Perfectionist twitcher Roy Tunt is ready to catch a rare species on film and tick another box on his list of British birds, the most important, which will complete his set and make him one of the elite.
This is the premise of The Sociable Plover (Vanellus gregarious and a wader in the lapwing family of birds, which is critically endangered).
Gnome collector, scoutmaster and with a broken marriage behind him, is Roy (Guy Masterson) a knowledgable perfectionist or a pedantic OCD-suffering nerd? The banality of his life is painful.
He is suddenly joined in the claustrophobic atmosphere of the hide by gruff, mysterious “Dave John”, wringing wet, and hungry, after not having eaten for three days. Dave (Ronnie Toms) says his brother has just died while serving in the RAF.
And although a slightly sinister presence after the square behaviour of Roy, the audience can easily warm to his Londoner's charm and attempts at conversation with his new-found friend.
The action, set in an L-shaped bird hide of around 12 square yards, veers from black comedy to taut thriller and unfolds to reveal a twist so unexpected that it would be unfair to reveal any more of the plot.
Suffice to say, the 100 or so who turned up at the Palace in Newark to witness it would have done well to bring a few more friends along to enjoy this perennial favourite.
Written and directed by Tim Whitnall, The Sociable Plover mimics Pinter's two handers to some extent but is less coded and readily accessible.
Tuesday, May 11
Thursday, April 29
Torvill and Dean’s Dancing On Ice The Tour - Trent FM Arena
The ice dancers put absolutely everything into their performance in a rip-roaring extravaganza by the TV stars on tour in Nottingham.
And although there was only one real slip-up, the judges were predictably harsh, reminding us that they see the same routines night after night – and judge them according to improvement or worsening of their ice dancing.
Cheeky Andi Peters was our host, and got proceedings under way for what was a slightly subdued audience by this show’s standards.
Perhaps they’ve seen it all before. Indeed, Gaynor Faye, Chris Fountain, Ray Quinn and Clare Buckfield were competitors who had all previously graced the famous Nottingham ice in at least one previous tour. They were joined by newcomers Mikey Graham, Hayley Tamaddon, Emily Atack and Gary Lucy.
And of course we had the wonderful T&D. We love ‘em. Flashbulbs popping every time they set foot on the ice, and their eye-watering new Bolero routine saw our golden couple suspended from the rafters by purple silks. A standing ovation no less.
Of course, it was all a bit of fun and no reputations were made or lost.
It was clear on the night, however, that some were having more fun than others. Gaynor and Clare looked as though they were really enjoying themselves. Hayley seemed the most desperate to do well, while Chris was clearly way out in front on the night, and not only won the judges’ vote but carried off the trophy in the Bolero dance-off.
The first half of the show was the bit where the audience helped with the judging, having the chance to text their favourite after watching and hearing what the judges had to say. The panel comprised former Olympians Karen Barber and Nicky Slater, 2007 TV series winner Kyran Bracken, actor Christopher Biggins and Nottingham Post columnist and writer Erik Petersen.
We saw:
Mikey Graham – with professional dancer Melanie Lambert;
Gaynor Faye – with professional dancer Matt Evers;
Chris Fountain – with professional dancer Brianne Delacourt;
Ray Quinn – with professional dancer Alexandra Schauman;
Hayley Tamaddon – with professional dancer Dan Whiston;
Emily Atack – with professional dancer Fred Palascak;
Gary Lucy – with professional dancer Maria Filipov;
Clare Buckfield – with professional dancer Lukasz Rozycki.
And although there was only one real slip-up, the judges were predictably harsh, reminding us that they see the same routines night after night – and judge them according to improvement or worsening of their ice dancing.
Cheeky Andi Peters was our host, and got proceedings under way for what was a slightly subdued audience by this show’s standards.
Perhaps they’ve seen it all before. Indeed, Gaynor Faye, Chris Fountain, Ray Quinn and Clare Buckfield were competitors who had all previously graced the famous Nottingham ice in at least one previous tour. They were joined by newcomers Mikey Graham, Hayley Tamaddon, Emily Atack and Gary Lucy.
And of course we had the wonderful T&D. We love ‘em. Flashbulbs popping every time they set foot on the ice, and their eye-watering new Bolero routine saw our golden couple suspended from the rafters by purple silks. A standing ovation no less.
Of course, it was all a bit of fun and no reputations were made or lost.
It was clear on the night, however, that some were having more fun than others. Gaynor and Clare looked as though they were really enjoying themselves. Hayley seemed the most desperate to do well, while Chris was clearly way out in front on the night, and not only won the judges’ vote but carried off the trophy in the Bolero dance-off.
The first half of the show was the bit where the audience helped with the judging, having the chance to text their favourite after watching and hearing what the judges had to say. The panel comprised former Olympians Karen Barber and Nicky Slater, 2007 TV series winner Kyran Bracken, actor Christopher Biggins and Nottingham Post columnist and writer Erik Petersen.
We saw:
Mikey Graham – with professional dancer Melanie Lambert;
Gaynor Faye – with professional dancer Matt Evers;
Chris Fountain – with professional dancer Brianne Delacourt;
Ray Quinn – with professional dancer Alexandra Schauman;
Hayley Tamaddon – with professional dancer Dan Whiston;
Emily Atack – with professional dancer Fred Palascak;
Gary Lucy – with professional dancer Maria Filipov;
Clare Buckfield – with professional dancer Lukasz Rozycki.
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.
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.
Sunday, April 25
Death of Nottingham's Alan Sillitoe
Nottingham-born author, the novelist Alan Sillitoe has died aged 82.
The writer, who became popular as one of the angry young men of British fiction, is hailed as one of the modern literary greats.
His novels included Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, made into a film starring Tom Courtenay.
I had the honour and pleasure of interviewing Mr Sillitoe for the Nottingham Evening Post in the 1990s.
Contrary to what I had been warned, he was by no means a 'difficult' subject and was, in fact, kind and helpful to me in my quest for a good story as a junior reporter.
The writer, who became popular as one of the angry young men of British fiction, is hailed as one of the modern literary greats.
His novels included Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, made into a film starring Tom Courtenay.
I had the honour and pleasure of interviewing Mr Sillitoe for the Nottingham Evening Post in the 1990s.
Contrary to what I had been warned, he was by no means a 'difficult' subject and was, in fact, kind and helpful to me in my quest for a good story as a junior reporter.
Saturday, April 24
The Barron Knights - Palace Theatre, Newark
I thought I could remember The Barron Knights from way back.
Well, the 70s is way back isn’t it, when they hit the charts with A Taste of Aggro and Live in Trouble?
It turns out they’ve been going strong since 1959, and although I knew they’d had some “straight” songs in their repertoire too, I had no idea these 60s covers were the ones that get the crowd going.
Harmony forms a key part of the group’s evening and they used their talents to perfectly recreate the work of the Everly Brothers and Frankie Valli, among many others. Paul McCartney’s Blackbird, for instance, sung a cappella was a moment to savour.
The only remaining founder member is Peter Langford – and he reminded us of his own virtuoso talent, leading the band in The William Tell Overture and performing flamenco on acoustic.
A true cabaret band, you get the feeling that The Barron Knights today wouldn’t be out of place doing summer season. But they have bigger fish to fry, continually touring the world.
Whether the band is still genuinely funny after all these years or whether there’s a certain amount of warm affection, it’s hard to judge on their comedy numbers.
While their 70s hits made me chuckle, there was also new (to me) material, which neatly filled the gaps between the music they say has formed the soundtrack to their lives.
Time out from the singing gave Peter chance to remind us that they previously toured with the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. But those days are long gone – magically brought back to life only as long as The Barron Knights continue to tour.
Well, the 70s is way back isn’t it, when they hit the charts with A Taste of Aggro and Live in Trouble?
It turns out they’ve been going strong since 1959, and although I knew they’d had some “straight” songs in their repertoire too, I had no idea these 60s covers were the ones that get the crowd going.
Harmony forms a key part of the group’s evening and they used their talents to perfectly recreate the work of the Everly Brothers and Frankie Valli, among many others. Paul McCartney’s Blackbird, for instance, sung a cappella was a moment to savour.
The only remaining founder member is Peter Langford – and he reminded us of his own virtuoso talent, leading the band in The William Tell Overture and performing flamenco on acoustic.
A true cabaret band, you get the feeling that The Barron Knights today wouldn’t be out of place doing summer season. But they have bigger fish to fry, continually touring the world.
Whether the band is still genuinely funny after all these years or whether there’s a certain amount of warm affection, it’s hard to judge on their comedy numbers.
While their 70s hits made me chuckle, there was also new (to me) material, which neatly filled the gaps between the music they say has formed the soundtrack to their lives.
Time out from the singing gave Peter chance to remind us that they previously toured with the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. But those days are long gone – magically brought back to life only as long as The Barron Knights continue to tour.
Tuesday, April 20
Peter Pan, Northern Ballet Theatre - Theatre Royal
If you’ve never done a ballet before then this is the show for you. Better than panto and a pacy production to entrance children of all ages, it's a world away from what you might be expecting.It crackles into action from the off with the Darling children going through an animated bedtime routine as Peter Pan’s shadow watches on.
Such is the slick quality of the show that when Peter finally sails in through the open bedroom window, it fits in so well with audience expectation that we simply sit back and marvel. Awe-inspiring too, is the flight scene with all three children and Peter leaving home for Neverland, floating dreamily through the stars.
Northern Ballet Theatre has quite rightly attracted the plaudits for this production, which at two hours just flies by to quicken the pulse.
It is a faithful telling of this famous old story – but without letting dialogue get in the way.
A feisty, jealous Tinkerbell does her best to scupper Wendy’s relationship with Peter, and even sacrifices her own life to save his. A little audience participation brings her back to life, while some Lost Boys, a few pirates, Captain Hook and a crocodile all serve to enrich the mix.
Highlights for us were the early scene where Peter fights with his own shadow, and the seven wonderful dancing mermaids – and although performing in a tight fishtail instead of tights can’t be easy, it didn’t stop the dancers from impressing.
Fantastic scenery helps the audience to really believe, the action switching from the Darling Family home, flying over London, then into the jungle, through the mermaids’ lagoon, the pirate ship and the Lost Children’s cave.
And while the dancers are doing the work on stage, the NBT Orchestra performs impeccably throughout, adding to the magical atmosphere.
The performance we saw featured...
- Peter Pan: David Ward
- Wendy: Pippa Moore
- Hook/Mr Darling: Kenneth Tindall
- Neverbird/Mrs Darling: Hannah Bateman
- Tinkerbell: Michela Paolacci
- Shadow: Thomas Aragones
- John: Sebastian Loe
- Michael: Jeremy Curnier
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Thursday, April 1
Disney Live - Trent FM Arena
There's often a feeling that Disney's live shows are a little too saccharine-sweet for the discerning palate.
If the all-pervading scent of candy floss and popcorn that hits you as you walk in the Arena doors takes your mind off the commercial opportunities as you find your seat, you can sit back and enjoy a show that's really rather good.
But when it's £9 (minimum) to have your photo taken and choccy buttons are £2.50 a bag, it's a relief to sit down unscathed.
Fortunately, as soon as it's curtain-up, all this is forgotten, because – quite simply – we are transported into the wonderful world that's Disney.
It IS truly magical when you're six and four, like my two are, and I was pleased to see my favourite, Goofy, was first on stage to tell us about the magical story book that has been discovered in Mickey's house.
Along with Donald, Mickey and Minnie, he introduces the stories of three of our favourite princesses, Snow White, Cinderella and Belle.
And yes, it is something special to see the seven dwarfs doing their "Heigh Ho!" routine, and watch the Queen quiz her magic mirror about who is the fairest of them all…
Incidentally, it was the evil Queen during that brief exchange that got most of the flash-bulbs in the sparse crowd.
A slick all-singing, all-dancing show that your little princesses (and princes) will fall in love with.
If the all-pervading scent of candy floss and popcorn that hits you as you walk in the Arena doors takes your mind off the commercial opportunities as you find your seat, you can sit back and enjoy a show that's really rather good.
But when it's £9 (minimum) to have your photo taken and choccy buttons are £2.50 a bag, it's a relief to sit down unscathed.
Fortunately, as soon as it's curtain-up, all this is forgotten, because – quite simply – we are transported into the wonderful world that's Disney.
It IS truly magical when you're six and four, like my two are, and I was pleased to see my favourite, Goofy, was first on stage to tell us about the magical story book that has been discovered in Mickey's house.
Along with Donald, Mickey and Minnie, he introduces the stories of three of our favourite princesses, Snow White, Cinderella and Belle.
And yes, it is something special to see the seven dwarfs doing their "Heigh Ho!" routine, and watch the Queen quiz her magic mirror about who is the fairest of them all…
Incidentally, it was the evil Queen during that brief exchange that got most of the flash-bulbs in the sparse crowd.
A slick all-singing, all-dancing show that your little princesses (and princes) will fall in love with.
Wednesday, March 24
Hedda Gabler - Theatre Royal
IT must be something of a daunting prospect for an actor to tackle a 120-year-old classic, and one that's been translated into English at that.
Perhaps more daunted were the audience for the opening night of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, who may not have known exactly what they'd taken on.
Without a doubt, this was a showcase for the talents of Bond girl Rosamund Pike – as the leading lady - and Robert Glenister, who both more than rose to the challenge.
A darkly comic masterpiece, the show is based around several triangular relationships, with knowledge and understanding on all sides serving only to stretch, pull and strain to the inevitable tragic conclusion.
And yet the audience seemed a little nervous to lose themselves into the action.
A couple of mid-act scene changes wrong-footed the usually compliant Nottingham playgoers with a lone round of applause after a very pregnant pause prompting the others to join in. This was coupled with some rather nervous laughter for the lighter comic or ironic lines spun by the cast.
It was nice to see Anna Carteret, still best known for TV's Juliet Bravo, alongside classical and comedy actor Tim McInnerny (RSC and Blackadder), with Zoe Waites (Doctors, The New Adventures of Robin Hood) and Janet Whiteside (The IT Crowd) as accomplished supports.
But it was the elegant, striking Rosamund Pike who made her presence felt on stage. Sweeping majestically in her gorgeous fitted gowns, she was clearly a woman not to be messed with. And rarely do we see a woman so at home with a pair of equally elegant pistols.
Hedda thought she could get everyone eating out of her hand but of course after seemingly engineering such a result, things unravel spectacularly around her.
Perhaps more daunted were the audience for the opening night of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, who may not have known exactly what they'd taken on.
Without a doubt, this was a showcase for the talents of Bond girl Rosamund Pike – as the leading lady - and Robert Glenister, who both more than rose to the challenge.
A darkly comic masterpiece, the show is based around several triangular relationships, with knowledge and understanding on all sides serving only to stretch, pull and strain to the inevitable tragic conclusion.
And yet the audience seemed a little nervous to lose themselves into the action.
A couple of mid-act scene changes wrong-footed the usually compliant Nottingham playgoers with a lone round of applause after a very pregnant pause prompting the others to join in. This was coupled with some rather nervous laughter for the lighter comic or ironic lines spun by the cast.
It was nice to see Anna Carteret, still best known for TV's Juliet Bravo, alongside classical and comedy actor Tim McInnerny (RSC and Blackadder), with Zoe Waites (Doctors, The New Adventures of Robin Hood) and Janet Whiteside (The IT Crowd) as accomplished supports.
But it was the elegant, striking Rosamund Pike who made her presence felt on stage. Sweeping majestically in her gorgeous fitted gowns, she was clearly a woman not to be messed with. And rarely do we see a woman so at home with a pair of equally elegant pistols.
Hedda thought she could get everyone eating out of her hand but of course after seemingly engineering such a result, things unravel spectacularly around her.
Thursday, March 18
Enjoy, by Alan Bennett - Theatre Royal
On the face of it, Enjoy is a straightforward tale of a woman continuing to live in her slum-like back-to-back while it is rebuilt into a living museum of the past.
We find the prime mover behind the development is her estranged son, returning home as a daughter, seemingly to protect his child-like parents against a future they are clearly not ready for.
The ageing couple, convincingly played by Alison Steadman (now best known for the Braithwaites and Gavin & Stacey) and David Troughton (latterly of New Tricks fame), found they were happy discussing their lives with an interloper from the council than with each other. This included frank talk about their sex lives, disability, hopes for the future and regrets of the past.
A sudden death is treated with typical Bennett-style down-to-earth humour paving the way for a no-holds-barred sequence on the potential benefits of death – the ensemble ultimately slightly irked that death was misdiagnosed.
Many questions of life and death are tackled, such as how we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone, whether it to cling to what we know or seek new horizons, why we delude ourselves from an obvious truth, and how we put on airs and graces only for an audience.
The characters had an audience on stage throughout, being shadowed by local authority officials, ostensibly there to observe “real life” before the terraces were bulldozed. This was a useful tool for the author, the two main characters becoming remarkably self-aware – and painfully cognisant of the truth behind the hidden lives of their two grown-up offspring.
First performed in 1980, this play ages beautifully, with the constant refrain that “we’re in the 20th century now you know” reminding us that for those re-homed to the new museum, that’s where they would stay. For ever.
We find the prime mover behind the development is her estranged son, returning home as a daughter, seemingly to protect his child-like parents against a future they are clearly not ready for.
The ageing couple, convincingly played by Alison Steadman (now best known for the Braithwaites and Gavin & Stacey) and David Troughton (latterly of New Tricks fame), found they were happy discussing their lives with an interloper from the council than with each other. This included frank talk about their sex lives, disability, hopes for the future and regrets of the past.
A sudden death is treated with typical Bennett-style down-to-earth humour paving the way for a no-holds-barred sequence on the potential benefits of death – the ensemble ultimately slightly irked that death was misdiagnosed.
Many questions of life and death are tackled, such as how we don’t appreciate what we have until it’s gone, whether it to cling to what we know or seek new horizons, why we delude ourselves from an obvious truth, and how we put on airs and graces only for an audience.
The characters had an audience on stage throughout, being shadowed by local authority officials, ostensibly there to observe “real life” before the terraces were bulldozed. This was a useful tool for the author, the two main characters becoming remarkably self-aware – and painfully cognisant of the truth behind the hidden lives of their two grown-up offspring.
First performed in 1980, this play ages beautifully, with the constant refrain that “we’re in the 20th century now you know” reminding us that for those re-homed to the new museum, that’s where they would stay. For ever.
Thursday, March 4
Present Laughter - Theatre Royal
Dating from 1939, this Noel Coward play could have provided something of a challenge for both the audience and cast alike.
It proves to be complex, multi-layered and ultimately rewarding.
Bringing the past to life was effortless for the company and after the scene-setting of the first act the audience lapped up both the increasingly chaotic situation comedy and the in-jokes for the aficionados of Coward’s work. The humour was served up in a range of guises and varied from the subtle through to farce and even a touch of slapstick.
Yet this was also a thought-provoking production, Questions are asked of who we really are; how much of one’s life is a performance and how we perform differently to our various different personal audiences.
Perhaps the leading man, Garry Essendine – played by Cold Feet’s Robert Bathurst – really is the lonely performer, and despite all his trappings of wealth and success is merely “advancing with every sign of reluctance into middle age”.
If that’s the case then so are the ladies playing opposite him, and their intricate web of relationships must see beyond that performance. Dorothea Myer-Bennett (Dead Man Talking) as Daphne Stillington is blinded by his sophistication while would-be mistress Joanna Lyppiatt (played by Emma Davies who you may know as Anna De Souza from Emmerdale) and Essendine’s kind-of-ex-wife Liz (Serena Evans from Pie in the Sky and The Thin Blue Line) both think they know what’s best for him.
Tim Bouverie, in his first professional role, is another Essendine fan sucked into his circle and plays with such conviction you wonder if he’ll stalk the lead even after the curtain falls. And with Belinda Lang (2Point4 Children) on stage and also directing it’s a formidable line-up.
It works. It’s a play of its time which stands the test of time and is well worth a look
It proves to be complex, multi-layered and ultimately rewarding.
Bringing the past to life was effortless for the company and after the scene-setting of the first act the audience lapped up both the increasingly chaotic situation comedy and the in-jokes for the aficionados of Coward’s work. The humour was served up in a range of guises and varied from the subtle through to farce and even a touch of slapstick.
Yet this was also a thought-provoking production, Questions are asked of who we really are; how much of one’s life is a performance and how we perform differently to our various different personal audiences.
Perhaps the leading man, Garry Essendine – played by Cold Feet’s Robert Bathurst – really is the lonely performer, and despite all his trappings of wealth and success is merely “advancing with every sign of reluctance into middle age”.
If that’s the case then so are the ladies playing opposite him, and their intricate web of relationships must see beyond that performance. Dorothea Myer-Bennett (Dead Man Talking) as Daphne Stillington is blinded by his sophistication while would-be mistress Joanna Lyppiatt (played by Emma Davies who you may know as Anna De Souza from Emmerdale) and Essendine’s kind-of-ex-wife Liz (Serena Evans from Pie in the Sky and The Thin Blue Line) both think they know what’s best for him.
Tim Bouverie, in his first professional role, is another Essendine fan sucked into his circle and plays with such conviction you wonder if he’ll stalk the lead even after the curtain falls. And with Belinda Lang (2Point4 Children) on stage and also directing it’s a formidable line-up.
It works. It’s a play of its time which stands the test of time and is well worth a look
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