Category: Theatre

Legally Blonde -Script Youth Musical Theatre Company ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Legally Blonde -Script Youth Musical Theatre Company
Highbury Theatre
Monday 30th June 2025
By : Nigel Gambles
Photography by : Studio 55 Photography

As they say OMG where do I start. I attended the dress rehearsal for this show Monday night and I can promise that you are in for an absolute treat. I have seen the show a number of times performed by different theatre groups but I can truthfully say this was one of the best!! The energy and enjoyment just came off the stage in waves.

The show is based on the movie of the same name and follows the star of the show Elle Woods who seems to have it all, but then it all starts to go wrong when her rich boyfriend dumps her in favour of going to Harvard Law School. So determined to win him back she charms her way in to the same university. Whilst there she struggles with all manor of things but eventually with the help of new friends and her dog Bruiser she starts to realise her potential and sets out to prove herself. The story is a triumph over adversity and empowering female friendships.

Peyton Lockley who is making her lead debut plays Elle Woods. She is superb, her vocals are strong and clear and her dancing excellent. Peyton totally embraced the role and will blow you away. She has strong support from her fellow cast members Maddie Howard who plays Paulette the owner of the hair salon and forms a strong bond with Elle. Maddy has a strong stage presence and delivers a commanding performance when teamed up with Elle and  Kyle the UPS man. Daniel George who plays Emmett a charming and sensitive law student who supports Elle, captures the sensitive nature of the character and delivers a great performance.

Full credit must be given to the supporting cast who worked hard and delivered fantastic performances, all of which can be attributed to the great direction of Louise Sall and Tim Rice. The choreography is very good all thanks to the hard work of Amelia. Do not miss this show as the strap line goes ” This musical is so much fun it should be illegal”

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – SCMYT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie -Sutton Coldfield Musical Youth Theatre
Sutton Coldfield Town Hall
Monday 23rd June 2025
By : Nigel Gambles
Photography by : Studio 55 Photography

After the success of Footloose last year and previous shows Les Mis and Legally Blonde , SCMYT is definitely the best if not one of the best youth groups in the West Midlands

Their latest show Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, and wow! What an incredible show it is! Bringing this musical sensation to life – including Northern accents, multiple set and costume changes and complex dance numbers – was ambitious. Talented young performers aged just 13 to 18, poured their hearts and souls into a performance that was dynamic, professional, and full of impressive talent. It had heart, humour and heels so high I wouldn’t be able to walk in them, let alone dance!

From the opening scene it was packed with raucous energy and perfectly delivered sass that immediately transported us to a gritty Sheffield comprehensive, where Year 11s contend with the wonderful and frightening possibilities that lie ahead of each of them. Jamie New, an openly gay 16-year-old who dreams of becoming a drag queen was instantly likeable as he and the rest of the cast swept us into his pop-fantastic daydream ‘And You Don’t Even Know It’.

What made this amateur ‘Youth Edition’ so special was the thrill of watching real teenagers bring these teen characters to life. Under Georgia Young’s amazing and expert direction the cast delivered a level of talent that could easily be on the West End Stage. The way she fills the cast with enthusiasm and energy is quite remarkable.

Choreography by Charlotte Jervis assisted by Ethan Bowley, was stunning high energy and superb synchronisation especially in the dance duet. More of that later,

The whole ensemble was brilliantly cast, with every member delivering a believable storyline through genuine and multi-dimensional acting, powerful vocals and sharp choreography.

Toby Foetu-Foster was made to play Jamie he brought the perfect mix of camp charisma and youthful innocence to the role, whilst also capturing Jamie’s wit, cheekiness and vulnerability. His rendition of ‘Wall In My Head’ was captivating, building beautifully into an emotional crescendo that gave me chills!

Meanwhile, Zadie Beschi gave Pritti Jamie’s loyal, studious best friend, a quietly headstrong presence. Her solo ‘Beautiful’ was sung with elegant control, allowing each phrase the space and diction needed to feel both precise and spontaneous. The production honoured the spirit of diversity by respectfully representing the Muslim community, complete with hijabs.

I  have to say I was very moved by Neve Mathews’s portrayal of Jamie’s mum Margaret, especially her song ‘He’s My Boy’. It was heartfelt and mature, with excellent vocal range, and had me reflecting on the bittersweet truth that while we strive to shield our children from pain, life will inevitably hurt them, and yet we thrive on seeing them live authentically.

Another standout came from Jamie Wilson as the school bully who’s harsh lines stung, but showed subtle remorse that added depth to his characterisation.

Oscar Ralley was commanding as Hugo and playful as Loco Chanelle, offering a refreshing contrast between the characters.

The set design was simple but effective. Transitions between classroom, kitchen, bus stop and prom seemed to happen as if by magic, enhanced by effective lighting and seamless costume changes, from school uniforms to dazzling prom gowns. The spotlight reveal of Jamie’s red dress was especially powerful, leaving the audience wanting more.

Dynamic choreography and colourful harmonies elevated the production, from coordinated group numbers to breakout moments allowing individual characters to shine. Particularly memorable was the schoolgirls’ clapping routine in ‘Spotlight’, reminding us of the characters’ young age, while a dance duet between Gracie Drain and Euan Barnby during Margaret’s ‘If I Met Myself Again’ added a poignant, dreamlike quality to the song. The choreography was so beautiful. I especially loved the title number ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’, which kicked off Act II, with its excited, gossipy feel, as multiple characters bounced their individual lines off each other before erupting into an energetic and synchronised dance sequence that had the whole room buzzing!

It’s genuinely hard to believe this was an amateur musical theatre. The level of professionalism, emotional authenticity and pure talent displayed by every single cast member absolutely blew me away. These young performers truly brought a little bit of glitter to the grey.

The Sound Of Music – Sutton Arts Theatre ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

The Sound Of Music – Sutton Arts Theatre.
Sutton Arts Theatre
Thursday 19th June 2025
By : Nigel Gambles
Photography by : Studio 55 Photography

The Sound of Music is a timeless classic, with Julie Andrews playing the iconic Maria in the film. The show follows Maria, a postulant who has trouble conforming to the Abbey life, so she is sent away to be the governess of seven children.

The whole cast worked incredibly as a chorus, with the nuns opening the numbers with what I can only describe as an angelic performance. Although the nuns open the show with saintly songs, we soon meet Maria played by Amy Davies who makes her debut with Sutton Arts. We first meet the character as she sings The Sound of Music entering from the back of the theatre and approaches the stage with projections of hills and mountains on either side giving the effect of walking down the hills. Amy maybe just a wee bit older than the original Maria, but does a splendid job of creating a character that is both gentle and adventurous and has a wonderful singing voice slightly reminiscent of Julie Andrews, but then again how do you describe a character like Maria?

The Von Trapp children are played by  3 teams on the night I went to watch the show. Special mentions to Lois Stokes who plays Brigitta and Ada Hodgson as Gretl, with Liesl being played by Ava Cattell every night of the run. Ava delivers a wonderful performance as the sweet and passionate elder sibling looking for love and becoming a woman.  The children do an incredible job on stage both singing Do-Re-Me and create characters that capture the audiences attention. The father of the Von Trapp family is played by Paul Westwood, who at first is cold and uniformed, but as the play goes on we see him open up and fall in love. Although Paul gives a good performance as Von Trapp I felt that the character was missing some of the standards and precision of a military man. Now although the whole cast sang amazingly, I do have to note a few of the supporting roles. The ability of Liz Berriman who played the Mother Abbess, what a spectacular voice. Patrick Rayson  who plays Herr Zeller and scares you half to death with his excellent portrayal as the new Nazi governor of Austria, Olly Foster as Rolf Liesel’s love interest and budding Nazi, along with Nick Snowdon as Max Detweiler and Laura Hinton as Elsa Schraeder give good solid performances.

If you have ever visited Sutton Arts Theatre you will know the size of the stage and the fact that it has no wings! The set design by Mark Nattrass is nothing short of amazing, the way the sets change is ingenious and all down to the hard work of the backstage crew and cast.

The costumes were just as you could expect from The Sound of Music, nothing looked out of place or wrong.

Special mention to Emily Armstrong the director on the superb job she has done bringing this classic production to life. Sutton Coldfield will certainly be alive with The Sound Of Music

Guys & Dolls – Trinity Players ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This a  hugely fun and energetic production of the Broadway classic which showcases the incredible talent that exists in Trinity Players and is a perfect choice for their 50th anniversary as a society . Just the kind of tonic we all need!

As popular as it may be, it is a challenging piece to stage; multiple scenes, lengthy dance sequences, an abundance of songs, all add to a long list of hills to climb. Trinity Players production confronts these matters head on and delivers a hugely enjoyable, wonderfully performed show which illustrates the enormous pool of talent that exists in the group

Throughout, the standard of singing, dancing and acting is hugely impressive. The dance sequences are carried off successfully through skilful choreography from Celine Kirton. She has pushed the performers, but never beyond their capabilities, resulting in vibrant production numbers which really work. Bearing in mind that there is no huge budget available, the sets work well and the transitions from one to another are generally seamless. There are more than a few costumes required with this cast of thirty plus, and they are perfect adding lots of colour and style

The central four characters grabbed their roles with both hands and immersed themselves into their characters with great effect. Matt Hunt’s Nathan Detroit has a wonderful level of lovable incompetence and bluster – I couldn’t help thinking of Oliver Hardy. He is matched perfectly by Bexs Perry who gives Adelaide a beautifully touching vulnerability, but with a steely determination. Their love for each other is unmistakable. Sasha Barnes is a feisty Sarah Brown with a fabulous voice and her resistance/submission to the charms of Sky are completely believable. As Masterson, Dan Barnes is outstanding – cool, calm, collected and in control until he falls for Sarah. His singing voice is wonderful and he exudes a likeable confidence.

Paul Wescott has huge fun as Nicely-Nicely and his rendition of the iconic ‘Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat’ doesn’t disappoint and will surely have everybody clapping along. Rick Jones adds a splendidly antagonistic (and frustrated) Lieutenant Brannigan and there is a delightfully performance from Di Mannion as Arvide, whose plays s one of the older missionaries.

Throughout, the Hotbox Girls, Mission Band and the Crap Shooters give great energy to every minute of the show and serve the score and lyrics of Frank Loesser really well.

There is a good sized band, and they bang out the wonderful score with great enthusiasum under the excellent direction of Peter Bushby. With an ensemble of that size you need a good sound engineer who knows exactly how to balance vocals and instruments – it’s brilliant work.

As mentioned, Guys and Dolls is not straightforward or easy to stage, very far from it, but Director Richard McNally-Reilly and Producer Lewis Wescott have pulled it off in this happy, lively and splendidly performed production by a wonderfully talented team. It is a hugely uplifting tonic which is something we could all do with at this time

The Ultimate Eagles

The Ultimate Eagles

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall

Thursday 29th May 2025

By : Nigel Gambles

Photography by : Studio 55 Photography

I remember seeing The Eagles way back in 1977 at the then popular concert venue Stafford Bingley Hall (bet thats a blast from the past), it was the Hotel California tour and was amazing for this then 19 year old.

So it was with a touch of apprehension that I went along to a sell out

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall to see this universally recognised most authentic tribute. I have to say I was not disappointed what a show playing all the classics and including my favourite “Last Resort” a wonderful rendition they also included Don Henley’s Boys of Summer and Glenn Frey’s The Heat Is On. This is a fabulous show no gimmicks just pure beautifully performed music.

I think when the band introduced themselves at the start of the show they summed themselves up in a nutshell, they are professional musicians working in studios etc and when they have time they get together for their shared love of their favourite band The Eagles.

Ill say no more if you this type of music then get yourself a ticket and be prepared to be blown away.

Until next year, thank you

 

Sweet & Sour Tribute To Sabrina Carpenter & Olivia Rodrigo

Sweet & Sour Tribute To Sabrina Carpenter & Olivia Rodrigo

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall

Thursday 28th May 2025

By : Lee Williams

Photography by : Lee Williams Photography for WOISC

What an amazing show full of pop anthems and hits from these two rising stars. It featured a powerhouse live band with dynamic dancers. The singers were full of sass and swagger and controlled the stage. Olivia sang her big hits such as Vampire and Drivers Licence and Sabrina sang Nonsense and Please Please Please. The crowd loved every minute of this wonderful show and were out of their seats from the very start. Such great singers, they gave an amazing performance.

All Or Nothing

All or Nothing – The Experience

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall

Thursday 22nd May 2025

By : Lee Williams

Photography by : Lee Williams Photography for WOISC

All Or Nothing – Amazing! You can see why they have enjoyed three sell out tours and a successful West End run within this musical. Writer Carol Harrison and the show’s multi-talented cast, performed the new, All Or Nothing Experience Concert Show, celebrating the music of the iconic mod band Small Faces. Commencing with 1965, it documents the new phenomenon which erupted on the streets of London at the time – it was the essence of all that was cool… It was MOD!

Sharp, funny and streetwise, the show encapsulated all that was Mod. Behind this the storyline was colourful, just as their music, is poignant and bittersweet. The show charted and celebrated the band’s roller coaster journey through their unique and electrifying sound. The hits just kept coming, including What’cha Gonna Do About It, Itchycoo Park, Lazy Sunday, Tin Soldier, All or Nothing and more.

In the second half the band performed a sensational selection of groovy and soulful sixties hits showing off their talents even further. What an amazing night!

Kipps Half A Sixpence – Manor Musical Theatre Co. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kipps : Half A Sixpence – Manor Musical Theatre Co.

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall

Tuesday 6th May 2025

By : Nigel Gambles

Photography by : Studio 55 Photography

To set the scene I have only ever seen the movie of Half A Sixpence with Tommy Steele and Julia Foster and that was quite a time ago so I had no idea what to expect. What I saw was absolutely brilliant and I loved every minute singing along to the well known numbers all be it to myself as I did not want to clear the building.

“Kipps” is a revised version of the musical Half a Sixpence, with a Book written by Julian Fellowes of Downton Abbey fame. The story follows the misadventures of the hapless Arthur Kipps, a working class lad whose happiness at coming into money is quickly eroded at the hands of a bunch of grasping aristocrats. Will Arthur be true to his new love, the well-to-do Helen, or return to childhood sweetheart Ann who suddenly re-enters his life? The answer to that question probably won’t surprise many, but we certainly had a great time getting there! Roughly one third romance, one third fish out of water tale, and one third social commentary, the show is enlivened by a series of toe-tapping musical numbers that will be familiar to anyone who’s seen the famous Tommy Steele musical.

Arthur Kipps is played by Jamie Wilson. This is his first lead role for Manor but a number of you may remember him from previous productions, The Sound of Music and Anything Goes are just a couple. Jamie brings the down to earth feel of Tommy Steels Kipps to the part along with his excellent dancing and strong singing voice, it is not a role for the faint hearted as Kipps is barely off stage. I dont think it will be long before we see this young man in a major national show.

Ann Pornick, Arthur’s childhood sweetheart is played by Eliza Tall. The chemistry between Jamie and Eliza is perfect and matures really nicely when they meet up again several years later. Eliza’s voice is such a gorgeous instrument, especially highlighted in Ann’s solo, “Long Ago”.

Juliet Fisher plays the other corner of the love triangle, Helen Walsingham. Helen is one of those characters who you do feel a little sorry for because if it were not for her mother, maybe Helen and Arthur might have had a good shot at marriage, because Helen and Arthur really do want just a small house to live and be happy in. Helen is educated, classy and beautiful and glides around a room more than merely walks. Juliet is obviously perfectly cast.

Mrs Walsingham is Helen’s domineering mother, fussy, tiresome, full of self importance and a snob. She is however, played wonderfully by Lynette Coffey.

James Walsingham, Helen’s brother, is a somewhat corrupt financial advisor. He is seemingly the more favoured offspring of Mrs Walsingham and is played by Tom Wells. Tom also doubles as the brilliantly camp photographer in the massively fun scene at Arthur’s wedding where we get to experience “Flash, Bang Wallop”

Well as all the principals sang and danced (and they were all superb), for me the heart and soul of this show was in the performance of the ensemble.  What a delight they were – exuberant, tuneful and extremely well-rehearsed (what must have been hours and hours of effort shone through on stage.) Choreographer Izzie Larkin produced three or four absolute showstoppers, all delivered with real heart and conviction by the entire cast, it was great to see absolutely everyone giving it both barrels, the dancing extending right to the back of the group. I particularly enjoyed the denizens of the pub reprising ‘Money to Burn’ and espousing ‘The Joy of the Theatre’, whilst the ‘Flash Bang Wallop’ finale was a triumph of timing that would not look out of place on a West End stage.

Finally, credit to Musical Director Chris Arnold for expertly marshalling an eleven-piece Orchestra, and to Directors Pam & James Garrington, who kept the action flowing very effectively.

Sutton Arts Theatre – On The Piste ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

On The Piste – Sutton Arts Theatre

Sutton Arts Theatre

Thursday 1st May 2025

By : Nigel Gambles

Photography by : Sutton Arts Theatre

This is a play of brilliantly observed humour, On The Piste is full of laughs.

Telling the story of two holidaying couples – 30s somethings Alison and Chris (Jayne Lunn and Luke Saldana) and 20s somethings Bev and Dave (Harriet Gordon and Dan McCloskey) and the rich and stylish frequenter of the slopes, Melissa (Keyleigh Alison), and you have the formula for two hours comic drama.– On The Piste is set in the French Alpine resort of Chamonix.

Opening with a skier hurtling (well sliding on rollers) down a slope to the very edge of the stage catching everyone unawares. Extracting much humour from the sheer exhaustion of carrying around skiing equipment and balancing on bits of fibreglass, the play doesn’t skimp on keeping the audience engaged and amused.

With an inventive use of set, and some nice physical humour, the couples enjoy a drink together where we learn their histories and secrets, their insecurities, cute quirks and annoying habits, and along the way – too much information about one couple’s bedroom role play. There is also  a memorable cable car ride, and an ultra hot sauna which is very eye opening! as they try to enjoy their trip under the roving eye of fit, perma tanned and passionate instructor Tony (enthusiastically played by Paul Atkins), whose presence oozes potential chaos.

Well acted throughout, the play touches on themes of class, Englishman abroad, and explores the shaky foundations on which the two relationships are based. So well-observed, the audience is effectively laughing at ourselves.

Well acted and designed, On The Piste speeds slalom style from mountain to hotel, via sauna and cable car, towards an increasingly inevitable outcome. I found myself continuously giggling – I don’t laugh out loud often, but I made quite a few exceptions for this play.

On until 10th May tickets available from https://suttonartstheatre.savoysystems.co.uk/SuttonArtsTheatre.dll/

 

Sutton Coldfield Heritage – Royal Variety Show

Sutton Coldfield Heritage – Royal Variety Show
Bishop Vesey Grammar School
Saturday 5th April 2025
By : Sutton Coldfield Heritage Network
Photos : Sutton Coldfield Heritage Network
With grateful thanks from Sutton Coldfield Heritage Network to Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust for funding, the whole event went extremely well and audience and exhibitor / performer feedback was fantastic. Grea atmosphere, high quality performances, amazing variety, small but interesting creative and literary arts’ exhibition, and ‘a great night out’.
The Town’s Mayor said a couple of times he ‘hadn’t expected it to be as good as this!’ and the Mayoress said ‘fabulous’ quite a few times but particularly about the Queen medley finale played by Central England Concert Band with all performers and exhibitors on the stage happily waving and swaying!
The small but packing-a-punch exhibition showcased the excellent work of local artists including Misccreate Art School, Bold Writers literary arts, Maggie Taylor artist, Sutton Coldfield Local History Research Group, and Sutton Coldfield Heritage Network.
Following this diverse display of local visual and literary arts, King Henry VIII’s own composition ‘Pastime in Good Company’ played by the skilful Central England Concert Band, narrated by The Lady of the Manor, Lauren Jones, and supported by Henry VIII and Bishop Vesey in the flesh (incredible!) opened the concert in medieval style. Henry’s Choir continued the 1500s theme with Arabesque Silver Swans Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ballet moving the audience forward through time bringing Truly Scrumptious to life in Sutton Coldfield. Preserving young people’s opportunities to play great film music, the New Streetly Youth Orchestra started the second half with a variety of John Williams’ epic film themes, and continuing the youth theme, Sing ‘N Tonic Choir took us through almost every Disney film tune you could think of. The very first performance of Lads, Dads & Granddads Pop-Up Male Voice Choir got off the ground with Baba Yetu sung in Swahili (well done, chaps) and the audience fully understood why Premier Dance Company are World Champions given the quality of contemporary dance on display. Central England Concert Band, in its first major Sutton Coldfield concert and under the direction of local resident Martin Sleaford, threw in a James Bond medley along the way and led the Queen finale given both Roger Moore and Roger Taylor’s residential and business ties to the Town.
Along with increasing the numbers of stage hands for next year’s event to minimise delays, a call for 2026 performers and exhibitors will be out during next month.
Photos: 
The dignitaries photo – left to right: Stella Thebridge MBE, Event Director; Lauren Jones, The Lady of the Manor creative narrator; Colin Ingley, King Henry VIII; Councillor John Perks, the Mayor of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield; Mrs Sarah Perks, the Mayoress of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield; Chris Kettel, Bishop Vesey; Martin Sleaford, Event Artistic Director
The Silver Swans letter from Queen Camilla, herself a Silver Swan ballet dancer, reluctantly declining an invite to watch Arabesque Swans’ performance on Saturday night. Lleft-to-right: Donna, Arabesque School of Dance Silver Swan; Councillor John Perks, the Mayor of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield; Mrs Sarah Perks, the Mayoress of the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield;
The auditorium set out for concert at Bishop Vesey Grammar School
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