Blood Brothers at Nottingham Theatre Royal

It was my first time, I admit it. And I was unprepared for the power of a story which left us all in danger of leaving the theatre as emotional wrecks.

And not just me. By the end of the final number, a thundering reprise of Tell Me It's Not True, Maureen Nolan needed three curtain calls before the tears were finally wiped from her eyes.

If you've ever been touched by tales of Peter Pan, Two Little Boys or even Puff The Magic Dragon, you'll know how important it is to enjoy your childhood and resist growing up for as long as you can.

In this musical, separated-at-birth twins Mickey (Sean Jones) and Eddie (Mark Hutchinson) somehow keep bumping into each other without knowing their true identities – and become firm friends from school through to adulthood and all of the challenges that brings.

Embracing the Prince and The Pauper theme, one of these lads ends up having it all, while the other has nothing and manages to lose even that.

Maureen (as their mother, Mrs Johnstone), and the narrator Warwick Evans, kept the tempo and the story ticking along at pace, so that even though we didn't leave the theatre until after 10.30pm, the show never felt like a long haul. Warwick's ability as a performance poet, passing vital elements of the narrative as the spoken word blended neatly with his musical skill, helping every life event for the cast move seamlessly from one to the next.

The love interest for Mickey – and then Eddie – came in the perfect shape of Olivia Sloyan as Linda. She had each milestone off to a tee, and we particularly enjoyed her part in the schoolday pastiches, the moments when she tries to woo Mickey, and her powerful performances later on, dealing with ex-con Mickey, by then her husband, who's struggling to live a family life while up to his eyeballs in anti-depressants.

So there, in a nutshell, is the plot. Of course no man could fail to notice Linda, and when Eddie is drawn to her as he tries to help get her and Mickey's lives back on track, tragedy strikes.

This is a full-scale modern musical celebrating its 28^th anniversary, which still stands aside from many of the traditional theatre-fillers. Catchy reprises of Marilyn Monroe, Shoes Upon the Table and Tell Me It's Not True ensure the inevitable standing ovation.

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.

Blofeld and Baxter, Nottingham Playhouse

Well, my dear old thing. If you're after one outrageous story after another, then this is an event to appeal.

It's always interesting listening to old raconteurs reliving their finest hour... and other people's too.

But what, more than anything else, made it a choice evening was the eloquence and mellow tones of Test Match Special commentator Henry Blofeld who, if a little muddled with his words now and again, has still seen more than enough to fill an evening chatting on stage with his old radio producer Peter Baxter.

An Ashes Test venue twice in the next few years, Trent Bridge came in for high praise, as did local hero Derek Randall.

Surprisingly, it was an audience filled not with chaps, but mainly chaps with their chap-esses, making it a lovely event from start to finish.

If you've never heard the tale about that quaint church on the hill looking out towards West Bridgford, then (yes, it's not a church, is it...) you'd have roared with laughter at Blowers' recollection of his commentary when he saw a plume of smoke from the "churchyard" and surmised that the vicar was having a barbecue for his parishioners.

Of course, the knowledgeable audience second- guessed the punchline, made on air "in all innocence", according to the broadcaster.

We remembered CMJ, Jonners and John Arlott – all now sadly departed – discovered what a Boycott curry is, travelled the world's top cricket grounds and learned the truth about "The bowler's Holding, the batsman's Willey". Howzat?

Strictly Come Dancing Live, Capital FM Arena

It really was a truly A-MAZ-ING show.

And it was refreshing to, at last, see all of the dancers, celebrities and pros from Strictly Come Dancing in the flesh after a winter of building anticipation.

The judges, who are also the stars of this glitter-ball of a show, were Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and the show director Craig Revel Horwood.

All lived up to their billing – even if we were denied the famous "Seven" cry from good old Uncle Len.

This was the first of three shows at the Capital FM Arena and they weren't afraid of dishing out a good hiding with their scores, despite it being a glitzy gala night for the celebrities and their partners.

For the record, we were treated to Artem Chigvintsev dancing with Fern Britton, James Jordan with Denise Van Outen, Karen Hauer dancing with Phil Tufnell (who first competed in 2009), Natalie Lowe and Michael Vaughan, Ola Jordan with Louis Smith, Robin Windsor dancing with Lisa Riley and Pasha Kovalev with Dani Harmer – so a couple of changes from the TV partnerships to digest. It'll be an open secret who won – and there was really only one contender.

Gymnast Louis, although joint second on the judges' scorecards, came out on top in the final shake-up.

Although the judges were inevitably scripted for large chunks of the night (something that presumably can't be avoided on a show that's running almost every day in one part of the country or another) there were plenty of histrionics and a pantomime atmosphere with cheering, booing balanced with applause and admiration for the talent on show.

The biggest cheer was reserved for Olympic hero Louis, who won this season's TV show, and for Denise, whose signature Charleston was simply amazing.

Fern hoped to raise her score – and a few pulses – by stripping Artem's top half, while cricketer Phil played it for laughs trailing what looked like toilet paper out of his trouser leg!

The format was for each couple to dance a ballroom and a Latin number, punctuated by some stupendous routines from the professionals.

Kate Thornton, who was an able MC for the night, celebrated her special birthday with the crowd wishing her well in traditional style with a rousing chorus to kick-start the fun.

The evening closed with the ensemble – including judges – hitting the dance floor and those within touching distance had to hold themselves back as Bruno got carried away enough to swing his shirt around his head!

But everyone was close to the action here in Nottingham for a truly FAB-U-LOUS show (... that's one word, three syllables, begins with 'F').

Madagascar Live, Capital FM Arena

If there was ever a show that was all-singing and all-dancing, then Madagascar Live fits the bill perfectly!

An energised audience also managed to let off their steam by dancing in the aisles at the end of a perfectly balanced show at the Arena.

Encouraged by the lively cast, we needed little encouragement to get on up and "move it, move it" to one of the animated film's catchiest tunes.

Dazzling costumes and amazing sets took the production way above the usual fare for children's stage-show entertainment.

And having a familiar story worked to the show's advantage as it retold the tale of the group of New York zoo animals who seek a little adventure on the other side of the bars.

The action-packed musical follows Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo on their unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien's Madagascar.

The crack-a-lackin' adventure slows a little at times but then so does the blockbuster DreamWorks Animation movie.

Fortunately, there are some nicely-worked set-pieces to keep us hooked, especially the cheeky, plotting penguins and a pink-haired love-starved newscaster.

Both leave the stage for a little interplay with individual members of the audience, bringing their characters to life up-close and personal.

The dance numbers are well choreographed and it's a relief to hear real singing.

With no voice track or miming, it's a pleasure to appreciate the talent of the "animals" performing in front of us. They're clearly enjoying themselves, which is infectious in the amphitheatre created by using just half of the Arena.

We're treated to 25 characters in all – which is no mean feat in a touring production where everyone has to squeeze themselves into costumes that really do reflect the characterisation of the animals they play. Neat stage tricks help transport us from zoo to the subways of New York, then on board ship and into the jungles of Madagascar.

The show-stopping numbers come right at the end and it's something of an abrupt stop when the story finally draws to a close.

But wait... maybe the show doesn't stop there for the youngsters: You know it's worked out well when you spot kids of all ages singing the best-known songs on the way out!

QuoFestive, Royal Concert Hall

Try as you might, there's no escaping the infectious sound of this festive offering by some very energetic old-timers.

It was clear from the start this was going to be a night for foot-tapping, boogie in the aisles and plenty of audience participation.

Quo had us all hooked from the start; their lively third number, Hold You Back, had everyone bouncing about in an involuntary response to the crystal clear sound blasting from their banks of speakers.

With more than 60 hit singles to their name it was always going to be a tall order to please everyone all of the time.

But a tried and tested formula saw fit to bring the best of the best out for this pre-Christmas bonanza.

Rock staples such as Caroline, Whatever You Want and Rockin' All Over the World were mixed with some more bluesy offerings including Creepin Up On You.

We enjoyed the 80s sounds of Marguerita Time and In the Army Now. And to top off the performance there was a welcome Christmas medley including Walking in a Winter Wonderland, Rocking Around the Christmas Tree and It's Christmas Time.

Quo may not be the long-haired rockers they used to be. But with their shorn locks they're closer to resembling their audience than perhaps they ever were.

It's always a pleasure to see their posturing and classic stance on stage – even if it is reminiscent of that famous Two Ronnies sketch.

What DO Rossi and Parfitt find to chat about in the middle of each number?

Whether it's choreographed, or extravagant jamming, seeing them clearly enjoying themselves on the Nottingham stage again still sends a shiver down the spine.

Quofestive is part of their frantic seasonal schedule and in Nottingham they were supported by rock and blues performers Bad Influence.

W.A.S.P. - Rock City

With some 30 years of talent in the bank this was always going to be a monster of a gig.

A lively set and an enthusiastic crowd at Rock City were the perfect ingredients for a blast in Nottingham as part of the 30 Years of Thunder tour.

Bringing the very best from their past, music from the current album (even if it's now almost three years old) and a taste of things to come, these four accomplished musicians ruled the stage for two full hours.

Classics including I Wanna Be Somebody, Chainsaw Charlie and Blind in Texas reminded us all to dig out he back catalogue and crank the system up to No 11.

Blackie Lawless may finally be looking his age but he's still got the voice and musicianship to lead his troops through classics sounds and more.

A Crimson Idol medley was well-placed in the middle of the set, while the appearance of Blackie's moving mic stand is always a pleasure!

A superb stage show with video backdrops made the event a real occasion, despite the 10pm curfew which led to a rather sudden end after the more than welcome encores.

There was still time for a crashing drum solo from Mike Dupke while Doug Blair on lead guitar showed us of why live music is best. Mike Duda on bass completed the line-up.

Cabaret - Theatre Royal, Nottingham

Anyone turning up expecting to see Cabaret done Will Young-style will be in for a short sharp shock.

It's clear from this show that the lad doesn't just sing love songs for a living but is a consummate all-rounder, acting - indeed hamming it up - as the Emcee of the seedy Kit Kat Club.

He's loving it so much you could even believe Will Young was born to this role. He even seems completely at ease with his nude scene.

And that's great news for a show that's touring four regional venues before embarking on its big West End run.

 It's a mature performance from the man everyone wants to see, ten years on from his Pop Idol win.

He's perfectly cast, white-faced and manic, resembling one of Hogarth's grotesques as his role brings a chilling reminder of the changes affecting Berlin and Germany in 1931.

Will's clearly enjoying himself and deserves his share of the standing ovation at the final curtain.

His co-star Michelle Ryan has a silky strong singing voice but doesn't quite bring the gusto we'd hope for as Sally Bowles.

She works neatly with Clifford Bradshaw (played by Henry Luxembourg) as we follow their developing relationship through the inter-war years as Nazism slowly rises in Berlin.

We're treated to a string of top-notch well-known numbers as both jump aboard the helter-skelter anything-goes lifestyle of the party set.

Will's The Money Song, Michelle with Cabaret and some touching melodies as we begin to see how Sian Phillips' Fraulein Schneider might have a future with Jewish Herr Schultz (played by Linal Haft, who although he has a string of stage, TV and big screen credits, will be forever Maureen Lipman's son in the BT ads).

As we lose ourselves in the plot and mayhem of the debauched Kit Kat Club, it comes as something of a shock when Ernst Ludwig (Nicholas Tizzard) takes off his overcoat to reveal a swastika armband.

And that's where the lives of both couples begin to unravel.

Chicago, Royal Centre

With more midriff on display than in the ladies 200m final, it was more than just the singing and dancing raising the temperature among the audience.

The lovely dancers from this 2012 UK tour were actually matched by their male counterparts in costumes more revealing than a 100m world record breaker to the point that wolf-whistles and whoops could be heard from excitable individuals in the front stalls.

All good fun, and probably key to this rather knowing production where facial expression, a roll of the eyes and subtle moves on stage can reveal as much as the spoken word.

With the cast all-important to Chicago, it was energising to see each and every performer from the chorus to the bill-toppers working effortlessly together to deliver the anticipated pazazz (and All That Jazz).

We all know and love Ali Bastian (Roxie) from her time on Strictly – graduating to the all-singing, all-dancing big musicals from Hollyoaks via The Bill.

The same goes for leading man Stefan Booth (Billy Flynn), whose soap pedigree is identical. Corrie’s Tupele Dorgu (as Velma) must have wowed the casting director with her long legs – perfect for her routines stepping over the chair-backs!

And it was Brookie and The Bill for Bernie Nolan, too, who first rose to fame as lead singer of The Nolans.

Another actor relishing her role, she’s in sparkling form playing Mama Morton in one of her own favourite musicals.

All proved very much more accomplished than the annual soap awards might have you believe.

 The ragtime band permanently on stage looked, sounded and acted as if they were a well-loved fixture.

That must largely be down to their leader Adrian Kirk, hamming it up for the audience as conductors so often do!

Neatly-choreographed by Gary Chryst, based on the original work of Ann Reinking, the nimble leads of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly found no routine beyond their grasp – with some of their moves mixing it well with the entire company for some of the show-stoppers.

Energetic, suggestive, and full of Razzle Dazzle, they hurtled helter-skelter towards their natural fate in 1920s Chicago.

Neatly juxtaposed in understated style is Jamie Baughan as Roxie’s husband, devoted and gullible but always a Mr Cellophane.

With the West End run drawing to a close this latest tour may be the last time for a while that you can enjoy the back-stabbing, double-dealing would-be Vaudeville stars unravel their web of deceit.

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.