Ruby Wax; Frazzled. Nottingham Playhouse

So what did YOU get up to last night?

We spent an evening exercising our mindfulness muscle in the company of campaigner and comedienne Ruby Wax.

Still on anti-depressants after 20-odd years, she freely admits which one is her favourite but still urges her sell-out audience to practise mindfulness... and switch off the news.

Although that’s not altogether fair. On the topic of mental health she frequently advises that not everything works for everyone.

And the second half of the show, a frighteningly honest Q&A with audience members on mental illness as covered in her best-selling book Frazzled, reveals the many guises such illness can take.

Anyone who’s ever loved Ruby – and let’s face it, she’s everyone’s favourite funny-girl-turned-mental-health-campaigner – will also love this tour.

With a familiar comic undercurrent, she opens up on her own childhood, her early years with her immigrant parents in America, her husband, her family and how she feels herself channelling her own mother as she relates to her own offspring.

Is mental illness stress? Is stress down to the lives we lead? Turns out it’s probably down to how we deal with the lives we lead. Ruby reminds us how technology was supposed to give us free time, so we could go out chasing butterflies, dreaming or composing poetry. Yet we now seems to be slaves to the computers, which are themselves having the time of their lives.

She has a Master’s degree in Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy from Oxford University.
It’s something she is probably more proud of than she would be prepared to admit. But it’s helped launch this second half of her career where she speaks with authority, knowledge and experience on this tricky and often hidden topic.

The telling stat is that one in four suffer. Among the 700-plus at this sell-out lecture it was probably more like three in four, such was the ferocity of interest and empathy with her words.

And perhaps there will be a legacy beyond the comedy (which incidentally was by no means in short supply last night - she’s still got it, has Ruby). She’s also opening Frazzled Cafes in partnership with M&S, where small groups meet every two weeks to just talk honestly and meet within their own community. There’s more at: frazzlecafes.org

Miles Jupp, Songs of Freedom: Nottingham Playhouse

Within minutes of Jupp bounding onto stage, in our minds we have the striking and carefully drawn image of him reclining in a bath on stage. With soap, and steaming hot water. And a good wash. Not a square inch missed.

This is his looking forward to the end of the gig, returning to his hotel room and relaxing with wine after the show.

His way with words makes it crystal clear what he’s driving at. He even tells us he’s carrying a little excess timber.

And when he describes following his audience out of the theatre and into the foyer and outside at a previous date in Spalding, it’s easy to relive that moment with him – and appreciate the absurdity of it all.

For adults of a certain age in the audience – the parents that is – Miles first came into our consciousness as a very different character to the one that dropped the C-bomb around 15 minutes into each half of this carefully drilled new show.

Indeed, he slips in a couple of references to his previous TV life, reminding us – with no little angst – that teenagers like to go up to him in Wetherspoons, shout “Archie” in his ear and run off.

It’s hard to imagine Miles Jupp in a Wetherspoon pub, but he might surprise us. As he says, people make an awful lot of judgements about him based on the way he speaks, the way he looks and how he acts.

Working from comprehensive crib-sheets, he works his way through telling us (from YouGov surveys) what we like to wear, what we love to eat and, tellingly, where we like to shop.

He strikes a chord with a rant on how he’s over-polite, why Prince Charles’ Duchy Originals belong to all of us anyway – and painfully recreated that moment when we’re trying so hard not to have to clarify something with our wives, especially when we can’t find something.

It’s a great show, full of truths and shows why this now familiar face on TV is so much like us. Even down to bemoaning the lack of buttons these days, citing the example that having a nuclear button is inherently safer than the touchscreen option…

Jacqueline Wilson, Nottingham Playhouse

This was a super-fan event to get to know Jacqueline Wilson, the much-loved children's author, who has recently published her 105^th book, Clover Moon.

Sitting centre stage with the new book on a coffee table beside her, she spoke about the inspiration for her stories, Clover Moon itself, her life and her background - and getting started in her career.

Jacqueline told us that as a child her head was always full of stories and imaginary friends.

As she grew up, she used to save up her pocket money for a new pen or notebook for whatever she would write next.

She told the sell-out Playhouse audience (mostly of girls and their parents) about how at 17 she sent off a short story to DC Thomson in Dundee, which eventually resulted in her living there, working on a new magazine for girls!

One of her roles was to write pretend 'readers letters' and to make up the horoscopes column - all good practice for her award-winning fiction writing later on in life!

She spoke about her latest book Clover Moon. Poor girl Clover lives in a grimy backstreet of Victorian London with her six younger siblings, her weary dad, and his cruel uncaring second wife.

More full of life than the others in her family, Clover jumps at the opportunity of learning her letters, and loves the chance to paint or draw. Unfortunately, despite her talents, Clover's future is as a house hold skivvy.

Then an exciting chance crops up, to have a meeting with an artist that opens up ideas of her future.

Jacqueline told us she enjoyed writing this book, and even let on there is a Hetty Feather encounter in the book as well.

Towards the end of the jam-packed hour, there was a question and answer session with the audience.

She revealed her own favourite stories were Hetty Feather and The Story Of Tracey Beaker.

She also told us to expect a three-part CBBC series of her book 'Katy' as well as (in two long years' time) a feature film of her book 'Four Children And It' to look forward to.

Brian Conley, Alive and Dangerous - Nottingham Playhouse

If you’re going to see a man who’s been in eight Royal Variety Performances, there’s a good chance you’ve an idea what’s coming.

His Alive and Dangerous tour, which dropped in at the Playhouse last night, is something of a microcosm of what must be the world as Brian Conley sees it.

Now arguably better known for his all-singing, all-dancing career in the West End musicals, he splits the show between a smattering of comedy and some well-known songs.

The rather pedestrian first half also sees a support act Mat Ricardo, who may have been new to this audience but is well-known from TV chat shows and exposure elsewhere. Not quite sure if he’s an illusionist, visual artist or comic, his slick, fast moves make him a dab hand at variety although it’s clear the audience want to get back to their hero Conley, who appears sparingly in those first 45 minutes.

Even Brian Conley comes over as a little self-indulgent before the break, rattling through well-known hits from his musical performances which include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Hairspray, Oliver!, Jolson and Me and My Girl. Not quite a medley but not quite enough of each to make it a proper concert.

Back for part two and the fast-talking, wise-cracking television comedian has the crowd in stitches.

Especially when he chats to Wendy in the fourth row – who came along at the last minute when a friend dropped out through illness, genuinely believing she was coming to see Billy Connolly.

This is the genre where the performer seems most at ease, despite his pitch perfect crooning earlier on.

A very visual comic, he’s also rather rude (both in what he says and what he does) and everyone just loved him, possibly because he’s such a cheeky chappie. Some of his gags are probably past their sell-by date but with him delivering them they’re still great fun.

Add fire eating, community singing, an audience member or two up on stage and some unspeakable naughtiness and you have the recipe for a great night out.

Oh – and don’t forget “It’s a PUPPET!”

Panto in Nottingham: Dick Whittington, Nottingham Playhouse

The talented team which brought Dick Whittington to life this Christmas should be feeling very pleased with themselves today.

It’s not an easy panto to stage: there’s no handsome prince, princess in trouble – or magical transformations to help it bounce along.

But writer and director Kenneth Alan Taylor has sprinkled gold dust on an age-old tale for Nottingham audiences to enjoy for their annual festive treat.

With everyone dancing in the aisles as early as the start of the second act, he’s delivered yet again – this time in his 60^th year as a professional actor.

The musical numbers are the clear hits of this year’s show. LunchMoney Lewis’s Bills is a great send-off as Dick is banished from London. There’s a wonderfully funny set-piece as the crew of HMS Hopeful swim for shore, while the dancing girls’ chorus carry their routines to perfection. Dick and Alice, meanwhile, entertain us with their version of Olly Murs’ Dance With Me Tonight.

There is a nod to our island’s great seafaring history with a brilliantly-executed sea shanty medley, and the sounds of Rio prove a real cracker with a gently perspiring Florrie leading the singing and dancing with Sarah, as the audience encourage a reprise (or two). Let’s be honest through, the cast is certainly up for it and the party atmosphere sets the tone for the whole of the helter-skelter second half.

While the scene-setting first few acts may not hit the funnybone right from the off (there was a lot of “And here’s Dick”, ”Look, here’s Alice”, “Here comes Jack” – which may have been an in-joke but was a little too regular) it’s the compelling story, amazing scenery and a host of larger-than-life characters that keep all eyes glued to the stage.

It’s surprising to learn there are three debutantes at the Playhouse this year. The leading ladies of Alice Fitzwarren, played by Natalie Taylor Gray, and Tallulah the Cat, brought to life by Jasmine White, and the lively Matthew Chase, who is a shoe-in as Dick’s best pal Jack. They all slotted seamlessly into the ensemble.

We are treated to two gorgeous dames this year. John Elkington is back as Sarah the Cook, with a knowing nod to the grown-ups with his well-worn lines – and plenty of up-to-the-minute gags for the children. We were pleased to see Anthony Hoggard in a frock or two for this year’s manic appearance, giving his all as canny Florrie Fitzwarren.

The familiar faces of kids’ favourite Tim Frater as Dick and Rebecca Little as a delightfully scatterbrained Fairy Bowbells attract superb audience participation, while Kevin McGowan’s King Rat draws boos and hisses with his deathly pallour, twinkling costume and (I hope he takes this the right way) the way he simply oozes evil. There’s also a welcome cameo for some fluffy favourites from previous years…

The complex, colourful sets are anything but backdrops and transport us to another world in a show which simply flies by.

And the best gags this year? We always love the “butter face” line, while the children fell about as Sarah explained the reason Jack needed a new bottom – while trying to give him a leg up to the bunk in their ship’s cabin in another well-executed comic set-piece.

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.

Punt and Dennis, Nottingham Playhouse

This show felt catapulted direct from a Footlights revue as the boys reprised their trademark roles of Steve Punt as the straight man – with Hugh Dennis amusing the sell-out crowd with his knockabout approach.

It was for all the world a Radio 4-style audience in on this wet Friday night, and Punt and Dennis may have been surprised to see so much grey hair (or no hair) in their demographic.

But with radio's The Now Show their main satirical vehicle and Hugh Dennis involved in gentler televisual comedy pursuits, perhaps they come to expect that.

Clipboard-holding Steve ran through their carefully-chosen topics in time-honoured style as the perfect foil for Hugh's commentary. There was a plethora of digital television channels to describe, such as the curiously named ITV2+1 – surely that's just ITV3? A smattering of Jimmy Savile jokes “Half my act's gone”, says Hugh – while softly singing Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Yewtree.

Easier to identify with what people are overheard saying while shopping at Waitrose: “Do we need parmesan for both houses, darling?”, or how we're suckered into buying from the shopping channels when we get home tipsy.

The duo were here three years ago and while it's nice to enjoy some of their best-loved material again, there was a lingering feeling that too much of this current show was reworked.

We'd seen before Hugh asking us to laugh in the style of a pirate, or a Frenchman, and while World of Wine was a superb ending to the evening, it felt like another digital channel repeat.

Jack and the Beanstalk, Nottingham Playhouse

It's so refreshing in these days of modern panto to enjoy a production with a proper principal boy and not one, but two gloriously colourful and over-the-top dames.

This proved an emotional night for veteran dame – and show writer – Kenneth Alan Taylor, back for one last season in costume. A string of thanks at the curtain call brought a tear to the old trouper's eye.

As Dame Daisy, Jack's mother, there's probably little need for a script as he effortlessly works the audience, teases the cast and brings the house down with ad-libs that must come so easily after 30 years in a string of acclaimed roles.

He is the catalyst that crafts this all-singing, all-dancing, costumed joke-fest into yet another classic. And a flamboyant new costume for every scene completes the package.

Many of the Playhouse cast are also popular regulars being welcomed back for their annual theatre beano, with the festive audience also clearly part of the show – even down to random shouts from children clearly getting carried away with the action on stage.

The tone for the evening is set by the superb dancing girls and a panto orchestra that defies its size by filling the auditorium with life. Their dual contribution to the big showpiece numbers is key: the musical set-pieces were among the highlights, from the cutesy giant dancing rabbits wowing everyone at the start to the hilarious What Does the Fox Say number near the end. And it was so good we got them to do it all over again!

The second dame treading the boards is the manic and memorable Anthony Hoggard, a familiar face in his sixth Playhouse panto. His double-acts with different cast-members has the audience in stitches as he plays his eccentric role as the Giant's wife totally for laughs.

Of course, that's what we're here for! John Elkington as the giant's lackey Slurp hams it up as the baddie and relishes the boos, hisses and soakings that come his way.

Even Giant Blunderbore manages to steal some of the fun as Daniel Hoffman-Gill makes the role his own with an interesting, unexpected twist to the tale which you'll appreciate.

Jack is played by thigh-slappingly earnest Rebecca Little in her 13^th production here. She teams up with her on-stage love interest Annie (Kelly Edwards) and Tim Frater as Danny, whose six-pack gets an outing in a scene especially for the ladies!

There's a superb effort on the scenery front this year with stonking sets that transport us into a world of make-believe, as well as some backdrops that will make you forget for a moment that you're in a theatre.

The children all loved a slapstick scene (which seemed a little crow-barred in) – but it's panto and the energetic community singing and getting the awe-struck little ones up on stage in time-honoured fashion more than made up for that.

Jack and the Beanstalk runs through until Saturday January 18 and will definitely be your last chance to soak yourself in the genius and fun that comes in the shape of Kenneth Alan Taylor. Oh yes it will – so book your tickets and find out what the fox says...

'Graffiti your growler' - Al Murray at Nottingham Playhouse

I'm not sure whether it says something about The Pub Landlord's fan base when the front row of his show is packed with bald-headed tradesmen, or if it says more about Nottingham.

Either way this dished up great fodder for Al Murray's comic creation, even if his newly-svelte figure (with hair and a beard) was a step away from what we were expecting.

The Pub Landlord invites us to laugh at ourselves and the wider world by offering up insular and misogynistic points of view.

A wordy monologue of the reasons behind the Euro-zone crisis showed his crystal clear understanding of the history and yet, no matter how convoluted his explanation, the rider “but of course, it's much more complicated than that” - is an argument winner every time.

To explain how women hold the balance of power in the relationship, he touched on vajazlle with the perfect turn of phrase “graffiti your growler”, while explaining he's in favour of gay marriage “because then they'll be as miserable as the rest of us”.

It wasn't as harsh or vulgar as it seems when committed to print. Everything was crafted to make a point. For instance, we have the fattest poor people in the world, he claims, while people are starving in Africa.

His wonderful working of the audience was interspersed with crystal-clear insights into politics, relationships and economics. The Pub Landlord likened our politicians to a bunch of interchangeable suits arguing over a gas bill, and suggested the answer to this country's problems was to be honest with your children. Tell them they can't sing.

But some of the set was a little quiet, perhaps a symptom of the act growing from a short stand-up into a two-hour show. Resorting to slapstick wasn't the best end to a thoughtful – if shouty – show. But we all headed home with a smile on our faces, perhaps to ponder our own shortcomings.

'Comedy Gold' from Stephen K Amos at Nottingham Playhouse

Often presenting himself on TV in a dapper suit, the south London boy turned up in Nottingham with jeans, T-shirt and trainers and immediately made himself at home by venturing into the audience to get to know them better.

It's part of the deal you just don't get on TV and one of this comedian's strengths. Remember how Monkhouse, Forsyth and even Barrymore work their audience? Stephen K Amos is right up there with them – inviting folk up on stage and warmly coaxing them to perform alongside him. 

As he says himself – 'comedy gold'! 

Thank goodness Hucknall English teacher James or student Danni didn't let him down... the biggest laughs were for the impromptu opening period where fast-thinking Stephen put his legal training to good use, getting the utmost out of the material they supplied him.

We loved the lady from Ball Street who had a phobia about tennis balls – and outrageously coiffeured poodles, our host conveniently confusing the two.

He's a good old-fashioned comic for the 21st Century who wouldn't be out of place if they resurrected the old TV favourite The Comedians, chuckling along to his own gags while the audience recover from their hysterics.

Oddly flanked by tombstones from the set of Richard III, he mused on why Afro hair and water should never mix, covered his Britishness, accents, his colour, growing up in south London and the trials and tribulations of life in general.

Such a shame the event comprised such an intimate audience. Nottingham was definitely missing out.

Andy Parsons, Nottingham Playhouse

Andy Parsons spends a lot of his life frustrated – good news for those who enjoy hearing him vent his spleen.

You learn a lot about someone in a two-hour set, with the (surprisingly mature) audience enjoying every minute.

Aside from feeling frustrated, Andy's clearly very lazy. He told us so. I suspect, though, that he spends time in that shed carefully crafting gags and stories. They're constructed so that, whoever the target, we don't really get to feel he's having a go.

He'll slate the bankers, the Government and others with considerable venom but his incredulous tone means that he can make his point without being nasty.

The "laugh out loud" count is high as he tackles Andrew Mitchell's "Plebgate", the horse meat scandal and what Nick Clegg's police guard must have been thinking to allow an unpleasant package to be posted through the door.

Grandpa in my Pocket, Nottingham Playhouse

The buzz around Nottingham Playhouse for this ‘new’ classic was palpable… with the only question on everyone’s lips: “How are they going to shrink Grandpa?”

The answer was straightforward, clever and fun.

All that was required was a mixture of lively and savvy acting, imaginative stagecraft and an audience more than willing to suspend disbelief.

Nottingham Playhouse itself is the driving force behind this first-ever stage show of the popular CBeebies hit and the hard work pays off in spectacular style.

From the off, this energetic musical is a delight for youngsters and parents alike.

On TV it’s one of the shows the parents love and writers Mellie Buse and Jan Page know which buttons to press.

The accomplished cast, some of whom you’ll know from other children's television programmes (none of Grandpa’s TV cast are here), generate an unquestioning response from the auditorium as if the audience was part of the show. Perfect.

The story is about the relationship between a boy and his grandfather. Grandpa has a magic cap which shrinks him to a matter of inches tall… and that’s where the adventures begin.

We see the townsfolk of Sunnysands tell stories of the family we love from TV – and they use the muse of a dressing up box to help tell stories of Jason, Grandpa and the famous family and friends.

This clever tactic easily gets around any worries around the audience matching cast with characters as the familiar clothes we see week-in week-out are vivid and instantly recognisable.

The scenery is big, bold and ingenious at times – and we loved the use made of each seashore beach hut! Of course, as it’s a magical show it’s all pretend and the recurring fantasy of a shrinking grandpa keeps the kids on the edge of their seats.

With singing, dancing, puppetry and participation the pace of the action seldom lets up.

Roger McGough, Nottingham Playhouse

When a man gets to a certain age, it's time to look back.

Whether revisiting clear memories of learning to read during the war (by the light of Messerschmitts crash-landing outside), or hazier memories of chasing a ball that rolled into a minefield on Crosby beach, Liverpudlian poet Roger McGough delivers key ingredients to provoke private thoughts among the audience.

Occasionally, the watching guests would murmur in shared understanding of experience, events or fears. This was McGough on growing older. Looking further back, recalling people, places and events.

Yet in just a few words his own experiences were easily – and in many cases sympathetically – shared with his audience. Colourful language and choice descriptive phrases spark thoughts racing which are revisited hours later in one's quieter moments.

Who else could have described marrying in old age as "leading your partner into a macabre dance" or conjured up the thought that living each day as if it's your last might well involve lying in intensive care, wired up to medical machinery rather than a gung ho rollercoaster existence?

This is not a maudlin show. Far from it. It celebrates the rich tapestry of life and the ability to look back and put everything into perspective – summed up well in As Far As I Know, some thoughts on a (perhaps) quiet life, which elicits a wonderful audience response when read aloud by the writer.

Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, Nottingham Playhouse

By Patrick Astill

"Famous Grouse? What did he do?"

The triumphant reprise of Punt and Dennis's World of Wine sketch from the 90s provided a perfect end to the evening, if a little untypical compared with what went before.

Steve Punt and "TV's Hugh Dennis" were at the Playhouse and back in Nottingham for the first time in four years.

This show packed them in for an absolute sell-out. And it was clear to see why.

Intelligent (if sometimes obvious) humour, running gags, a nod to their past and cultural and political observations ran through from start to finish.

They even suggested they might be still relevant in this day and age because the country was run by a double act.

Their set was based on the nuances of consumer surveys, the pair returning to the theme every now and again by gauging opinions from the audience or using the crowd to reinforce their point.

A request for us all to laugh like pirates got the desired response, and the pair tell us we've not been reading the papers or we'd know that most pirates were now Somali.

We're low on fuel and a sign tells us there's petrol at one mile and 23 miles… which do we go for? You get the picture.

A knock at Newark, a nod to the rivalry with Derby, both socially and with the football, helped settle the duo into an evening in Nottingham.

Formerly of The Mary Whitehouse Experience and well known for radio's Now Show, the pair work off each other brilliantly.

Steve's constant chatter, building the argument and setting the scene to ease in Hugh's knockabout and less than subtle antics. And yet when the roles were reversed their comedy achieved the same result.

Dog and Trumpet? Make sure you catch them soon – it'll all make sense.