When Harry Met Sally - Theatre Royal

Two solid performances from the leading actors endeared a packed Theatre Royal audience to them as they recreated this famous film for the stage.

Coronation Street's Rupert Hill (Jamie Baldwin) played opposite Sarah Jayne Dunn, (Mandy from Hollyoaks), as Harry and Sally, who met in New York when she needed her flat decorating - and were then thrown together again five years later, and another year down the line to begin their confusing relationship.

As we know, he's onto a winner with his disputed claim that a man and a woman cannot remain friends without romance getting in the way and we thus explore the possibilities...

Such was Rupert's command of the role that we could feel the women in the audience seething at his attitude and stance but, of course, they were sucked in and fell under his spell, as did Sarah. Despite also coming from soapland, she proved that these are actors of quality by matching her foil on stage.

Alas, there were too few men in the audience to judge her by their reaction, although the audience reaction as a whole was interesting for her most famous scene, spontaneously applauding as one at her, ahem, acting skills.

Compared with the Hollywood blockbuster, the simple set and straightforward scene changes helped focus on the narrative and let our imagination fill in the gaps.

Whether set in the park or the gym the cast truly made us believe, simply because the nature of their story is that we want to believe and identify with their situation.

A small but perfectly formed cast carried the story through to its inevitable conclusion - but we won't spoil the ending in case you get a chance to catch the show before the weekend.

Cinderella - Palace Theatre, Newark

The well-picked bunch of performers hits the mark at every turn in a fairy tale couple of hours of festive fun.

Naomi Slater was the perfect Cinders. Everything you could hope for – and more, with a winning smile and just a hint every now and again that she was really enjoying herself.

And Darrock and Howe, billed as Britian’s ugliest sisters, really are.

But Martin Platt from Corrie, or should I say actor Sean Wilson, was in charge - as Buttons. Much more at home being himself or doing asides or impressions than when he was trotting out the gags, our kids loved him and he was a firm favourite with this matinee audience.

Countered by Emmerdale’s Daniel Brocklebank (who has a fantastic singing voice) as the prince, there’s a real battle of the soaps in Newark this Christmas!

Anyone with children aged six or so will know the Fairy Godmother, Nicole Davis. She used to be one of the faces of CBeebies on TV, and her stock rose with the dads in the crowd as she flitted about in a barely-there outfit for her Strictly Come Dancing skit.

Highlights for me were the magical transformation of the rats, lizards and pumpkin into a coach with REAL horses – and where Cinderella’s rags turned into a glittering ball gown in a split second… thanks to the magic of theatre!

This, and an absorbing fox-hunting scene with superb performances from all the dancers, the kids from Tozer Studios included, truly captured the spirit of panto.