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Get the latest LGBT+ Sheffield news from THEGAYUK. Breaking news, features and interviews from the gay community in Sheffield in England, UK.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | West Side Story, Sheffield Lyceum And UK Tour

    ★★★★ | West Side Story, Sheffield Lyceum And UK Tour

    Set in the mid 1950s, two rival gangs battle it out for control of their little piece of the Upper West Side of New York. The Jets, local boys whose families have lived there for generations, are at loggerheads with The Sharks, the Puerto Ricans, who are trying to settle into their new lives. Tony, the former leader of the Jets meets with Maria, the sister of Bernardo who is the leader of The Sharks, and the two fall madly in love. But as their love grows, so does the rivalry between the gangs, leading to tragedy.

    This revival of the classic musical, based on Romeo and Juliet, is a thoroughly entertaining piece of theatre. The show has a gritty edge to it and a dark, dramatic and emotional story at its heart. The score, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, includes Tonight, Maria and Somewhere, all of which still pack an emotional punch. The mood is lightened by the mischievous Gee Officer Krupkee, the flamboyant America and the whimsical I Feel Pretty, with the whole of the classic score being played beautifully by the live orchestra and expertly sung by the cast.

    Both Louis Maskell, who plays Tony, and Katie Hall as Maria, were in stunning voice, with Hall’s almost operatic qualities complimenting Maskell’s emotion filled vocals. Matthew Hawksley, making his professional debut, stood out from the crowd with his convincing performance as “Action”, comfortably conveying the characters frustration and pent up aggression and Djalenga Scott entertained as the feisty Anita.

    But the ensemble pieces were where this show really excelled, with the set, which reflected the back alleys and fire escapes of the inner city, being deceptively versatile, opening up to create a generous dance space for the large and very talented cast to undertake the breath-taking dance routines. By going back to the original choreography by Jerome Robbins, the dance in this production is simply superb to watch – with the sequences assisting in conveying and moving forward the narrative; the standout scenes being the Mambo at the gym, and the Ballet Sequence.

    The lighting was also well designed, utilising colour washes and silhouettes alongside low level highlighting, providing a visually interesting interplay of light and shadow. The balance between vocals and music was fine – but the only quibble in terms of the production was the volume of the speaking in between the musical numbers was a little low, meaning it was sometimes difficult to hear what was being said.

    The show has everything to please both established fans and to introduce a new generation of theatre goers to this beautifully crafted piece of theatre. Some may find it heavy going, but for those who would like a little more narrative, character and drama from their musical theatre then this show is the one to see.

    West Side Story is currently at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 12th July 2014 (http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/west-side-story-14/ ) before continuing on its national tour (http://westsidestorytheshow.co.uk/home ).

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Last Of The Duty Free

    ★★ | Last Of The Duty Free

    Following on from the popular TV series of the 1980’s, Last Of The Duty Free see’s David and Linda having both pulled the wool over their respective partners eyes and reunite at the hotel in Spain where they began their love affair all those years before. But with Robert and Amy both arriving at the resort, suspicious of their cheating spouses, an interfering newly married couple managing to get the wrong end of the stick with every situation they observe and Carlos the waiter still struggling with his sore feet, the scene is set for more romance, confusion and narrow escapes as David and Linda try to reignite their passions.

    The show reunites three of the four main actors from the original show; Keith Barron, Gwen Taylor and Neil Stacey all revive their TV roles, with Carol Royle joining them as Linda. The cast appeared to have slipped comfortably back into their old roles, with them all giving very natural performances.

    Written by Eric Chappell, who co-wrote the original series, the humour was gentle and subtle, generating chuckles, rather than belly laughs. The comedy was very non offensive, and played on comedy staples such as mistaken identity, near misses, misunderstandings over unrequited desires and battles of both wits and the sexes. In its style, the piece was very traditional and in perfect keeping with the original TV series and in a similar vein to other comedy series written by Chappell, such as Only When I Laugh and Rising Damp. The story was suitably simple and undemanding; allowing the audience to be transported back to their living rooms of the 80’s to watch the TV sitcom unfold live on stage. The play, thankfully, didn’t try to update itself and cram in numerous references to its modern day setting, remaining faithful to its roots, with only the briefest mention of mobile phones.

    The set was static and did have an essence of the purpose built hotel complexes associated with inexpensive package holidays, and the brief interludes of Spanish guitar music generated a holiday feel. Both the direction and the lighting were functional and the sound clear and audible.

    The Last of the Duty Free is curious a show. Whether you enjoy this play will depend largely on whether you enjoyed the original TV series and the classic sitcoms of the 1980’s. The play is unlikely to win over many new fans, and you do have to wonder why the show is revived 28 years after it ended its highly successful TV run. The play may be described as dated by some in terms of both its setting or writing, but equally, could be described as nostalgic by others, harking back to a style of inoffensive comedy and a more established style of conventional comedy writing.

    Last of the Duty Free is currently playing at the Sheffield Lyceum until Saturday 21st June 2014 before rounding off its national tour.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Tonight’s The Night – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    Stuart is an awkward youngster in love, who works alongside his best friend, Rocky, and the object of his affection, Mary.

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  • THEATRE REVIEW | One Man, Two Guvnors – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    ★★★ | One Man, Two Guvnors – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    Francis Henshall is a con man finds himself in trouble when he ends up working for both an underworld crime lord and a slightly dim toff, without ever letting on that he has two jobs. But the two “guvnors” are not quite what they seem and there is a link between them. Comedic chaos ensues as he is both helped and hindered by a variety of characters and as he tries desperately to keep his bosses apart. But with love beckoning, the promise of a good meal and an increasing number of jobs to complete, will he get the girl?

    Presented by the National Theatre, the show was a comedic blend of old fashioned physical comedy, a script packed to the brim of one liners and traditional British farce, all of which had the audience laughing out loud. The comedy was very much traditional British humour – being, at times, reminiscent of the late 70’s comedy performers like Morecombe and Wise and Benny Hill, with the show moving from clever wordplay to slapstick to saucy humour with ease. The over the top characters were boisterous and fun and played heavily on exaggerated stereotypes with success.

    Each cast member put in a good performance throughout the show, but the night undoubtedly belonged to Gavin Spokes who put in an excellent performance as the lead character, Francis Henshall. His physical comedy, clever ad libs and delivery of the script combined with his natural charisma were a winning combination. However, closely following him was Michael Dylan with an absolutely hilarious, scene stealing performance as Alfie, the decrepit elderly waiter. It was clear that the cast were thoroughly enjoying themselves and their improvised comments, laughter and interaction with the audience only added to the anarchic atmosphere.

    The set was well constructed and detailed, with the scenery being changed behind a gold curtain whist a talented four piece beat combo, The Craze, performed a handful of songs, sometimes joined by various members of the cast. These musical interludes were enjoyable and helped to pace the show as a whole. The sound was clear and allowed the audience to hear clearly what was being said, which was important given the swiftly moving dialogue. Overall, the production values were of a high standard, which is no less than anticipated from this National Theatre Production and the show was surprisingly funny, with the riotous latter half of the first act being the pinnacle of the show, having the audience in absolute fits of laughter.

    If any criticism were to be levelled at the show, it is perhaps that it was a little long (with a running time of two hours ten minutes) and whether it would stand repeated viewings is uncertain, but the show was certainly laugh out loud funny and worthy of a watch.

    “One Man, Two Guvnors” is currently at the Sheffield Lyceum http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/one-man-two-guvnors-14/ until the 24th May 2014 before continuing on its extensive national tour http://www.onemantwoguvnors.com

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Boeing, Boeing – Sheffield Crucible Theatre

    ★★★ | Boeing, Boeing – Sheffield Crucible Theatre

    Bernard thinks he has the perfect life living in Paris. He is engaged to three Air Hostesses, and uses the flight timetables to keep them apart and make them think that each of them is his one and only. As the three women in his life fly out to America, Germany and Italy, he ensures that his love life runs smoothly. But when the flights don’t adhere to the timetable one evening, Bernard finds his perfect life falling apart, as each of his three fiancés turn up at the home that they think they share with Bernard. With the help of his best friend, Robert, and his long suffering maid, Bertha, can Bernard keep them apart and maintain not only the facade, but also his love life?

    Sheffield Theatres present this revival of this 1960’s based, comedic, farcical play by Marc Camoletti. The feel of the piece was very reminiscent of the sitcoms of the late 70’s,having shades of the more subtle comedy of George and Mildred and, by contrast, bearing a very strong resemblance to the physical style of comedy in “Fawlty Towers” – the chaotic, panicked and increasingly complicated means of attempting to keep an escalating situation under control. There were also hints of more recent sitcom “Miranda”, with people entering and exiting the stage in quick succession.

    The cast of six held the audience’s attention with good delivery of the script’s one liners and some great comic timing. Notable cast members were Joseph Kloska who appealed with an animated performance as Robert, the nervous, flustered and naïve best friend. Lizzie Winkler was excellent as the intense German air hostess, Gretchen and Julia Deakin delivered all the best lines with an understated performance as Bertha, the long suffering and sardonic maid.

    Sheffield Theatres ably demonstrate why they have twice been awarded Regional Theatre of the Year with another quality production. The 60’s based set was simple but looked impressive, with its orange patterned wall paper and olive green sofa being very sixties chic. The stage was very well lit and the use of bold colour in both the set and the lighting looked impressive. The sound in the theatre was crisp and easily audible, and the costumes were great, in particular the air hostess uniforms, which looked absolutely beautiful, rounding off the high production values of the show.

    The show was a smart blend of physical comedy and a witty script and the audience found the whole thing very funny, with plenty of laughter echoing around the theatre throughout the evening.

    Boeing Boeing is currently playing at Sheffield Crucible Theatre until 7th June 2014. Details, trailer and booking details can be found at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/boeing-boeing-14/

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Brassed Off

    ★★★  | Brassed Off

    Set in 1992, Brassed Off tells the story of a small Yorkshire mining town as their pit faces closure, unemployment looms, families struggle and communities rally round to campaign to keep the pit open. But as the saying goes, “where there’s muck, there’s brass”, here in the form of the colliery brass band; whose elderly band leader, Danny, has a dream of taking them to the Royal Albert Hall as finalists of a national competition.

    When Gloria, a beautiful young fugal horn player, arrives back in her home town from London, the band welcome her with open arms and the affable Andy falls in love with her. But she isn’t necessarily what she seems, and with the threat of the pit closure growing ever closer, the boys start to wonder why she has a National Coal Board logo on her briefcase.

    Based on the film of the same name, Brassed Off was a poignant play about the struggles of a community fighting to maintain its livelihood. The play had some genuine laugh out loud moments in the first act, but as the story unfolds and the situation of the lead characters becomes more desperate, the second act took a more downbeat turn, with a few laughs here and there, but a lot of sad developments to the story. It was a credit to both the cast’s performances and to the writing that you felt such sympathy for the characters as their lives and community were being slowly torn apart.

    James Robinson was most notable for his portrayal of Andy – with a natural performance of his character’s cheeky jack-the-lad persona. The remaining cast gelled well together and the sense of camaraderie and community on stage came across as genuine and believable. There were also some very well written roles for the female characters, in particular the determined Rita, excellently portrayed by Helen Kay. Unfortunately, some of the speech was a little quiet at times making it difficult to hear; meaning some of the audience missed out on some of the sharp dialogue.

    The brass band performed on stage, played by a combination of the actors and members from a local band, and did a fine job with some uplifting and moving numbers. The play was heavier on the narrative than the music and the only criticism to be levelled was that perhaps the band didn’t play enough throughout the show and especially towards the end.

    The play had a strong political message about the erosion of the coal industry and the impact on small communities. That said, despite the elements of comedy, this was a play whereby, regardless of your political leanings, you left the theatre feeling emotional as a result of the plight of the likeable characters and the empathy garnered towards them as they struggled through. The play did such a good job of drawing you into the lives of the on stage community, that even the upbeat ending seemed bitter sweet. Overall, Brassed Off was an emotional piece of well written and performed drama.

    Brassed Off is currently at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 10th May 2014. Further details and booking details can be found at www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Dirty Dancing, UK National Tour

    ★★★★ | Dirty Dancing, UK National Tour
    Set in the 1960’s, Frances “Baby” Houseman goes to Kellermans holiday camp with her family. She befriends the staff of the camp and develops a crush on charismatic dance teacher, Johnny Castle. But when Johnny’s dance partner cannot perform at a show at a local hotel, Baby steps in to ensure that they do not lose their jobs. But as Johnny and Baby rehearse, they fall in love and learn more from each other than just the dance moves.

    Based on the hugely popular film of the same name, Dirty Dancing hits the stage in this national tour. For the main, the show follows the story of the film very closely, particularly during the first act, with the bulk of the script being comfortingly recognisable from the film version. There are some additional scenes, particularly during the first half of the second act, which develops the story and which expands on both life at Kellermans and further explores the relationship between Baby and Johnny.

    The main cast members were surprisingly like their cinematic counterparts, in particular, Roseanna Frascona who played Frances “Baby” Houseman, throwing herself into the role whilst Lewis Kirk gave the best performance of the evening in the lead role of Johnny Castle, demonstrating some of the better acting and dance moves. The chemistry between the two leads worked well, although overall, the acting from the entire cast was not of the highest quality, and gave the impression that the cast were chosen for their ability to dance or sing as opposed to them being good all-round performers. That said, cast member Robin Lake’s singing voice stood out for his show-stopping version of In the Still of the Night. But the attraction of this show is not so much the quality of the acting but the dancing. All of the routines and set pieces were well put together, well executed and all handled more than competently by the cast, with many of the routines lifted directly from the movie.

    The show was packed full of all the songs you know and love from the film soundtrack, with combination of the orchestra performing on stage and some pre-recorded tracks. The soundtrack included Hey Baby, Love Man, Hungry Eyes and (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life along with the instrumentals such as De Todo Un Poco and Johnny’s Mambo. The set was versatile and effective, using backdrop projections and colour washes to separate out the scenes and locations and the scene changes were slick and undertaken smoothly and simply.

    But where the show really succeeds is in its ability to bring the movie to life and recreating it on stage. All of the familiar lines, plot points, dance routines and songs are there and there is something very comforting about watching such a faithful recreation of the movie. The show was fun and the feel-good ending had the crowd on their feet, shouting and cheering. For those who have not seen the film, the show is a good introduction to the world of Kellermans. To established fans of the film, the show will be hard to beat.

    The show is currently playing at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until the (tickets and information can be found at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/dirty-dancing-14/ ). The show then continues on its extensive national tour, details of which can be found at http://www.dirtydancingontour.com/

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Fame, Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    ★★★ | Fame, Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    Based on the film and classic TV series, Fame follows the trials and tribulations of a group of young students studying at the New York School of Performing Arts as they hone their skills in music, dance and acting, as well as falling in love, clashing with the establishment, battling personal demons and dabbling in the dark side of fame.

    The show follows a small group of students from first meeting to graduation, looking at the challenges they face in their academic studies, their artistic studies and their personal lives. Issues such as drug use, love, sexuality and illiteracy are all canvassed as the friends make their way through their time at school.

    The first thing that was noticeable was how the show did feel very fresh and had been updated completely for the 2014 tour. There were iPad’s, mobile phones and references to Katy Perry, Bruno Mars and Rhianna aplenty and the show looked and sounded bang up to date. The variety of musical styles and the vocal gymnastics reflected the modern setting and the dance routines covered a wide variety of styles, from hip hop and street dancing to classical ballet and a flamenco inspired number.

    The show boasts around 20 songs which flow in rapid succession giving the show more of a feel of a musical revue than a piece of musical theatre. The opening number “Pray I Make/Hard Work” set the tone of the show nicely and was modern and contemporary. “Tyrone’s Rap” and “Dancin’ on the Sidewalk” were up-tempo numbers, both of which were infused with a display of hip hop and street dancing. But the standout song was saved for the finale, with “Bring on Tomorrow” being a traditional rousing conclusion to the proceedings which was well performed by the ensemble.

    The cast were multi-talented, with the whole ensemble being able to sing, dance and act, with some even playing multiple musical instruments. The most notable members of the cast were Alex Thomas, who played dancer Tyrone, and who danced a variety of styles with ease and naturalness. Joseph Giacone was in fine voice and entertained as the hormonally challenged Joe Vegas, putting in a comedic and enthusiastic performance, nowhere more evident than in his musical tribute to his overactive “little Joe”. Molly Stewart also put in a great turn as the underdog, Mabel Washington, and surprised everyone with her powerful voice in a soulful, gospel inspired number.

    The set was fairly bland, with very little by way of scenery, set changes or props, but it did provide for a space for a live band on stage, which added to the musical revue feel of the piece. The story itself was fairly thin but was functional. There was little in terms of character development, but this did not come across as a show which was about an in depth story – the attraction here was the music and the well-choreographed set pieces of a variety of dance styles.

    The show hits the mark for its target audience and is theatre for a younger generation. It was fun, vivacious and energetic. Fame thankfully doesn’t take itself too seriously and never attempts to be anything other than what it is, which is a fairly shallow but fun and undemanding piece of entertaining song and dance.

    Fame is currently playing at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until the 5th April 2014 before continuing on its national tour

  • THEATRE REVIEW: Northern Ballet’s Cleopatra, Sheffield Lyceum

    After murdering her brother, Cleopatra takes the throne of Egypt, causing chaos in the Country she rules. Her dominance is reinforced by the arrival of Caesar who falls for her charms. But when Caesar is murdered, she seduces second in command, Mark Anthony, to maintain her power, despite the fact that he is married. But Cleopatra falls for him and their love becomes increasingly intense, leading to tragedy.

    Cleopatra is a show which is full of contrasts and opposites. The cast were in almost perfect synchronicity as they glided across the stage in a display of effortless grace; contrasting with the violent, dramatic and sexual imagery portrayed. The violence and drama were, in turn, counterbalanced by the sensual, erotic and sexual overtones and the themes of dominance, power and betrayal were at the opposite ends of the spectrum to the themes of love and passion.

    The set was uncomplicated allowing for a practical dance space and utilised projected images on the whitewashed buildings to great effect, nowhere more evident than when the set is seen to secrete thick red blood during one particular scene. The striking use of colour provided for a visually intriguing use of contrasts between the white set and the richly coloured costumes. Using a simple colour scheme with the majority of the cast uniformly dressed during the scenes, the pillar box red uniforms of the Roman soldiers and the deep burgundy flowing gowns of the Senate looked stunning against the pale background and enhanced the dramatic impact of the piece.

    The original score was written by Claude-Michal Schónberg, who is perhaps best known as one of the composers of Les Miserables and Miss Saigon, was very much befitting the style and themes of the piece, being heavily influenced by the traditional sounds of the Middle East. The evocative music was a mixture of sensual, dramatic, regal and ceremonial and was strikingly played by the live orchestra. The score, set, imagery and lighting as a whole evoked an atmosphere of the heat, dust and humidity of the Middle East

    The cast were all faultless and performed with intensity and passion. The costumes, which proudly displayed the muscular torsos of the male cast added to the sexually charged and testosterone fuelled atmosphere of the piece which, in turn, contrasted with the femininity of the lead character and the handmaidens. Martha Leebolt excelled as Cleopatra, showing the character’s vindictiveness and vulnerabilities. Javier Torres provided a strong male lead as Mark Anthony and Kenneth Tindall displayed serpentine-like qualities as Wadjet, the God and protector of the Pharaohs.

    Overall, Cleopatra was a very enjoyable piece, allowing for an engrossing and visually stimulating exploration of violence and eroticism.

    Northern Ballet’s Cleopatra is currently playing at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 29th March 2014. For tickets and information visit http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/cleopatra-14 or visit Northern Ballet’s website for details of this; and their upcoming productions at http://northernballet.com/?q=northern-ballet-home .

    Please note that the show contains some brief male nudity.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Never Try This At Home, Sheffield Crucible Studio, UK Tour

    ★★★★ | Never Try This At Home, Sheffield Crucible Studio, UK Tour

    In this “disturbing homage to Saturday Morning television”, TV reunion show, “Looking Back Together” examines what ever happened to the cast of the anarchic TV show, Shushi, which was taken off air when things get out of hand and sexy “for the dads” presenter, Petra Massey, has a breakdown live on the show. As the peek behind the scenes reveals, not everything is well behind the custard pies and the buckets of water.

    “Told by an Idiot” Theatre Company presents this very funny, dark comedy in an affectionate, tongue in cheek tribute to the time when Tiswas and Swap Shop ruled the Saturday morning airwaves. Crammed full of references and in-jokes to those halcyon days of children’s weekend entertainment, this chaotic, laugh out loud funny and refreshingly politically incorrect show was packed full of nostalgia. The references are easy enough to spot, and with everything covered from the custard pies, the ridiculous games (“kick a vicar” and “build a dog”) and a thinly disguised Noel Edmunds impersonation, very little escapes unscathed.

    The show affectionately pokes fun at the style of TV shows of the 70’s and also a sly sideways swipe at the current crop of reunion shows. The format of the show is cleverly done, transforming the audience in the theatre into the audience of a recording of fictional TV show “Looking Back Together”, where clips of Shushi are played out (live on the stage) and the presenters are brought out and interviewed by a Jeremy Kyle tinged presenter. The TV show within a TV show format was original and worked well in the performance space.

    As for the humour, the piece was dark in its comic tone, but very funny. Ranging from slapstick to silly and including a biting social commentary on the 1970’s attitudes to race, gender and sexuality. The show does have a number of jokes where you can’t help but think “did they really just say that”, but the humour stays in a similar vein, albeit at a good arm’s length away, to Sacha Baron-Cohen’s “Borat”.

    The performances from the cast were full of energy and suitably silly, nicely parodying the presenting style of the time. The flares, wigs and catsuits fitted the show perfectly and with the amount of water, custard pies and baked beans flying around, the front row remained sensibly empty. The cast fully involved the audience and it was hard to tell at times what was rehearsed and what was improvised. The enjoyment of the cast in their performances was infectious and after the show’s 90 minutes running time, the presenters of “Shushi”, felt like old friends (in the same way that Simon Groom and John Noakes were back in the day).

    The show was really good fun, especially for those who grew up in the 70’s and brought back many memories of wasted Saturday mornings. With the laughter ringing out from the audience throughout the show, it was clear to see that the satirical writing was a huge hit with them.

    Never Try This At Home is currently playing at the Sheffield Crucible Theatre. Details and tickets can be found at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/never-try-this-at-home-14/ .

    The show then moves to Edinburgh and Soho.

    Details can be found at http://www.toldbyanidiot.org/productions/never-try-home/

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Happy Days The Musical, Sheffield Lyceum and UK Tour

    ★ ★ ★ | Happy Days The Musical, Sheffield Lyceum and UK Tour

    The Cunningham family are back in this new musical which transports the audience back to Arnolds Malt Shop for a huge slice of 50’s Americana, where Richie Cunningham and his friends and family rally the community to save their favourite local hangout from a corporate takeover. Along the way, they have dance contests, wrestling matches, learn about love, fulfil their dreams and rekindle old romances, all under the watchful eye of the ultra-cool Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzerella. But will their fundraising efforts be enough to save their beloved malt shop?

    Written by Garry Marshall, the original creative force behind the popular TV series, and with Henry Winkler (the original “Fonz”) on board as a creative consultant, this new musical rocks ‘n’ rolls onto the stage in this national tour.

    The first thing noticeable from the very start of the show was how well cast it was, with each of the actors looking remarkably like their television counterparts, in particular, Andrew Waldron who played Ralph. The show exploded to life with an upbeat ensemble piece as the opening number and from thereon in, the show progressed with an almost relentless barrage of songs, 21 in total, which, in a show with a running time of around 1 hour 45 minutes, meant that the next musical number was never more than a few moments away. The original songs were actually quite catchy upon first listen, but never memorable, with a fairly good weighting of up-tempo, rock ‘n’ roll tinged numbers interspersed with a couple of ballads.

    There was no faulting the vivaciousness of the young cast, all of whom threw themselves into the show with an almost unstoppable energy. The set was simple, mainly using fold out sections of the main set to create the different locations and whilst the set was never spectacular, it was functional for the production. The lighting and costumes were colourful and compounded the energetic feel of the show, with the whole thing feeling fresh and modern which juxtaposed with the 1950’s setting slightly.

    Former Sugababe, Heidi Range, impressed with her performance and a great singing voice which shone through particularly well in the ballads. Ben Freeman had an unexpectedly good singing voice although came across as a little aloof at times as he strutted across the stage as “The Fonz”. Cheryl Baker undertook an excellent turn as Marion Cunningham and Andrew Waldron provided an enjoyable comic performance as Ralph Malph. But the whole cast really gave it their all throughout the show and their enthusiasm was undeniable.

    One of the aspects where the show faltered was in its sound, with a number of the audience commenting on how the volume of the orchestra completely drowned out the casts ‘s voices on the majority of the musical numbers, making the lyrics almost inaudible and leading to the production to come across as “shouty” at times. This was a particular shame when other songs were appropriately balanced in terms of music and voices. The show also came across as a little forced and when the audience were encouraged to their feet for the final sing-along, it felt contrived and stilted.

    When you consider everything that this show has going for it, you would expect it to be greater than the sum of its parts. But despite the catchy songs, a decent cast and the colourful energy of the show, there was just something missing which led to the show feeling hollow and a little soulless. Happy Days comes across as a hybrid of Grease and Hairspray, but doesn’t reach the heights of either. It was an enjoyable enough piece of theatre, but ultimately, was fairly forgettable.

    Happy Days is currently playing at the Sheffield Lyceum theatre until 22nd February 2014 before continuing on its national tour.

    Information can be found at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/happy-days-14/ or at the shows official website at http://happydaysthemusical.com/home