PETER PAN (Theatre Royal Nottingham) Review December 2013

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, David Hasselhoff is the most-watched TV personality of all time. According to audiences at the Theatre Royal, he's perhaps the most popular panto star yet to tread the boards! Qdos Pantomimes present a sparkling production of J.M. Barrie's much loved classic - the non traditional pantomime that in recent years has risen in audience popularity and with CBBC's Barney Harwood and TV Goddess Su Pollard also on board, what is there not to love?

Barney Harwood as Peter Pan and Hannah Nicholas as Wendy

Barney Harwood is a likeable Pan, perhaps not as innocent and childlike as you may expect from the boy who never grows up but he's certainly cool and you'd want to be in his gang! Flying around the stage with impressive aerial acrobatics and a conjuring up audience participation he's the guy all the children are in awe of. Something else to be in awe of are the Hoff's cHOFFstumes (that's not such a great pun is it....). As Captain Hook in his sparkling coats and feathered hats the Hoff commands the stage in spectacular fashion. The booable baddie - that you also want to cheer for because he's such a legend - has the entire theatre in the palm of his hand... the remaining hand that is. His song, This Is The Moment brings down the house, complete with showgirls donning the most gorgeous red feathered costumes, it's easily the show's highlight. 

Su Pollard as Mimi the Mermaid

This pantomime traditionally has no dame, but whatever would have been missing is all there by bucketload thanks to Su Pollard as Mimi the Mermaid who is cracking fish jokes all over the plaice. Making her grand entrance in a disco ball and later belting out Gaga's Applause she is the ultimate panto crowd pleaser. Celebrating her 40th year in show showbusiness, Su still oozes all the energy and the eccentric star is clearly a firm favourite with her home audience. 

Ben Nickless is a fantastic Mr Smee, delivering comedy impressions, witty one-liners and a clever story of recognisable chocolate brands is well deserving of a lengthy, appreciative applause. Isobel Hathaway skates her way through the show as Tinkerbell and is one of three strong female leads; Hannah Nicholas as Wendy and Billie Kay as Tiger Lily completing the trio, all in fine voice. The dancers are incredibly talented and master the fresh, exciting choreography. It's nice to see an ensemble used for more than just making up the numbers and filling out the stage - the male dancers get ample stage time to explore individual characters and they also prove to be experienced in the art of Twerking! 

Ben Nickless as Smee with Oliver Ramsdale, 

Lloyd Davies, Nick Woodford & Josh Harrison

With a megamix of Hoff'd classics, At The Hoff, Hoff Stuff ... (you get the idea) the show concludes with an elaborate gold and white finale. A fun and thoroughly enjoyable family show, this is Hofficially the panto to book for... hook whatever tickets are left on the website here. 

View the trailer!

Cast List: David Hasselhoff, Barney Harwood, Su Pollard, Ben Nickless, Isobel Hathaway, Hannah Nicholas, Billie Kay, Ruben Lawlor-Leckie, Taylor Daykin, Alexander Beardsley, Ryan Mathura, Rhianne Alleyne, Gabrielle Cocca, Lloyd Davies, Lauren Griffin, Josh Harrison, Laura Nicholson, Oliver Ramsdale, Nick Woodford. 

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STARLIGHT EXPRESS (UK Tour) Review August 2012

Starlight Express is the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on toy trains that sing, dance and race each other... it shouldn't work, but it does.

When I first seriously started going to London for shows Starlight Express had already departed from the Apollo Victoria Theatre and Wicked had just taken up residency. I missed the Starlight tour that followed and was very depressed that I would never get to see the show I'd always wanted to see - at least not soon. It was New Years Eve, December 2011 when Arlene Phillips tweeted that Starlight Express would return in the new year. The dates soon followed and none of my beloved local theatres were on the list. So it was off to Nottingham I went!

The set for this tour, is simple and uses mainly lighting. It works as a toy train set, and the little train going round and round as the audience take their seats is a cute little entertaining feature. The only downside to the design is that the curtains in the wings are constantly flying open and the lights are on the other side - so you can see everything. You can also see the stage-hands waiting on stage to move the ramps around which is a little distracting. 

Perhaps the biggest change (aside from the ever-changing musical numbers) in the show from the London production is the 3D screen that drops in to show the races. It is completely impractical to build the huge racecourse tracks around the auditorium like the original production and so the 3D is perhaps the most modern and exciting way to do this. The 3D glasses were those cardboard ones and I'm not sure whether it was the glasses or the quality of the screen that let down the quality of the 3D slightly. It was slightly blurry, dark and not always clear. Perhaps the recent influx of 3D movies has spoilt our idea of 3D quality. The 3D sequences were still exciting to watch but it was good to take the glasses off and get back to watching live actors.

The cast however put all the little niggles about set to the back of your mind - they are fabulous. Many of them have been in the London production, previous tours and the production currently running in Bochum. Understudying the role of Pappa was Gavin Ashbarry who took on the elder role with ease and perfection. The Hip-Hoppers Robert Nurse, Lex Milczarek and Glenn Robb provide the modern edge and impress with their dance skill. Mykal Rand is a delight as Electra - all eyes on him and he dominated the stage. Also worthy of mention is Amanda Coutts who takes on the role of Pearl. Amanda has always been one of my favourites after seeing her dominate the roles of Scaramouche and Meat in the London and touring productions of We Will Rock You. She is fantastic as Pearl and oozes charisma and charm. She thoroughly deserves her place on the stage. 

Overall this production, however scaled down, and however different from the original works wonderfully and is a delight of a production. I would see it again and again if it wasn't for the distant venues. Thoroughly enjoyable, upbeat and a fun family night out. 

Starlight Express plays at the Nottingham Royal Concert Hall until Saturday 1st September and continues on a UK tour into 2013.

Website: http://www.starlightexpressthemusical.com