Peter Pan Pantomime 2011

 

Going to see a pantomime with your family and friends is always a necessity at Christmas.  I know my Christmas wouldn’t be complete without having a chance to shout out “he’s behind you!” over and over again.  It’s the one time when the adults get to enjoy themselves just as much as the children;  Peter Pan at the Pavillion theatre, however, was more than just great.  It was a Pantomime spectacular with lavish costumes, fabulous music and an eruption of jokes and songs.

 

For me, the opening scene of a performance is where I decide whether I am going to enjoy myself or not. If the opening is messy and weak – the show is likely to follow in those footsteps.  The opening of Peter Pan, however, was anything but! They began with the song ‘Cross the Line’ which was followed by the polished choreography and introduction of the characters.  The wintery velvet costumes looked stunning on the stage under the lights; it was a truly professional performance.  We were then introduced to Smee, played by Rollo. He was great at getting the audience involved and got a lot of laughs – he was a hit with both the children and adults.  He was a narrator for the story as well as being involved in it himself, so the audience really connected with his bubbly personality.

 

Peter Pan played by James Lyley was well cast, however, it would have been nice to have seen Wendy and Peter in more scenes as it was almost as if the story wasn’t centred around him. At times, when he suddenly appeared on stage, it was hard to know where he had been and why he wasn’t more involved in the scenes before.  This however did not detract from either Peter or Wendy’s performances. The pair had great chemistry on stage as did the rest of the cast.  I liked how Peter had a choreographed script, so every movement looked like it had been set, which added to the polished performance.  I thought Tinkerbell played by Sarah Brown portrayed the feisty, but innocent little fairy very well and was brave to spend the whole performance on roller skates!  I just wish her costume had been more delicate and ‘fairy like’.  I wasn’t sure who she was until she introduced herself; and she needed bigger wings!  But this didn’t stop the whole audience loving her and feeling sorry for her when Peter Pan so cruelly banished her.  I loved how many little girls wore their Tinkerbell dresses to the panto, it was adorable!  Tinkerbell was one of my idols when I was younger, so it was nice to relate to the younger ones in the audience.

 

A special mention must go to Nana, the doggy nursemaid to the Darling children; she was so well behaved on stage!  Also, it was great to see the faces of Tom and Jack from Heart radio who most of us listen to on the way to school.  Jack plays Captain Hook’s ship cook and he played his part brilliantly, it was just a shame he didn’t have more to do as he was really funny and entertaining.

 

I started to get very worried that there wasn’t a live orchestra, which meant that the actor’s queues would have to be spot on, or the drum rolls would be out of time and there would be no leeway for added script (which is always expected in panto!) But Darren Day, who played ‘Hook’ thanked the band in the finale and I realised then that the Pavillion hides its live musicians under the stage!  I was so relieved! This panto would have been nothing without the great choices of music and sound effects.  They really brought the whole show together and made it a performance worth watching.  I particularly love it when the audience know the songs well enough to join in, which is exactly what they did when Smee started to sing, ‘Music Man’.  He encouraged the entire audience to get out of their seats and dance up and down the aisles with the dancers from the cast.  It felt like a giant street party!  I loved the whole night, and I would like to thank everyone who worked hard in the making of this pantomime – because it was truly enjoyable.

Tears and smiles at Blood Brothers

I was desperate to see Willy Russell’s, Blood Brothers at the Pavilion Theatre the year before last but unfortunately missed it, so now it’s back in Worthing for another run, I couldn’t refuse the opportunity to review it. I had heard really positive feedback from people who had seen it in the past and was told it was a ‘must see’, so I was hoping it would live up to my expectations.

Before the performance began, we couldn’t help but comment on the superb scenery, the stage appeared to be sloping which is an effect I had never seen before. The lights on stage were dim as each character entered the stage one by one. The narrator, Craig Price, not only told the story through song and rhyme but also played the voice of conscience throughout the play. At first, it was difficult to grasp he was the narrator as he was involved in the story as different characters, yet he watched in doorways and through windows as the tragic story of the twins’ lives was revealed.

Niki Evans, who made the semi-finals of The X Factor a few years ago played the birth-mother of the twins. She was brilliant in her portrayal of the easy going, Liverpudlian mother, Mrs Johnstone, who takes life as it comes and tries to give her children the best, despite being poor and a single mother. Her voice was powerful and convincing as was her acting.

Mickey, played by Sean Jones, was incredible, as was Eddie, played by Paul Davies. Their on-stage rapport was excellent and the audience were completely convinced that they were brothers despite them not knowing until the end of the play. For adults to play the part of young children 7 (but nearly 8!) must be a huge challenge, especially as their characters grow to adulthood as the play progresses, but there was never a moment when they faltered in speech or body language. Their friend Linda, played by Kelly-Anne Gower, was also excellent as a child and then mother.

The show is accompanied by a live orchestra which, I think, always adds something special to the atmosphere of a performance and they played superbly. However, I did think the cast, at times had difficulty singing above the music, especially the soloists. I wonder whether the orchestra realise just how loud they are when they are hidden in the pit and not sitting as a member of the audience. The excellent use of lighting and sound effects also helped create such a realistic atmosphere which had us feeling sad, happy and scared – especially at the end of the play! I feel I must also mention the direction which made the cast appear to work as one unit, which was excellent.

After much clapping and a standing ovation, I bustled out of the theatre on such a high. Everyone around me left with smiles on their faces, some even wiping tears from their eyes. This was because of the utterly exceptional performance given by the cast and a show not to be missed!

Fun with Flawless

I was so excited to see Flawless perform live at the Pavilion Theatre in Worthing after being such a massive fan when they were competing in Britain’s Got Talent a few years ago.  I had never been to a street dance show before and I’m more used to going to see the ballets and musicals, so it was a new experience for me.

 When we arrived, there were queues of people standing outside the Pavilion Theatre.  We crammed into the foyer and were handed a pair of white gloves; this left the grown-ups a bit puzzled but definitely curious as everyone tried them on.  Small groups of younger children were dancing around with them, twirling their hands in the air. Eventually, we were able to find our seats and wait for the start of the show. There was a great atmosphere in the theatre. Even before the show started, there were loads of younger children standing on their heads and dancing up and down the aisles! I had no idea Worthing had such a flair for street dance!

 The lights dimmed and immediately the crowd cheered; it was as if there was an explosion on stage as Flawless appeared. They opened the show with such a bang of energy that I think really lifted everyone’s spirits and expectations for the rest of the performance.  I still do not know how the dancers can possibly stand on their heads and spin, then flip, then bounce off each other and do it all so quickly! It was almost as if you didn’t know where to look; there were so many amazing things happening on the stage.

 From the beginning it was clear that there was a story behind their dancing and it reflected their ambition to ‘chase the dream’.  I loved how they used a moving video back wall, so we could follow their story. However, the voice-over that was used to introduce each dancer as they said a bit about themselves was distorted and it was hard to work out what they were saying.  Though I doubt this is the dancers’ fault, it was a pity the technology let them down as their messages were important to the theme of the show itself.  However, despite the problems with video sound, the music, lighting and smoke effects were brilliant throughout.

 I loved how they used loads of songs that were old and new and then mixed them together. Me and my friend were singing and dancing along and when I looked round I couldn’t see a single person without a smile on their face! Their slick performance, trickery with hats, costume changes and constant energy didn’t fail to entertain and there wasn’t a single point where I thought that the show was beginning to get a bit boring.  

 In the second half, the mystery of the white gloves was revealed. I thought it was such a clever and fun way to involve the audience, but I won’t reveal too much as I don’t want to ruin it for other people! All I will say is… be prepared for aching arms!

Overall I think everyone had a brilliant time and there wasn’t a single person that wasn’t smiling at the end. I am amazed at how they can pop and lock their bodies without hurting themselves! They completely deserved the standing ovation at the end and this is a show that I would really recommend.

Private Peaceful – Connaught Theatre

It was great to see so many people packing out the Connaught Theatre on Thursday evening, 24^th  March, to see a solo performance of Private Peaceful.  It just proves how many local people and schools support and love Worthing’s theatres.

When Mum and I found our seats and looked through the programme, we were a bit shocked to see that there was only one performer.  I kept flicking back and forth through the pages to see if I had missed anyone, but there was only one name, Mark Quartley.  The curtain was raised 15 minutes before the performance was due to begin to reveal a very simple and dimly-lit set; a bed and what seemed to be a statue sitting with his back to the audience.  Mum and I kept looking to see if he was alive.  It was like watching one of those street performers in Covent Garden; every now and again the actor on the stage slowly changed his position. 

 Suddenly a loud ticking clock could be heard and the audience fell silent.  Mark Quartley came to life announcing the time.  From that moment on, it was as if everyone in the audience was under a spell as we were captivated by the utterly phenomenal performance.  Mark gave snippets of his childhood as Tommo Peaceful; his love of his family and his close friendship with a girl called Molly.  His body language and characterisation of the different voices were believable and brilliant and I felt like a 2 year old being told a fairy tale for the first time, loving the story and never wanting it to end.

Although the First World War is studied in schools, learning about it from text books and the internet is very different from actually watching and listening to the experience and viewpoint of so many different characters.  Mark did this brilliantly.  It was so sad to realise the way young men were encouraged to join such a hideous war, where the soldiers lived in horrific conditions and were forced to live in trenches and be injured or die in such pain.  It was also horrible to realise how England treated our own brave men for being a ‘coward’ – well that is if you consider a ‘coward’ to be a young man who will do anything to protect his family, country and brother.

 The lighting and sound effects were carefully crafted and helped to build the atmosphere of the story.  However, at times the background explosions were a little too loud as it was hard to pick up the words from the actor who wasn’t using a head mic. The single gunshot that filled the theatre to mark the end of the performance made the entire audience gasp and jump in their seats.  Many stood to applaud and I left the theatre thinking how brave for an actor to take on a solo performance, as if anything goes wrong there is no one to pick you up on your lines or improvise as if nothing has happened. 

Mark is currently touring the country with this performance and I thoroughly recommend it, especially for schools.  Don’t forget your tissues though!

Leapin’ Lizards Annie’s at Worthing Pavilion this week!

 It was great to be able to see Annie on Monday night at the Pavillion Theatre in Worthing.  I have seen the show many times as an amateur production, so I was looking forward to finally seeing it performed by a professional touring company.

 The opening scene is one of my favourites featuring the beautiful song, ‘Maybe’ performed as a solo by Annie.  Then the well-known, ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life’ performed by all of the orphans. The lights in the theatre go out and the stage grows brighter, revealing scenery of a dirty, old dormitory; an orphanage in New York. I thought Annie, played by Victoria Sian Lewis, sung very well, creating the lost and hopeless feelings all orphans must experience when they miss or have no parents.  Then the audience is introduced to the ‘wonderful’ Miss. Hannigan.  I thought Su Pollard played her role as the mean, brutal and hideous carer for the orphans brilliantly.  She even got the occasional ‘boo’ from some people in the audience (it was just as if I was back watching the panto!)

I felt really sorry for Suzy, the little dog who played ‘Mutt’ in the show, as she only came on for a split second and didn’t even come on for a bow at the end! She looked so cute and I would have loved to have seen more of her.  I enjoyed watching Danny the dog play ‘Sandy’, the dog Annie finds as a stray. However, he came on the stage very slowly and wasn’t really cheerful or naughty enough to match Annie’s temperament, though he won lots of ahhhh’s from those around me and I too love to watch animals on the stage.

David McAlister, who played Oliver Warbucks and Simone Craddock, who played Grace Farrell, both had the most amazing and powerful singing voices. They were perfectly believable in their roles and I thoroughly enjoyed watching as they led us into new parts of the story.  The rest of the cast were all very professional and looked to be completely enjoying themselves on the stage. The rapport between them was clear to see and if there was the rare slip up, they helped each other along and to make mistakes almost completely unnoticeable.

The audience quite clearly had a great time with many of them singing along- even if some of them were just slightly out of tune!  The show ended with a rapturous and well deserved applause and it was great to see so many people heading out to their cars and lifts home.

The show is running until the 5 March and it would be a real shame for theatre and musical lovers to miss it.

 I felt really sorry for Suzy, the little dog who played ‘Mutt’ in the show, as she only came on for a split second and didn’t even come on for a bow at the end! She looked so cute and I would have loved to have seen more of her.  I enjoyed watching Danny the dog play ‘Sandy’, the dog Annie finds as a stray. However, he came on the stage very slowly and wasn’t really cheerful or naughty enough to match Annie’s temperament, though he won lots of ahhhh’s from those around me and I too love to watch animals on the stage.

 David McAlister, who played Oliver Warbucks and Simone Craddock, who played Grace Farrell, both had the most amazing and powerful singing voices. They were perfectly believable in their roles and I thoroughly enjoyed watching as they led us into new parts of the story.  The rest of the cast were all very professional and looked to be completely enjoying themselves on the stage. The rapport between them was clear to see and if there was the rare slip up, they helped each other along and to make mistakes almost completely unnoticeable.

The audience quite clearly had a great time with many of them singing along- even if some of them were just slightly out of tune!  The show ended with a rapturous and well deserved applause and it was great to see so many people heading out to their cars and lifts home.

The show is running until the 5 March 2011 and it would be a real shame for theatre and musical lovers to miss it.

More panto magic with Aladdin at Worthing Pavilion

People were queuing out of the door and down the Pavilion Theatre steps on Monday night as I arrived to see this year’s pantomime, Aladdin.  It was great to see such a full auditorium on a weeknight and one before schools broke up for the Christmas holiday.  We grabbed a programme, drink and sweets and settled down just as the 2 minute call was announced.

 The wicked Abanazar, played by Mark Wingett, opened the show and set the scene for the story to unfold and it was within minutes that he had the audience booing and jeering at his evil laughter.  We were then introduced to the other main principals.  The Dame, Rob Forknall was hilarious, with extra long fluttery eye-lashes which we could see clearly even at the back of the theatre.  Alex Winters from CBeebies plays Wishee Washee and was immediately recognised by many of the little children who screamed and cheered for him.  They split the audience in two sections and made us all shout louder and louder, but they picked out one poor man who wasn’t participating enough and made him stand up and shout “go Twankey” by himself and then we all sang happy birthday to the people who were called out.  It was a great way to start the show!

 I thought the choreography was brilliant and the glamorous dancers really brightened up the show with their costumes.  The younger dancers also had beautiful and colourful costumes.  I especially liked that the principals joined in many of the song and dance routines as this added energy to the performance. The use of lighting was carefully crafted and when it was used with the scenery that glittered in the light, it was beautiful. I thought that the bright lights that flashed into the audience, blinding us momentarily to then reveal the genie was a really clever way to make his appearance magical. The live orchestra were fantastic and I loved the choice of music in the panto as the tunes got everyone clapping and singing along. However, I did think every now and again that the orchestra drowned out some of the soloists and this made it difficult to understand what they were singing, especially when the song told a story about the plot or Abanazar’s scheming plans.

 On the whole, I really enjoyed this pantomime and it was nice to see something that involved the whole audience no matter what their age.  There were a few slip ups, but that can only be expected in a live show. It was hilarious when at one point Widow Twankey lost her wig. I can only say that I thought the cast dealt with any mistakes very professionally.  It was a brilliant evening and I really enjoyed myself especially when the entire audience stood and danced in the aisles during the finale! 

Panto begins in Worthing – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

It has been soooo freezing cold this November; I thought my fingers were going to drop off as Mum and I got out of the car. The relief to walk into the warmth of the Connaught Theatre! I loved the way the foyer was full of little children dressed as Snow White, running around with sparkly tiaras and flashing wands, but it wasn’t only young children, people of all ages were talking in excitement as the doors to the theatre opened to let us all in to find our seats. The first thing I noticed was the colourful scenery on the stage, glittering under the lights. The musicians were warming up there was a buzz in the atmosphere as the background was filled with Christmas tunes playing and people rushing to get to their seats, getting in the panto mood.

The show began and first we were introduced to the Wicked Queen Grizelda, played by Linda Nolan, who barely had to open her mouth before the audience ‘booed’ her. She opened the show very well, really getting the audience involved as she explained her wicked plot. Her deep red costume rippled as she moved and her whole presence screamed out ‘evil’! Herman, played by Dan Riley, was her evil henchman. He gave his part a lot of humour and was brilliant when the Queen put him under a spell to kill Snow White. He was very believable and yet not scary enough to make the younger members of the audience cry to go home. At one time the audience were left screaming at the top of their voices, begging him not to kill Snow White. Luckily the Woodland Fairy (Angelina Treva Riley) was there to protect us all from the Wicked Queen’s spells and carry the story forward. She was a very funny fairy and one of my favourite characters as I loved her costume and her bubbly personality. She really got into her role and it was clear that all the little ones LOVED her. As soon as she appeared on stage, some little voice would cry out, “it’s the fairy!” I thought in general all the characters played their roles really well and really got everyone involved. The Prince, Grant Neal and Snow White, Hannah Spicer had a really difficult job to re-capture the fairytale magic of the story of Snow White with so much humour and audience participation between their scenes. Both had brilliant singing voices and they were a perfect match in this pantomime!

The night I saw Snow White, the audience were especially noisy, joining in, laughing and booing in all the right places. There were a few slip-ups but none of it mattered because the entire performance was captivating and exciting. When the dwarfs marched on stage, the auditorium literally exploded in excitement. People young and old sung along to and clapped as we were introduced to each and every one of the little men. I thought it was brilliant how their names fit their personalities and they really brightened up the show with their humour and clumsiness. It must be so difficult to perform in hot and heavy dwarf heads for the show. I really admire anyone who was inside those costumes! Despite how difficult it must have been, they kept the audience smiling and did their work helping Dame Dolly, played by Peter John, in the diamond mine and of course, Snow White. The Dame and her son Muddles, played by Philip Oliver from the TV series Brookside, made the show really fun. They each had great facial expressions and voices, constantly making the audience laugh. I have to say, they are by far the strangest mother and son I have ever known in my life! I felt that they really carried the show, keeping everyone in high spirits and involved.

I somehow always think of a panto as a play for children and it always surprises me how many jokes are included for only adults to understand. They include remarks about local places and the sorts to things my Mum is always going on about, like the traffic jams and the cost of parking in Worthing and stuff I have absolutely no interest in, obviously!

On the whole I felt it was a really great pantomime, with fabulous live musicians, great dancing sequences, lighting effects and of course, the principals. I know I had a great time and by the smiles plastered across everyone’s faces as they left the theatre – I think they did too! A real Christmassy treat to brighten up a very cold and icy evening!

Horrible Science – at Worthing Pavilion Theatre until Saturday October 02

Horrible Science – review by Georgia Brown

 As I walked into the Pavilion and saw the bright posters on the walls for Horrible Science, I started to wonder if this was going to be fun or quite gory, but I took a long breath out as I saw quite a few children finding seats that were a lot younger than me. We waited for the show to start. Everyone was chatting with excitement and it was great to see whole families coming together to see the show.

 As the music began, three ‘scientists’ came on stage. They all had very different characters; one being the ‘brain-box’, another,  the ‘silly one’ and another, the ‘funny one’.  They were all trying to involve the audience as much as they could, so there was never a point when anyone was bored. Then they started to look for a volunteer and of course, all the younger children shot their hands up and shouted, “Me, me, me, me, me!” though it was clear that a certain someone had already been selected. It was funny to see the looks on some of their faces when they realised that no one was actually picked, it was part of the show that this person was chosen! I liked how it was made very clear what was going to happen and what we were going to learn. It was great to have such a good time, but learn so much at the same time!

The moving background of the stage was absolutely amazing. It was so believable that the team were walking into different rooms or falling through space, even talking to giant human germs! Then, in the second half, where we were all given 3D glasses to wear, or ‘bobble goggles’ as they were called, the whole scenery moved and objects flew into the audience.  I thought this was fantastic, though sometimes quite alarming with some of the younger children screaming in fright. Others however swatted at the air, trying to fend off the flying creatures and rocks.  This, together with the different sound effects and lighting really brought the whole show alive and there was never a point when I felt it was starting to get a bit boring. The way the actors involved the audience, and got them helping and joining in, really did brighten up the theatre.

As far as the learning side of the show was concerned, I actually found myself totally absorbed.  Considering my age, I had learnt most of the science topics already, but I know that if I was younger I would definitely benefit from the way different aspects of science were featured and in such creative ways. The most important thing was that I had fun and as I looked around it was easy to see that the whole audience did too, young and old. This show is great for school groups and I hope that lots of days out of the classroom will be arranged to see the cast of Horrible Science because it really is worth it!  I personally recommend this show to children from about 5 upwards, only because there were a few very much younger ones in the audience that became quite scared with, at times, shouts of, “I DON’T LIKE IT!”  It is also a really fun experience for a fabulous family evening out.

I was amazed at how such a small cast of just 4, could pull of a successful show as Horrible Science. It was their strong characterisation and clear love for science that shone through. It was very enjoyable and a really good laugh! Though there was one point when the digital background went blank and ‘no signal’ came up in the right corner. The actors were unaware of it and I am sure most of the audience was too as it only lasted for about three seconds. On the whole, a really fantastic performance and I really did have a good time!

Magic of the Dance – Worthing Pavilion Theatre Tuesday August 24 2010

Magic of the Dance – Review by Georgia Brown

 Although this was the second time I was to see Magic of the Dance, I was extremely excited as the first show had been so varied and professionally staged.  I was also interested to see if changes had been made and what sort of reaction I would have to the second performance – much like when you watch a film for the second time and find parts you didn’t notice originally.  My friends and I found our seats, eagerly waiting for the performance to start, but I must say that when I looked around, I felt more than disappointed.  The theatre had more empty seats than last year and I felt sorry for the dancers who were going to work so hard and have so much more of a challenge to engage such a small audience and keep them interested throughout. I remember mentioning last time that the packed audience didn’t participate as much as the performers wanted them to but I felt a buzz in the small crowd and hoped for the best.

I could remember the stunning, unfolding story written on a backdrop from the last time I saw the show, but this time it was almost as if the projector was out of line, so it cut off the bottom half of the pictures and names.  This was quite amusing, as names came up like ‘Christo’ and Magic of the Da,’ I very quickly forgot about it, as my eyes stopped looking at the backdrop and now looked at the beautiful Collette Dunne who captivated the audience with her energetic yet graceful movements.  It was a bit of a shock to see black cloaks walking up the isles with fire on sticks!  I barely blinked when suddenly all I could see was ‘floating’ sticks of fire against the black back drop, it was a little bit scary as I wasn’t expecting it, but enthralling all the same.  The first half of the performance was brilliant; it was really easy to tell the difference between light and dark, good and evil, and how they tried to battle against each other. The staged hatred between the two male characters was easy to tell and it was always exciting when they were together on stage, their movements quick and fiery.

As the first half went on, the dances began to feel quite similar until American dancer, Bryan Berry appeared on stage, and as I remembered from last time that I enjoyed his dancing and humour, I sat back in my seat and enjoyed what I thought was to come. I was right; he pulled off yet another mind-blowing array of tap dancing!  I was completely amazed at his talent and style, but he didn’t use his upper body or facial expressions to engage the audience at all, unlike Ciaran Maguire and Dermot Cullen who may not have been as technically brilliant but used their smiles to create stage presence and convince the audience they were amazing! However I do feel that without Bryan Berry, the show would have been completely different and although all of the other dancers were mesmerising in their performances, he was the one I really enjoyed watching.

The second half of the show was without a doubt much better than the first. The use of pyrotechnics and colour was stunning and the use of noises and props were fantastic.  Again Bryan Berry showed his brilliance and the entire cast joined in with his New York style choreography.  The Irish mystery unfolded with magical scenes and the entire audience were left shouting for more. 

A thoroughly enjoyable show.  I highly recommend anyone who loves dance to get tickets before the cast move on to another town.

Scariest night of theatre with The Woman in Black

I was extremely excited to have the opportunity to review The Woman in Black at the Connaught Theatre.  I had read write-ups and researched the story line on the internet before I went but I was anything but frightened. Even though the play is meant to be one of the scariest ever to be performed on stage, I thought that because there were tickets available for schools, that the horror really couldn’t be that bad. How wrong I was…

 

Mum and I walked into a packed theatre to find our seats. I noticed how the stage was very slanted and so dusty it seemed as if the volcanic ash cloud had swept across it! There were a few fairly simple props and nothing too interesting going on as far as I could see. As I flicked through the programme, I saw that only two performers were included in the cast. This puzzled me, because I wondered how only two people could carry out a whole performance just relying on each other. As the lights went down a man walked onto the stage with what looked like a script and started to read, very slowly and very quietly. For a moment I thought his microphone was broken, until I realised he didn’t have one. How can this be scary? I thought, and slumped back into my seat. I only really concentrated when the audience gave a little murmur and a small laugh, but even then I didn’t really understand as the dialogue was quite complicated.  I had a quick look round and I was by far the youngest person in the audience. Something was telling me that this might not have been the best of ideas.  However, it wasn’t long before the story progressed and I slowly became engrossed. The atmosphere began to pick up and the hairs on the back of my neck started to tingle. I later understood why the opening was presented as it was, and I regretted not really concentrating at the beginning.

 The two actors tackled their roles really well.   Robert Demeger, who played Mr Kipps was truly fantastic, as he played different roles, his body language and change of voice pitch were all completely convincing. Peter Bramhill, was also entirely believable; his words and reactions to events going on around the stage sent chills down my spine. Even now I am amazed how these two men could have the audience on the edge of their seats for a whole performance. I am amazed also how they didn’t gasp and scream when the Lady in Black hovered in the wings of the stage in the darkness or glided across a sheer curtain accompanied by sudden loud noises and eerie effects!

 The lighting and sound effects of the show were really spectacular. I loved how the whole ‘scary’ part of the play was created through light and dark and change in volume of sound. The way the actors used simple props to create a picture in our imagination of busy London streets, the movement of travelling on a train or horse carriage were magnificent. I loved how there were no ‘backstage people’ either, the setting of the scenes were completely set by the actors themselves. The surround sound was so realistic, There were many moments when I cried out in shock and fear! I still have the bruises on the palms of my hand where I was digging my nails into my palm to try and take my mind off the pale, white and wasted face of The Woman in Black.