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.

Micky Flanagan, Capital FM Arena

Appearing at the Concert Hall earlier this year, this was Micky Flanagan's second visit to Nottingham in a single tour.

But he packed the place out and warmed to his themes with his East End swagger growing ever more lively and vociferous as the show progressed.

We've seen him on TV more and more over the past couple of years but he's restricted by that format and laps up the atmosphere created by a live stage act.

A late starter to comedy he's had a “real life” before becoming a performer and draws on this to tell his tales.

There are tales of his – and our – younger days which ring true with the middle aged members of the audience and educate anyone younger.

From the days when pet dogs weren't in charge, when instead of them ordering you to pick up their poo, old men used to come out of the pubs at night and kick them. When you could round up kids with a lit cigarette and when you used to see more old folk with warty faces.

Simple observations of a days gone by and a Britain we'll never return to. When his cooler schoolmates used to affect a pretend limp, when he used to stay up all night to see a fleeting shot of female breast in an old vampire film, or when he was sent to the corner shop to pick up his mum's over-sized sanitary products.

We learned of the tricks of the trade of being an adult married man. The difference between girls' nights in and boys' nights out.

Having two off-licences on the go: one for the trendy bottle of wine at 7.30pm and another who's more compliant for the 11.30pm old-school snifter. As Micky tells the shopkeeper: “I won't say anything about you splitting the multi-packs of beans if you don't say anything about my late night wine.”

He does a neat routine on the various drugs someone of his age might have had access to as an ordinary manual worker (he's over 50 now) – a trail of discovery that seems almost romantic now.

And even the tale of how 9/11 saved his relationship somehow rings true. A slick show, and the evening just flew by.

No support for Micky, though. He's got plenty to say himself, plenty of front and an uplifting, energetic delivery.

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.

The 39 Steps, Theatre Royal

This quick-fire rattle through Buchan's novel is all the stronger for its comic take, its pacey style and a light touch to tickle the funny bone. It is a smart take on a famous story which thankfully doesn't suffer from its own cleverness.

Playing with a cast of four, Tony Bell and Gary Mackay support the romantic leads of Richard Ede (as hero Hannay) and Charlotte Peters.

Charlotte Peters smoulders as the femme fatale in each scene, despite her occasionally downbeat or eccentric characters. And a word for the dashing Ede. With his pencil moustache, tweed suit and upper-crust manner, it's hard to believe anyone would mistake him for a murderer...

Charlotte's first role as Annabella Schmidt leaves her murdered by a rubber knife in the opening minutes, leading to Richard Hannay's adventures north of the border to solve the secret agent's riddle.

It is here that Bell and Mackay come into their own, veering happily between a Stanley Baxter approach and the old character actor skills of the likes of John Laurie. So versatile are they that more than once they each play two characters at the same time.

The concept throughout is simple: tell the story, turn the highlights into wonderful cameos – and have fun while you're at it.

The 39 Steps – given cinematic treatment by Alfred Hitchcock in 1935 – was first produced on stage in 1996 and this format has been so successful that it's been doing the rounds for more than eight years.

Simple but effective use of doors, window frames, smoke and ladders all make the action grippingly real while reminding us that every boys' own hero while ever-dashing must use his charm, guile and wit to win the day.

Memorable action such as the Forth Bridge rail scene and Hannay's impromptu address at the Scottish election meeting are all wonderfully replicated here, with clever direction and acting never leaving a smile very far away.

Another strength is the length of this play. It's only 90 minutes of action and this means the concept, as well as the players and their cod-Scottish/faux upper-class English accents, don't outstay their welcome. The action moves easily from Mr Memory at the Palladium to a lonely Scottish moor and we're willing to embrace the swings in tone thanks largely to the cast, entertaining from start to finish.

The 39 Steps plays all week – and if you get along, watch out for subtle nods to other Hitchcock classics along the way.

Ready for the Ashes? An Evening with Boycott & Aggers - Royal Centre Nottingham

So the good people of Nottingham were treated to the sight of Derek Randall being run out by Geoff Boycott at the 1977 Trent Bridge Test match not once, not twice but three times on the big screen at last night's pre-Ashes extravaganza.

Poor Derek. And it didn't elicit a single "boo" or hiss from the audience.

Perhaps that's because the kind of gentlefolk in the Concert Hall would have thought such a reaction as being just not cricket. Or perhaps it's because cantankerous old Sir Geoff is now something of a national treasure.

That's not to say he doesn't have skeletons in the closet... but as he freely admits: "Hold your hands up to your mistakes and move on".

Former cricketers and current Test match pundits Boycott and Jonathan Agnew are running a short tour around the UK before the Aussies hit town for the big one. The Ashes start in Nottingham on Wednesday and for those who, like me, are going along for a few days, this show was a must-see treat.

It's good for the soul hearing the former Yorkshire batsman (or batter, as they say these days) sound off about contemporaries and present-day players. Whatever you think of his opinions, you can't argue with his summing up after each memory, which goes something along the lines of "Well they're not as good as I was." (He went on to score over 100 after running out poor Randall).

He recalls playing alongside former umpire Harold "Dickie" Bird and journalist Michael Parkinson in their younger days, and answered audience-inspired questions about the best this, the top that, and what he thinks might happen this summer.

It was a great and welcome surprise to see former Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson as special guest in the second half, playing to type with recollections spattered with slightly more unsavoury words than the northern hemisphere contributors might have used.

Another special guest was former Notts and England opener Chris Broad and his daughter Gemma, a performance analyst with the England squad. They were there to add their own insight into the Ashes summer, as well as drum up support for the Broad Appeal for Motor Neurone Disease, which claimed Chris's wife Miche.

A barnstorming performance from all concerned and a great appetiser for cricket fans.

Ready for the Ashes? We are now!

For the Love of Mrs Brown, Nottingham Arena

Almost exactly two years ago to the day, a foul-mouthed old Irishwoman took to the stage in Nottingham on what was to be a voyage of discovery for performer and audience alike.

Yet it remained to be seen if Mrs Brown's Boys, recorded live on stage for the television and which came to Nottingham in 2011 in the cosy confines of The Royal Centre, could make the leap of faith to an arena setting.

The Mrs Brown show has won a couple of Baftas in the meantime and obviously appeals to the masses too, judging by its continued small screen success. After all, we can all identify with everyday family life – and, most crucially, with the comic creation of Mrs Brown herself.

This was clear from the teeming crowds at the Arena for the first Nottingham show last night. Fans simply adore the whole cast. They don't merely watch and laugh... they gasp, wince and worry through with the flimsy plot, a vehicle for laugh after laugh after laugh.

For anyone who doesn't know, Agnes Brown is the result of the comedy genius of Brendan O'Carroll, who dons authentic drag to transform himself into the famous Dublin 'Mammy' and performs alongside his screen family, who – in many cases – are members of his actual family.

Confused? You won't be. It's straightforward obvious comedy, varying from the subversive – nudges, winks and innuendo – to blatant out-and-out potty-mouthed bad language.

In this new show we touch upon his flamboyant hairdresser son (obvious enough for you?), the vagaries of plastic surgery for a daughter who can't find love (which part of the body do you suppose?) and then there's granddad's addiction to Viagra. Not forgetting Agnes's own quest to find an online Valentine date.

And yet the audience loved it. Perhaps it is that we are in on the secret with O'Carroll, who confides in the audience in a series of asides while the comedy action is played out on stage. He pulls faces, rolls his eyes; tries to make the rest of the cast forget their lines.

If Agnes was real, she'd be a comedy uncle-turned-aunt who wants to liven up the family gathering. And O'Carroll must be good as he makes it all look so very easy to do.

So did the big screens each side of the set kill the live show? Not a chance. Forget the fact that die-hard fans will have heard many of the gags before: it was as though the whole room was watching TV together, enjoying the sharing of a communal moment. Perhaps reminiscent of the Olympics, or the Jubilee. Or perhaps not.

High Society, Theatre Royal, Nottingham

It’s party time the night before a big wedding: the perfect excuse for glitz, glitter and music.

Sophie Bould stars as confused ex-wife and bride-to-be Tracy Lord. Her big weakness is, of course, champagne, and as everyone becomes more lubricated, a certain clarity is lent to proceedings as the penny drops with each of her three potential suitors.

There's her ex-husband Dexter Haven – still hurting from the divorce and played by former Robin Hood Michael Praed, investigative journalist Mike Connor (Daniel Boys) and the wonderfully out-of-his-depth George Kittredge - brought to life by Keiron Crook.

It's fun to imagine their roles as played by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra in the 1956 film on which the stage musical is based. Grace Kelly made up the bill-toppers back then in her last singing role on film before her marriage to Prince Rainier, as Tracy. The lively and evocative music helps the plot along but there are no show-stoppers; it's a pleasant performance and great to see the cast return for a welcome finale to show off their talents once more.

We all know Who Wants to be a Millionaire and True Love, the most memorable hits, but chorus numbers High Society and Let's Misbehave are among the many Cole Porter classics which firmly bring to life the carefree existence of these rich folk in their Art Deco surroundings.

A revolving stage and some tricky scene changes occasionally made it hard to work out where the actors were – with 11 different locations served by essentially the same backdrop.

But it's make-believe – and make believe we did, easily believing in all of the main characters so much so that they drew the laughs at all the right moments as their characterisation grew. We all know who we want the groom to be by the time we find out!

Particularly fun were the supporting roles of Teddy Kempner as Uncle Willie and Katie Lee as young Dinah Lord, Tracy's teenage sister. While Uncle Willie was seeking his own love interest for much of the second act, Dinah set her stall out early on with energy and gusto showing off her precocious singing, dancing and linguistic skills to the visitors.

Journey and Whitesnake plus special guests Thunder; Capital FM Arena, Nottingham

This was a rare chance to lap up virtuoso performances from three of rock's biggest names, shaking the Arena for more than four hours on Saturday night.

Whitesnake were clearly the stars of this three-band bonanza, charging through their greatest hits of the past 35 years.

Bad Boys, Fool for Your Loving, Here I Go Again and Still of The Night – you'll know them all.

David Coverdale's part of the furniture and looks younger than when we last saw him in town, despite recently collecting his bus pass.

He moves well, has a cheeky flirt with the girls in the crowd but these days seems to need the harmonies of his band to see him through safely.

We enjoyed the battle of guitars between Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach, a kamikaze drum solo from the legendary Tommy Aldridge and superb bass from Michael Devin.

Support acts aren't generally well-received when they're third on the bill but the Arena was almost full to capacity when Thunder took their places earlier on.

Singer Danny Bowes clearly enjoyed bouncing around the stage, moving – and even grooving – to a string of much-loved numbers.

He was dressed for the pub rather than a heavy metal triple-header, bringing The Devil Made Me Do It, Love Walked In and I Love You More Than Rock And Roll as part of an energetic set that didn't let up and proved the perfect opener for what was to follow.

Which is why, when Journey took to the stage at 9.30pm, while it wasn't an anticlimax, the crowd weren't quite with it.

Perhaps it was the marathon nature of the event – which started at 6.45pm – or the amps trying to pump more than their wattage, but there was a feeling that this was somewhat "after the lord mayor's show".

Journey's Arnel Pineda hit the stage with gusto and the first few numbers, Separate Ways and Any Way You Want It brought a party atmosphere before they launched into their rock set.

Jonathan Cain impressed with his sometimes orchestral keyboards, while Neal Schon added some fantastically screaming guitar.

The show warmed up to a crescendo with Money Money, Wheel In The Sky, Be Good to Yourself and Faithfully and anyone who had slipped off early missed the passion of Don't Stop Believin' – a fitting end to a great night for aficionados of rock.

Comments added online:

by chrisf231
Tuesday, May 28 2013, 8:13PM

“The reason why people were leaving in droves during Journey was simply because the sound mix for them was beyond dreadful. It was just a loud messy din which made it impossible to understand a word that was being said/sung and the drums/guitars/keyboards all merged into one.

The sound was perfect for Whitesnake and Thunder so can't understand how the Journey soundman got it so so wrong.

Thunder stole the show, they were just electric on stage. Whitesnake would have been better had Coverdale cut down on the swearing and even more so on the Crotch Grabing that he seemed for fond of at eery given chance”


by ChrisC66
Tuesday, May 28 2013, 3:50PM

“Thunder ruled this night musically! yes I agree that most of the fans were there for Whitesnake but that didn't mean that they were the best- We are massive fans of all 3 bands, Danny had the crowd jumoing up and down, laughing and singing their heads off because they were absolutely brilliant! totally together as a band and not spoiled by over long solos on a triple header. Apart from the swearing Dave croaked through a lot of the songs and only managed to hit any notes when he screamed.. not the magic of Dave that we know and love. and yes we know it is 35 years - most of your fans have been with you all along! Journey came on and it was such a shame. Arnel can sing, but he just doesn't engage the crowd somehow. To front a band as big as Journey, you have to ooze charisma- which the poor guy just doesn't he spent all night jumping all over the stage, and singing more to the band than to the fans. he ruined Faithfully, the arrangement was awful it was like a last minute decision and the rest of the band had no idea what was going on; also Neal looked like he was just there to get the cash and run... So Thunder... can't wait to see them again!! not bothered about the other 2 of our favourite bands though. :-(”

by trickybrewer
Tuesday, May 28 2013, 12:29PM

“I think the reviewer has it about right and this was Whitesnake's audience. We were sat to the side in Block 15 and it was clear to us that in terms of audience participation (if you judge that by numbers joining in, clapping, arm waving etc) that Whitesnake got a far better response than Journey. Infact I was surprised by how many people got up and left during the first part of Journey's set. I reckon maybe 1 in 6 left early including neighbours of mine who said there were lots leaving through the exits when went at 10pm. Reading reviews of the Belfast, Glasgow and Sheffied gigs it seems this was not only in Nottingham.
I was impressed with Thunder and Whitesnake. Personally i would have chosen a few more of the "old" Whitesnake songs but they have 35 years of albums and fans of all ages to please so i wouldnt complain.
To me Journey seemed a little tired and certainly their sound wasnt the best. All drums and keyboards. I wonder how many more would have lft early had they played "Don't Stop Believin'" earlier in the set?
It was still a great night all around, but i wouldnt recommend following Whitesnake on stage unless you have a little more to offer than Journey.”

by Snakecharmer
Tuesday, May 28 2013, 10:26AM

“We came all the way from The Netherlands to see this show and enjoyed it! I fully agree with the reviewer. Whitesnake were the highlight of the evening, although Journey by far played the best set and Thunder's Danny is great fun to look at and to listen to (what a great voice!). Last time we saw Coverdale in The Netherlands his performance was really poor. This time we were positively surprised. Of course his voice is by far not as strong as it used to be. To compensate this, he uses the band harmonies in a clever way. For us it was obvious that David was enjoying himself, joking with the audience and having fun with the band members. Yes, he used the f*ck word a couple of times, but so what? Thunder were a great opener and we thought it was a shame that they only played 50 minutes or so. What an energy and a lot of fun! We came to Nottingham especially for Journey, both being big fans of this band. The performance was ok, the show was great to look at, but as the reviewer writes, we missed the click between band and audience. We think one of the reasons was the set list that was chosen. Not one single song from the Eclipse album, one of their best ever? We did not understand this. Thunder and Whitesnake had a lot of interaction with the audience. Journey's Arnel is a small guy with a great voice, but he lacks the charisma of frontmen like Danny and David. And we think there is a difference in attitude between British and American bands. British bands make the audience part of the show, Americans mostly "do their own thing". That is what Journey did this evening. By involving the audience more than they did now and by chosing a couple of songs from Eclipse ("Human Feel" !!!) and some old favourites, it could have been a legendary evening. Now we had "just" a great evening in Nottingham.”

by jules_22
Tuesday, May 28 2013, 2:12AM

“@ Chocybiccy Totally agree with you there. Thought exactly the same when we saw this show in Sheffield last week. Thought Whitesnake were terrible - Coverdale did nothing for me and got fed up with him swearing at the audience all the time asking them to make some noise. Thought Thunder were ok but never really been a fan of theirs. Journey were by far the better band!”

by Chocybiccy
Monday, May 27 2013, 8:52AM

“We must have seen different shows.
Thunder were the highlight of the whole show.
Danny Bowes energy was electrical. He involved the audience and loved every second from the look on his face.
Whitesnake then came on and ruined the atmosphere.
Being seated in the floor area I was able to have a good look around the arena. If people were enjoying it they must have been keeping it to themselves.
So what it's been 35 years. Great, good for them, but they were not all that.
If half an audience sits down for the guitar solo and starts playing with their phones or talking amongst themselves then that speaks volumes.
Their set should have been cut to 40 minutes.
Journey given the fact that they then had to come on to a bored crowd, did brilliantly.
At least they tried to get the audience involved without swearing at them.
Maybe things would have been better if Thunder and journey had been on first and the self indulgent whitesnake could have been on last, after all if they are that good, they could still rock the audience at that time of night.”