite tap dance how he used to, that his golf handicap is way off the '9' it used to be – and memories of his beloved Sammy Davis Jr – were mixed with Can't Take My Eyes off You and I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face, his all-time romantic favourite.

He thrilled us with a half-hour question-and-answer session, before signing off with a simply beautiful solo piano finale. And then stayed on for over 90 minutes, thrilling fans by signing autographs at the stage door.