The play is an adaptation of the Italian comedy play, Servant of Two Masters or Il servitore di due padroni, written in 1743 by the Venetian playwright Carlo Goldoni. One Man, Two Guvnors is set in Brighton in 1963, replacing the Italian period setting of the original, and follows the mishaps of a man named Francis Henshall (Gavin Spokes), who is easily confused. Francis accidentally becomes separately employed by two men – a local gangster by the name of Roscoe Crabbe and Stanley Stubbers (Patrick Warner), an upper class criminal.

Francis frantically attempts to keep the two from meeting, in order to avoid each of them learning that Francis is also working for someone else. However, Roscoe is actually revealed to be Rachel Crabbe (Alicia Davies) in disguise, her twin brother having been killed by her lover, Stanley Stubbers. Also thrown into the chaotic mix is Pauline Clench (Jasmyn Banks), who was originally meant to marry Roscoe but who in fact wants to elope with her over-the-top amateur actor lover, Alan Dangle (Edward Hancock).

Gavin Spokes gives an outstanding performance as the instantly-likeable Francis, his hilarious monologues to the audience about his mounting confusion and gnawing hunger reaching a whole new level of hilarity when one well-meaning member of the audience offers him a sandwich. His reaction when he learns that the sandwich filling is, in fact, hummus, is so outrageously funny, the play almost came to a stop for a good five minutes, the audience roaring with laughter along with him. Spokes also proves himself a master at spontaneity, showcased to perfection during his interactions with audience members on the front row.

The rest of the cast are absolutely fantastic also, especially Emma Barton as Dolly, the busty bookkeeper who tickles Francis’ fancy, who isn’t quite used to her full potential in the first half but is absolutely phenomenal in the second. Patrick Warner as Stanley is wonderfully daft, as is the character of Alan, played to hilariously prentuous heights by Edward Hancock. Jasmyn Banks as the ditzy blonde Pauline is a pleasure to watch, whilst Shaun Williamson is straight-faced and dry-wit funny as Pauline’s father and two-bit gangster Charlie ‘the Duck’ Clench, whilst Alicia Davies puts in a great, gruff performance as Rachel Crabbe, disguised as Roscoe for the majority of the play.

The inclusion of a skiffle band by the name of The Craze, made up of band members Philip Murray Warson, Oliver Seymour-Marsh, Richie Hart and Billy Stookes, is genius, providing the audience with entertainment throughout and during the various scene changes, with guest appearances by some of the cast towards the end of the play, which work brilliantly. The show’s music, written by Grant Olding, is absolutely fantastic, perfectly capturing the 1960′s Brighton vibe with boundless energy.

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It is unclear how much of the play itself is scripted and how much is improvised, especially given that some of it will depend on who gets grabbed from the audience, but that’s all part of the fun of it. This is never more true than during a slapstick set piece set in a pub restaurant which has the audience gasping in disbelief as the laughs come thick and fast through the fish, flames and foam. Alongside the improvisation is a large amount of physical comedy. Michael Dylan as Alfie, an eighty-something waiter, has an unbelievable ability to bend himself backwards at right angles with ease and slide down walls. We see Spokes as Henshall somersaulting over a chair and catching a sweet in his mouth (to rapturous applause); and the scene in which he argues and fights with himself to the point of unconscious is performed fanatically well, half-ballet, half-slapstick.

One Man, Two Guvnors, is, quite frankly, an absolutely phenomenal show. A cross between Carry On and pantomime, the show is full to the brim with physical comedy, slapstick, audience participation and some fantastic breaking of the forth wall. The entire cast look like they’re having an absolute blast onstage and why wouldn’t they be? One Man, Two Guvnors is an absolute hoot and the most fun you can have at the theatre. This is one touring production you do not want to miss!

One Man, Two Guvnors is on at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 24th May 2014, then touring the rest of the UK. For more information and ticket details, click here.

*Photos courtesy of Sheffield Theatres, with credit to Johan Persson.

Words by Katy Roberts

Adapted by Paul Allen and based on a screenplay by Mark Herman, this touring production of Brassed Off, based off the 1996 film of the same name, ends it’s tour run, very aptly, in Sheffield. Set in the fictional village of Grimley (which itself is based on the South Yorkshire village of Grimethorpe) in 1992, Grimley Colliery is under threat of closure and the future of the colliery brass band hangs in the balance. The miners are torn between redundancy packages of £23,000 and the picket lines, and with the national brass band competition drawing ever-nearer, band-leader Danny’s hopes of winning seem like nothing more than a distant dream. But the arrival of flugelhorn-playing Gloria Mullens shakes up the tightly-knit community, bringing romance, hope and controversy as the Grimley Colliery band faces collapse.

Directed by Damian Cruden, this is a story which resonates deeply with many people, proven by the sold-out audience at Thursday night’s performance. The group of miners are played wonderfully by a range of actors, but it is Andrew Dunn and John McArdle as Phil and Danny, respectively, which give the production it’s real heart. Phil is a man who is torn between providing for his family, and pleasing Danny, his father, who values the success of the Grimley Colliery band over all else. He is a sympathetic character, and easy to empathise with, especially during the play’s darkest moments. Similarly, McArdle’s portrayal of Danny is heart-wrenching to watch, because there is nothing the audience wants more than to see Danny’s dream come true, after all these years, and all his effort.
Rebecca Clay as Sandra, Phil’s wife, also puts in a fantastic performance as we see her fall into despair over her husband’s actions, and her desperation to want to be able to provide a better life for her children. Clara Darcy as Gloria is also wonderful, capturing the character’s devastation at being ostracised from the community due to a case of misunderstanding over the pit’s closure. The one jarring aspect of the production is the inclusion of the character of Shane, Sandra and Phil’s eight year old son, played by Luke Adamson, a 24 year old actor, in a narrator-style role. The role feels unnecessary and superfluous to the production, and the age gap between the actor and the character being portrayed just feels odd.

However, it is the Newstead Brass Band who make this production truly shine. With all of the songs so well-loved from the film, the first time the band strikes up in the first rehearsal scene of the show, the emotion throughout the audience is palpable, especially during Gloria’s flugelhorn solo which was mimed in the 1996 but is played for real onstage by Darcy. Truly a goosebump moment. And these moments continue throughout, every time the band perform, showcasing just how wonderful brass music can be. The production’s finale, ending with a rendition of Land of Hope and Glory as in the film, is hugely emotional and really hits home the gravity of what the pit closure means to each and every member of the band, and what winning the National Championships means to them, too.

Like the film, Brassed Off is a heartwarming production which examines the impact of the closure of the coal mines during the mid-1990s and the impact it had on whole communities and families, using relatable, likeable characters, which makes their plight all the more emotional to watch, and their successes even sweeter. But it is Newstead Brass Band who are the stars of the show here, lifting a great story to even greater heights, packing a real emotional punch within a story that resonates with thousands of people across South Yorkshire and beyond.

Words by Jessica Peace

Dirty Dancing was one of the biggest films of the 1980′s and remains one of the most iconic love stories of our time. If you enjoyed the film, the stage show is a must! Set in the summer of 1963, President Kennedy was still alive, Beatle-mania was yet to hit America and Kellermans was the place to be…

Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman (played by Roseanne Frascona) is a well-mannered, innocent young woman who sees the world and wants to make it a better place. Up until now, Baby’s favourite man has always been her Father; a good doctor and an even better man. Johnny Castle, who was played by understudy Lewis Kirk on press night, is an entertainer who provides the ladies with dance lessons. Dirty Dancing is a coming of age story, where Girl meets Man. Their worlds collide unexpectedly and they learn from each other.

The transition from screen to stage is never an easy one to make, especially when the film is such a hit with viewers to begin with. I was full of doubt myself; would it be too cheesy as a musical? How could the characters live up to the great Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze? How could the dancing be dirty without being too dirty? Creator Eleanor Bergstein had all this covered.

The casting is superb; with Colin Charles as Tito, and Mark Faith as Mr Schumacher, the show was packed with tasteful, comedic value. Set designer Stephen Brimson Lewis definitely eases this change of medium which his incredible designs. Paired with Tim Mitchell’s use of lighting, the scenes created are beautiful and believable. From the iconic scene of Baby and Johnny practising lifts in the water, to their final number with a complete dance crew – each scene was authentic, keeping to the feel of the film.

The dancing throughout was amazing; echoing the rebelliousness of underground, dirty dancing back in the sixties. Penny Johnson, portrayed by Claire Rogers, is every bit the sexy and sassy Penny we remember from the film and this is really shown in her dancing. Of course, Baby and Johnny stole the show, with Men and Women alike in awe of their hipshaking! Put that in your pipe, Elvis. The whole cast – including the very talented live band – gave a brilliant performance from start to finish, bringing to life one of the most memorable scenes throughout movie history; the final scene. Protagonist Johnny, had everyone erupt in applause with the classic line ‘no-one puts Baby in the corner!’ – with a well-timed heckle from my boyfriend’s Mother.

If you get the chance to see the show, then I would definitely recommend going. Dirty Dancing is at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, until Saturday 3rd May – so grab your tickets now. You may just have the time of your life.

Words by Heather Gibb

Performed as part of the Yorkshire Festival 2014, a cultural celebration marking the 100 days lead up to the Tour de France’s arrival in Yorkshire, Kes is a dance-theatre adaption of Barry Hines’ novel, A Kestrel for a Knave. Adaptor, director and choreographer Jonathan Watkins grew up with the novel and wanted to bring the story to life in a new, much more expressive way than the previous film adaptation and so chose to do away with words entirely and tell the story with movement, music and puppetry.

The story of Kes centres on schoolboy Billy Casper, growing up on a housing estate in Barnsley in the 1960s. To escape the tedium of school – where he’s bullied by both teachers and pupils – and his home life, with a brutish older brother and a mother who pays too much attention to other men and not enough to her sons, Billy finds a baby kestrel in a nest and takes it home to hand-rear it. Billy has found something to nurture and in doing so finds a freedom and joy he didn’t know existed. Set designer Ben Stones has created a unique and beautiful set which captures Yorkshire’s strange harmony between the industrial and the wild. A flying landscape of hilly grass hovers above the stage from between the proscenium arch, framed with metal scaffolding which hints at the mining industry Barnsley was built on, whilst a misty backdrop revealing silhouettes of chimneys and high-rise flats gives a great sense of never-ending depth. Talking about his design, Stones said, “We wanted to show that there is a landscape and beauty in Barnsley and the North, and that at the centre of our story, behind all the industry, is a fragile, living thing”. The stage itself is covered with scuffed, worn-out wood panel flooring – familiar to many as the standard school hall floor, setting the scene for where Billy spends most of his time.

When the play begins, the set reveals its hidden ingenuity as four performers walk steadily onstage from underneath the flying hills wheeling on a bed within a basic metal framework. This becomes Billy and his brother’s bedroom for the opening scene as they toss and turn under the covers. More of these frameworks hold the set pieces for the rest of Billy’s house and later the school classrooms, the working men’s club, the bookies’ shop and more. Each time they are wheeled out by members of the cast with a slow and deliberate walk so that even the scene changes become a part of the action and the audience’s attention is never lost.

The performers themselves are mesmerising, bringing each character, no matter how small, to life with endless energy and attention to detail. In a very short scene in which Billy searches for a book about kestrels in the library, he clashes with the librarian whose sharp, staccato movements and jabbing finger convey better than words that this is a woman possessive of her books and picky about who so much as touches them. Later, we see the mother and brother drinking with friends at the local working men’s club in a sequence of movement which grows steadily more exaggerated and seemingly out of control. The performers move in complete harmony, falling over each other and gesturing wildly, perfectly conveying the chaos which accompanies drunkenness. Rachael Canning, the show’s puppetry designer and director, manages to bring not only the kestrel to life but also uses sheets of newspaper in the hands of the performers to perfectly create a flock of birds in flight. As the dancers leap and twirl, the newspaper flaps and soars around the stage to the delight and awe of Billy and the audience.

Laura Careless is the puppeteer for most of the scenes between Kes and Billy, and manages to move the simple wire and feather structure with such conviction that the young bird seems genuinely wild and fearful when flapping about his cage. Alex Baranowski’s original score sets the pace and tone for each scene, blending so perfectly with the show as a whole that it is easy to forget it is there. It ticks like a clock in scenes of school boredom and frustration and then soars with Kes in flight to create truly uplifting and heartbreakingly beautiful moments. It also acts as a more straightforward storytelling device in a scene in which Billy and his brother are waiting to hear the result of a horse race as a radio broadcast commentary plays within the musical score.

Laura Caldow shone as the mother, captivating the audience with her solo dance pieces and seeming almost fluid when dancing with a partner. A moving sequence following a fight between her sons leaves Caldow restless, shifting between the house set pieces which, every time she pauses, begin to close in on her. The metaphor is clear as she becomes trapped by the framework, echoing the frantic flapping of Kes in his cage. That said, the whole cast is outstanding and there wasn’t a weak link to be found, proving that age is no boundary as the cast ranges from school age to middle aged.

There are too many ingenious, moving and beautiful moments to mention within this production and it is one I hope goes on to tour in the future as it is truly a sight to behold.

Happy Days was a popular television show that ran from 1974-1984, showcasing a group of friends at their hangout, Arnold’s diner, in 1950’s America. This musical on which it is based has a heart-warming plot which focuses on this group of friends trying to save the diner. The production is heavily influenced by those that had starred in, written or directed the original series, including Garry Marshall, who wrote the original series.

It really does feel as if you are in 1950’s Americana from start to finish, with the costumes, sets and general excitement of the characters. The scene is set really well with an impressive set from the diner to the Cunningham’s house to the site of the picnic. The most memorable scenes are the one where Pinky enters (Heidi Range) and all the other characters react to their local celebrity and the one where Fonzie imagines James Dean and Elvis. One thing that is continuously done well throughout the show is the actions of all the background characters in each scene as they kept acting and were very in tune with what was going on with the main characters in each scene.

The storyline is good, especially the relationships between the characters, although at times it is hard to comprehend Pinky and Fonzie’s relationship. The portrayal of Marion being a bored 1950’s housewife and her desire to show her husband that women could do business too made her character easy to warm to and gave her another dimension.

The songs are enjoyable and fit very well with each scene, completing them and creating a feeling that could not be fulfilled by script alone. The final scene where the entire cast are on stage and get the audience onto their feet singing Happy Days and clapping was wonderful way for the show to end as everyone left feeling good.

The second half is more enjoyable than the first as that’s where most of the action happens and where some laughs come through. It still seemed like something was missing throughout though as the story did not connect with audience as well as it could have.

Happy Days has an incredible cast who looked like they were really enjoying themselves while performing and was overall fun to watch.

Showing at the Lyceum until 22^nd February

The Brian Friel Season at The Crucible kicked off this month with its first piece, Afterplay. Written in 2002, Afterplay includes an element that has played a large part throughout Friel’s career: his fascination with Anton Chekhov. Friel has previously been involved in several Chekhov related works including an adaptation of Chekhov’s 1901 play, Three Sisters, as well as continuations of various others. Here, we see the fictional meeting of two Chekhov characters: Sonya Serebriakova (Niamh Cusack) from Uncle Vanya and Andrey Prozorov (Sean Gallagher) from Three Sisters  as Friel imagines what could have become of them after their stories have ended.

Sonya and Andrey meet up twenty years after their respective plays were set and we learn how that time, and the Russian regime, has changed them. Neither have fared well as we discover that Sonya is struggling to keep her farm whilst Andrey, who boasts of great success in his musical career, reveals he is not doing as well as he lets on. The pair find solace in each other and enjoy a few hours together, laughing and joking. But neither can hide. The stage itself mirrors this idea as, wherever the characters turn, they are surrounded in this café by an array of windows where they constantly see murky reflections of themselves, almost like ghosts. It is as the play goes on that the two reveal the dark truths they’ve been hiding from each other and, to an extent, themselves.

The play is driven by its strong cast of two, Cusack and Gallagher, who keep the audience enthralled despite moments of tedium. Gallagher’s loveable portrayal of Andrey is a highlight from the moment he comes bumbling onto the stage, begging for attention from the aloof Sonya. Andrey’s kooky, “effervescent” character works brilliantly with Sonya’s strict persona and their interesting chemistry supplies a lot of laughs. Despite the fact that we discover he has been untruthful to Sonya, Andrey really is a character that you can root for. Niamh Cusack also shines as Sonya who, despite appearing slightly frosty to begin with, really grows on the audience as she slowly lets go and becomes more comfortable (and slightly drunk) with Andrey.

All round, Afterplay is a fantastic and often eerie piece that explores an interesting subject. For lovers of Chekhov it answers questions about the fate of some of the characters but simultaneously manages not to isolate audience members who aren’t aware of their back stories. The plot lags at some points and it is hard to work out where the story is actually going but the attention is always pulled back by Cusack and Gallagher who manage to engage the audience whilst bringing a few unexpected laughs along the way.

Words by Emily Matthews

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers tells the story of a young man looking for a wife in 1850’s Oregon. Having been banished from the town for many years, he journeys into the town to find a wife. He then takes her home where she is shocked to discover his six brothers and tries to train them how to treat a lady.

The show is a traditional musical and has a very jolly repertoire that could place a smile on anyone’s face while watching it. This mood is maintained throughout with a fair few laughs along the way, amusing rather than over the top funny which is always an advantage in a musical.

The lead, Adam was supposed to be played by Sam Attwater who has previously been in Hollyoaks and Eastenders however he was unable to perform that evening so Alex Hammond took his place. This was very well received by the audience and Alex put on a fantastic performance and had chemistry with Helena Blackman who played his wife, Millie. Helena Blackman also put on a pleasant performance.

The scene was well set in 1850’s Oregon with everything looking and sounding authentic. The costumes were impressive with bright shirts on the men and colourful dresses on the woman suiting the mood of the show. The opening scene where everyone is dancing was very enjoyable and the use of the dresses in the choreography was a nice touch. The costumes worked fantastically with the rest of the show and choreography.

The choreography throughout the show was one of the highlights. Even in the fighting scenes, every move was perfectly executed and reflected the actors’ chemistry well. The ballet scenes three quarters of the way through where the girls were figments of the men’s imaginations was a pleasant surprise and lovely to watch. It would be expected that it may be hard to get this to flow to the rest with the rest of the musical but this was no problem at all and it was a good addition to the show.

The only let-down of the show was that in the scenes that took place at Adam’s house, the stage set seemed a bit crowded. There was the mountains and trees in the background with the brother’s room, Adam’s room and the front of the house which seemed a bit excessive for a small stage. It was at times distracting from what was happening with the characters.

Overall, the musical was very enjoyable with the upbeat mood and worth seeing for the choreography alone.

Showing at The Lyceum theatre until 15^th February.

Words by Katy Roberts

After the success of their production of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew back in 2013, Propeller, the famous all-male Shakespeare theatre troupe returns to Sheffield to present a double bill of two of Shakespeare’s most well-known plays, The Comedy of Errors and arguably the most famous of all, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The play tells the story of four lovers – Helena, Demetrius, Hermia and Lysander – who fall foul of the mischief of the fairies who dwell in the Enchanted Forest, caught up in the rivalry between the two bickering fairy royals, Titania and Oberon. Propeller’s unique vision of this play is presented from the perspective of the fairies, setting the scene from the moment that Joseph Chance’s Puck climbs out of the metal box in the centre of the stage, clad in glittery tutu and red striped leggings. The stage’s saturated colour scheme, mysterious silk drapes and the suspended walkway of chairs halfway up the backdrop of the stage itself, all lends itself to presenting a version of this play that is unlike any staged before – and this has nothing to do with the all-male cast. Rather, it shows us a Midsummer that has veiled undertones of darkness, which is most well-presented in a quote from Michael Pavelka, the production’s set designer; “The spectrum of the palette was de-saturated. Do you dream in colour? I don’t.”

Continuing this theme, the production gives us a slightly darker Oberon, played by Darrell Brockis, who stalks the stage like a dark magician, taking an uncomfortable amount of pleasure in plotting to humiliate his Queen, the strong-willed and striking Titania (James Tucker).

However, that is not to say that this production is all gloom and darkness, because I can assure you, it is not. This is also a Midsummer filled to bursting with hilarity, showcased nowhere better than in the quarrel scene between the four lovers, which sees Matthew McPherson’s Hermia set upon Dan Wheeler’s Helena in a furious rage, which borders so much on the ridiculous that one cannot help but be helpless with laughter. The play’s famous Rude Mechanicals are also used to great comedic effect, with Matthew Pearson’s Flute/Thisby overshadowing even Nick Bottom in the play’s final scene of “The Most Lamentable Comedy and Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisby”, performed before the Duke (Dominic Gerrard) and his new wife, Hippolyta (Will Featherstone).

The music, is as ever with Propeller’s productions, performed by members of the company onstage, and fits incredibly well with the production, maintaining the slightly-sinister undertone throughout, though the more joyful songs involving the Rude Mechanicals are also performed with great energy and aplomb. One moment worth a special mention involves the scene right before the interval, which sees Titania request that her fairy company bring Bottom (Chris Myles, now transformed with the head of a donkey) to her. The metal box from the beginning of the play makes a reappearance, and we see Bottom get shut inside, only for him to vanish moments later, presenting the illusion that Titania now holds him in a much smaller version of the same metal box – a huge well done to set designer Michael Pavelka there, I’m still baffled by it!

The great thing about Propeller is that, despite having male actors play female roles, the production not once ventures into pantomime territory – and after a matter of minutes, it’s almost as if you forget that you are, in fact, watching men in the roles of Titania, Hermia and Helena, which is an impressive feat in itself. The only criticism of this production – and it feels wrong to call it a criticism, for it is surely not a bad thing – is that at certain points during the play, the actors could not be heard over the level of laughter filling the theatre from the audience, so several of the most funny lines from the quarrel scene between Helena and Hermia were lost, but again, it feels wrong to criticise a production for eliciting such raucous laughter from its audience. Perhaps the use of microphones in future productions would rectify this?

Now on a UK-wide and later, an international tour, Propeller’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is an absolute hoot from start to finish and well worth tracking down tickets for – even if you have to resort to mischievous impish foul play to get them.

For more information on tour dates and tickets, please visit www.propeller.org.uk

Words by Katy Roberts

Concluding Sheffield Theatres’ winter season at the Lyceum Theatre is the Moscow City Ballet’s performance of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s much-loved classic, The Nutcracker. The production is part of the company’s 25th anniversary UK tour, which also includes performances of Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, and Don Quixote.

The ballet tells the story of Clara, who is given a wooden Nutcracker toy by her godfather Drosselmeyer at a Christmas Eve party, thrown for her by her parents. But Clara’s godfather is also a magician as well as a toymaker, and that night, Drosselmeyer, disguised as a magician, makes the Nutcracker comes to life, and transforms him into a handsome Prince. It is not unusal for ballet companies to use different versions of The Nutcracker story, which is what Moscow City Ballet have done here. The Nutcracker in this production is vain and boastful, something which does not sit well with Clara’s godfather, who views him as a rival, when he witnesses her continue to fawn over the Prince, despite these unfavourable qualities. Having vanquished the evil Mouse King, the Prince leads Clara through a snowy pine forest to the Kingdom of the Flowers, the Flower Fairy replacing the iconic Sugar Plum Fairy.

These changes are not to the detriment of the production however, which is beautifully danced by all the cast. Gorgeous hand-painted sets, stunning costumes and a live orchestra, conducted by Igor Shavruk give a rich and thoroughly detailed feel to this production, with the plush velvet and old-fashioned interior of the Lyceum Theatre making it the perfect venue for such a classic, visually-stunning production.

The choreography for this production is delivered by Moscow City Ballet’s founder, Victor Smirnov-Golovanov and is based on the original by Marius Petipa. This is an incredibly demanding production, which requires huge amounts of energy and stamina from its dancers, whom all display this, and more, much to the admiration of the audience.

Anna Ivanova performs the role of Clara, and is wonderful to watch. She makes even the most demanding sequences appear utterly effortless and conveys Clara’s childlike innocence and excitement perfectly. Talgat Kozhabaev’s Nutcracker is suitably boastful and arrogant, making him a worthy rival to Kanat Nadyrbeck’s Drosselmeyer, who is incredibly charasmatic throughout, so much so that one cannot help but side with him.

Highlights of the production included the segment in the Kingdom of the Flowers in Act II, which gave other dancers in the company the chance to shine in solos, duets and trios. These were all executed beautifully with unique characterisation and huge aplomb. The only criticism of this would be that rather than continuing the narrative of the story, these dances felt like separate showpieces, lending themselves more to a showcase style piece, as opposed to fitting in seamlessly with the rest of the story’s narrative. This is only a minor complaint however, as on their own, these dances were utterly enchanting to watch.  The moment when Drosselmeyer holds Clara aloft in the forest, almost as if she is a sacrifice, is also an incredibly powerful and imaginative moment.

Artistic Director Ludmila Nerubashchenko’s production is a wonderful winter treat for all fans of traditional, classical ballet and is a truly enchanting production that the Moscow City Ballet should be incredibly proud of, in their milestone 25th anniversary year.

The Nutcracker is at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre until 11th January 2014, with the tour then continuing across the UK until the end of February.

Charles Dickens’ Oliver! has been adapted many times and this one was definitely on a par with some of the best. However, this adaptation at the Crucible was also a little different to those that have gone before. Firstly the way the play was produced was excellent at drawing in the audience, from actors performing their lines towards the audience to Jack Skillbeck-Dunn (who played Oliver) actually running through a row of the audience. This somewhat Brechtian interpretation of Oliver! – that often included breaking the forth wall – made empathizing with the characters easier and helped one get lost in the moment and forget you were actually watching a play.

Artistic director Daniel Evans’ creative ideas worked brilliantly throughout the show. The choreographed dance numbers were not only danced well but also the acting throughout ‘I’d Do Anything’ was both funny and showed the clear connection between all of the boys in the Blue Team that were performing – especially the connection between Skillbeck-Dunn’s Oliver and Jack Armstrong’s Artful Dodger.

At the beginning of the performance, Oliver sometimes seemed a little too feeble and despite his hard upbringing sometimes it was unbelievable that he would have asked for more. Once him and Armstrong were together however, the contrast in personalities between them made it clear why Oliver was portrayed like that earlier on.

Hayley Gallivan who portrayed Nancy was definitely reason to go and see Oliver! Her combination of very strong yet vulnerable was perfect and when she sang ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ the whole audience seemed to stop in the moment. Bill Sikes was played by Ben Richards and this again was an amazing performance, his power and the way he conducted the stage was terrifying and made you feel for Nancy even more. He played the part so well that he even got booed by the audience when they all came on to take a bow at the end.

Scene changes were done in front of the audience which again broke the forth wall but were often done so smoothly that you hardly noticed them and they even added some comedy at times. The set for Fagin’s den captured the busy bustling life they all have and the messy set mirrored the chaos and messiness of the boys and Fagin’s lives. Fagin’s character was one of the main points of comedy during the play and although this was an unusual way to portray him it actually worked incredibly well and Tom Edden who portrayed him was clearly one of the best people for the role.

The only downside to this otherwise brilliant adaptation was the over use of sexual elements, although these occasionally added comedy they also seemed quite unnecessary and didn’t add much to the overall story line. Despite this and a couple of staged fighting moments that you could see were staged it was an amazing night out. All performing elements were faultless as was the live orchestra which was organized by sound designer Simon Baker. The general look of the play which was designed by Peter Mckintosh also captured each element of the story and time period perfectly. To anyone who loves Oliver! or even anyone who doesn’t I would defy you to go see this and not thoroughly enjoy it!

Oliver! is on until the 25th of January 2014 at Crucible Theatre Sheffield. Tickets are priced between £17.00-£32.00.