Shirley Valentine

Shirley Valentine, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2017.

Cast: Jodie Prenger

Writer: Willy Russell

Director: Glen Walford

My abiding memory off this is that there was cooking on stage. She definitely fried an egg - one benefit of the cheap seats is that you could see into the frying pan - perhaps she did the chips too? I think I liked it more than I was expecting to partly because I was probably older than the character so I could understand the disappointment she felt whereas when it first came out I'd just turned 20 and knew nothing.

The Play that goes Wrong

The Play that goes Wrong, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2017.

Cast: Graeme Rooney, Katie Bernstein, Patrick Warner, Jason Callender, Adam Byron, Edward Howells, Meg Mortell, Alastair Kirton, Natasha Culley, James Waterson, Helena Muir, Matthew Howell.

Writers: Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, Henry Shields

Director: Mark Bell

I hated this. Me and the fiend I went with sat in silence while everyone around us roared with laughter. I hate slapstick so I guess it was fairly stupid of me to go in the first place.

The Last Ship

The Last Ship, York Theatre Royal, 2018.

Cast: Richard Fleeshman, Joe McGann, Michael Blair, Matt Corner, Marvin Ford, Annie Grace, Katie Moore, Parisa Shahmir, James William-Pattison, Charlie Hardwick, Frances McNamee, Joe Caffrey, Susan Fay, Orla Gormley, Sean Kearns, Charlie Richmond, Kevin Wathen, Penelope Woodman,

Music & lyrics: Sting

Director & book writer: Lorne Campbell

I have a real soft spot for this and hope someone revives it before too long. There are several reasons: a fondness for Sting; knowing the concept album before I saw the show (which included The Unthanks); and a general love of all things north-east. I was lucky to see it in York at the tail end of the tour.

Allelujah!

Allelujah!, Bridge Theatre, 2018. 

Cast: Jacqueline Chan, Jacqueline Clarke, Patricia England, Julia Foster, Colin Haugh, Anna Lindup, Louis Mahoney, Jeff Rawle, Cleo Sylvestre, Gwen Taylor, Sue Wallace, Simon Williams, Sacha Dhawan, Peter Forbes, Manish Gandhi, Richie Hart, Nicola Hughes, Gary Wood, Samuel Barnett, Sam Bond, Rosie Ede, Nadine Higgin, David Moorst, Duncan Wisbey.

Writer: Alan Bennett

Director: Nicholas Hytner

Not Alan's best work and it would be a shame if this was his swansong, which it could be as there have been no new plays in the following six years. One friend I was with found it difficult and left at the interval. The film was maybe slightly better but the whole thing was perhaps well intentioned but misguided.

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Park Theatre, 2018.

Cast: Sally George, Rafaella Hutchinson, Linford Johnson, Kevin McMonagle, Jamie-Rose Monk, Shaun Prenderghast.

Writer: Jim Cartwright

Director: Tom Latter

This is one of those things that I thought might be quite sweet as it had old songs in it but I think it turned out to have a dark unpleasant edge to it. The casting of a real life mother and daughter as the mother and daughter was probably an unnecessary stunt.

Flowers for Mrs Harris

Flowers for Mrs Harris, Chichester Festival Theatre, 2018.

Cast: Clare Burt, Mark Meadows, Claire Machin, Joanna Riding, Louis Maskell, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Gary Wilmot, Nicola Sloane, Rhona MacGregor, Luke Latchman, Ella Bassett-Jull, Skye Broughton, Lydia Hague, Ella Jarman, Emily McAlpine, Charlotte Schofield, Freya Shepherd-Bland, Evie Shiner.

Book: Rachel Wagstaff

Music & lyrics: Richard Taylor

Director: Daniel Evans

This has been slightly overshadowed in my memory by the more recent film starring Lesley Manville which was completely lovely. This was also lovely but with songs although I couldn't hum any of them now. 

Leave to Remain

Leave to Remain, Lyric Hammersmith, 2019.

Cast: Aretha Ayeh, Rakie Ayola, Sandy Batchelor, Arun Blair-Mangat, Billy Cullum, Martin Fisher, Tyrone Huntley, Cornell S. John, Johanne Murdock, Marvell Fayose, Ndabane Emmanuel Makukula, Tudor Davies.

Writers: Matt Jones & Kele Okereke

Director: Robby Graham

I was excited about this as it was a musical with a gay story written by someone gay from an indie band - huge potential to be interesting. First time in the venue too which is an unexpected mix of an old theatre with a new front. I've been keen to go back but they've not had anything tempting since. I feel like it was a two-hander so that long cast list is a surprise.