Emma Swainston’s Elle Woods with her Chihuahua Bruiser (Lily-Rose) in York Light Opera Company’s Legally Blonde The Musical. Picture: Matthew Kitchen Photography
MARTIN Knight is directing the 2011 Olivier Awards Best New Musical winner for the third time.
In other words, he knows this sugar-coated, bubblegum-pink American show well and duly delivers on his promise to “celebrate Legally Blonde’s joy and energy while highlighting its important message of self-discovery and female empowerment”.
Laurence O’Keefe, Nell Benjamin and Heather Hach’s musical spin on the 2001 Reese Witherspoon film charts the path of jilted Malibu fashion merchandising student Elle Woods (Emma Swainston) as she follows ex-lover Warner (Kit Stroud) to Harvard law school with her cute Chihuahua Bruiser (Lily-Rose).
Staying true to herself, her Californian sunshine rubs up against New York cynicism and Ivy League snobbery as she defeats all preconceptions to cut the legal mustard.
Emma Swainston, a regular on the York am-dram stage, was picked by Knight for her “star quality”, and she is utterly swell in her “dream role” as Elle: perky in pink, fun and funny, full of vulnerability yet vitality, singing splendidly, whether solo, in duets or with the ensemble, and capturing how Elle’s burgeoning legal nous is founded in instinct over conventional intellect.
Not a case of being a law unto herself so much as Elle thinking outside the box, allied to an indefatigable spirit that overcomes obstacles and stereotypical “blonde” pigeonholing with a steely resolve to bring about female empowerment. Even sourpuss love rival Vivienne Kensington (Emily Rockliff) comes round to her side eventually.
Swainston’s Elle bonds especially well with Emily Hardy’s Boston trailer-trash hairdresser Paulette Bonafonte, Hardy being in outstanding voice in her big number, Ireland.
The musical’s primary innovation, a Greek chorus to represent Elle’s inner thoughts in the style of American sports’ cheerleaders, works a treat, boosted further by Knight’s hot choreography with its snazzy and snappy mix of fabulous glamour, high energy and camp swagger.
Pippa Elmes’s exercise-video guru Brooke Wyndham, standing trial for murder, gives Act Two a cracking start in the skipping song, Whipped Into Shape, in a performance packed with hard-ball panache.
Stroud has something of a thankless task as rotten egg Warner but he is as good as ever, while Zander Fick continues his run of impressive performances as Elle’s thoroughly principled, quietly driven, corduroy-clad fellow Harvard interloper Emmett Forrest.
Neil Wood is in stage-commanding form as Professor Callahan, the cynical, predatory Harvard lawyer, his rendition of Blood In The Water full of dark power.
Amid the serious undercurrents of Legally Blonde is a double blast of delightfully daft, tongue-in-cheek but sassy comedy rooted in contrasting men’s tropes in the far superior Act Two’s burst of fresh characters: the UPS delivery stud muffin Kyle (Jonny Holbek in strutting scene-stealing mode), contrasted with the flamboyant camping of Stephen Wright’s Nikos and Martin Lay’s Carlos in the courtroom number Gay Or European?
That comedic high point is preceded by another much-loved routine, the irresistible Bend And Snap, played with just the right combination of earnest expression yet a playful relish.
Throughout, Paul Laidlaw leads his orchestra meticulously, another pleasure in a fast-moving, fabulous show that has a reputation for being a girls’ night out, but seriously, men, you may be outnumbered, but how can you resist the power of pink?
York Light Opera Company presents Legally Blonde The Musical, York Theatre Royal, until Saturday,7.30pm nightly plus 2.30pm matinees on February 20 and 22. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Stag burning at the Jorvik Viking Festival. More fun and games next week. Picture: Charlotte Graham
THE boat-burning Vikings are back as Charles Hutchinson looks forward to an action-packed February half-term.
Festival of the week: 40th anniversary Jorvik Viking Festival, York, February 17 to 23
A NEW Viking longship, a sword that never misses its target and recreations of the world’s largest fossilised poo take centre stage at Europe’s largest Viking Festival over half-term. Five days of Norse fun, living history, hands-on combat and lectures culminate in a parade of more than 200 Vikings through the historic streets on February 22 and two dramatic evening son-et-lumière shows.
A free living history encampment takes over Parliament Street with an array of tents featuring craftsmen and traders, with the opportunity to handle replica armour and weapons. For the full programme and to book tickets, go to jorvikvikingfestival.co.uk.
Emma Swainston’s Elle Woods, seated, with Bruiser, the Chihuahua (played by Lily), in York Light Opera Company’s Legally Blonde The Musical. Picture: Matthew Kitchen Photography
The power of pink musical of the week: York Light Opera Company in Legally Blonde The Musical, York Theatre Royal, until February 22, 7.30pm nightly (except February 16) plus 2.30pm matinees today, February 20 and 22
JOIN Elle Woods, a seemingly ditzy sorority girl with a heart of gold, as she tackles Harvard Law School to win back her man. Along the way, Elle discovers her own strength and intelligence, “proving that you can be both blonde and brilliant”.
Emma Swainston’s Elle Woods leads Martyn Knight’s 35-strong cast in this feel-good, sassy and stylish show with its powerful message of staying true to yourself, booted with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
David O’Doherty: Irish humour and song at Grand Opera House, York
Comedy show of the week: David O’Doherty, Tiny Piano Man, Grand Opera House, York, tonight, 8pm
THE dishevelled prince of €10 eBay keyboards tries to make you feel alive with a pageant of Irish humour, song and occasionally getting up from a chair. “It’s gonna be a big one,” says Dublin comedian, author, musician, actor and playwright David O’Doherty, star of The Great Celebrity Bake Off 2024 and Along For The Ride With David O’Doherty. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Chloe Petts: Getting personal in How You See Me, How You Don’t at Theatre@41, Monkgate
Alternative comedy gig of the week: Chloe Petts, How You See Me, How You Don’t, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, tonight, 8pm
CHLOE Petts returns with a new show and this time she’s getting personal. Between her newly found trolls, ‘oldly’ found school bullies and an excellent relationship with her food tech teacher, she brings her trademark ‘laddishness’ to tell you who she really is, all while her Head Girl badge glistens on her chest. Box office for returns only: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Gareth Gates: Turning romantic crooner in a Valentine mood at York Barbican
Romantic concert of the week: Gareth Gates Sings Love Songs From The Movies – A Valentine Special, York Barbican, Sunday, 7.30pm
EXTENDING the St Valentine’s Day vibes to the weekend, Bradford singer Gareth Gates combines beloved ballads from classic films with the electrifying energy of up-tempo hits, from Unchained Melody to Dirty Dancing, in a celebration of love stories that have graced the silver screen.
Joining the 2002 Pop Idol alumnus and musical star will be Wicked actress Maggie Lynne, Dutch singer Britt Lenting, Performers College graduate Dan Herrington and a four-piece band. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Abbie Budden’s Annette Hargrove in Bill Kenwright Ltd’s production of Cruel Intentions: The’90s Musical, on tour at Grand Opera House, York, from Tuesday. Picture: Pamela Raith
Dangerous liaison of the week: Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical, Grand Opera House, York, February 18 to 22, Tuesday to Thursday, 7.30pm; Wednesday, 2.30pm; Friday, 5pm and 8.30pm; Saturday, 2.30pm and 7.30pm
CREATED by Jordan Ross, Lindsey Rosin and Roger Kumble from Kumble’s 1999 film spin on Les Liaisons Dangereuses, this American musical is powered by the 1990s’ pop gold dust of Britney Spears, Boyz II Men, Christina Aguilera, TLC, R.E.M., Ace Of Base, Natalie Imbruglia and The Verve.
Step siblings Sebastian Valmont (Will Callan) and Kathryn Merteuil (Nic Myers) engage in a cruel bet, where Kathryn goads Sebastian into attempting to seduce Annette Hargrove (Abbie Budden), the headmaster’s virtuous daughter. Weaving a web of secrets and temptation, their crusade wreaks havoc on the students at their exclusive Manhattan high school. Soon the dastardly plotters become entangled in their own web of deception and unexpected romance, with explosive results. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Stuart Green’s police inspector, Truscott, left, and Miles John’s thief, Dennis, in rehearsal for York Settlement Community Players’ production of Loot
Scandalous play of the week: York Settlement Community Players in Loot, York Theatre Royal Studio, February 18 to 27, 7.45pm except February 23; 2pm, February 22
KATIE Leckey directs the Settlement Players in agent provocateur Joe Orton’s scabrous 1965 farce, the one with two thieves, dodgy police officers, adult themes, offensive language, sexism and xenophobia, references to sexual assault, including rape and necrophilia, a live actor playing a dead body in a coffin and digs at the Roman Catholic Church.
Don’t let that put you off! Yes, it still carries a content warning and age recommendation of 16 upwards, but it remains outrageously funny. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Wharfemede Productions director Helen Spencer, centre, rehearsing her role as Marmee in Little Women with Connie Howcroft’s Jo, left, Catherine Foster’s Meg, Rachel Higgs’s Beth and Tess Ellis’s Amy. Picture: Matthew Warry
Marching on together: Wharfemede Productions: Little Women – The Broadway Musical, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, February 18 to 22, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee
HELEN Spencer directs York company Wharfemede Productions in their first solo show, playing Marmee too in Allan Knee, Jason Howland and Mindi Dickstein’s musical account of Louisa May Alcott’s story of the March sister – traditional Meg, wild, aspiring writer Jo, timid Beth and romantic Amy – growing up in Concord, Massachusetts, while their chaplain father is away serving during the American Civil War. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Ugg’n’Ogg tell the story of The World’s First Dogg at Milton Rooms, Malton
Children’s play of the week: Rural Arts presents Fideri Fidera in Ugg’n’Ogg & The World’s First Dogg, Milton Rooms, Malton, February 20, 2pm
IN the fresh sparkling world just after the last Ice Age, there were no dogs. How, then, did we attain our best friend and the world’s number one pet? Luckily for us, along came young hunter gatherers Ugg‘n’Ogg to pal up with the wolves, Tooth’n’Claw, to defy flying meat bones, raging forest infernos and even a time-travelling stick to invent the dog.
This original play for pooch lovers aged three upwards highlights the evolutionary transition from lupine to canine in a show full of physical comedy, puppets, music and song. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.
In Focus:Exhibition refresh: Secrets Of Dress, Yorkshire Castle Museum, Fashion Gallery, Eye of York, York, from February 15
Fashion exhibits in the Secrets Of Dress exhibition at York Castle Museum. Picture: Duncan Lomax, Ravage Productions, for York Museums Trust
YORK Castle Museum’s Fashion Gallery has been refreshed, remodelled and enhanced for 2025 with new items and fresh interpretations to show Secrets Of Dress from the Middle Ages to the opening decades of the 21st century.
Not merely a fashion exhibition, this re-boot is an opportunity to look at dress and textiles from the perspective of social history, exploring what clothes and accessories can reveal about our lives and experiences.
Every object has a secret to tell, hence Secrets Of Dress provides insights into ways of life that are very different to today and yet relatable. From 400-year-old sequins to Second World War utility shoes, from the cottage industry of old Yorkshire to the factory-produced fashions of the industrial age, this is social history brought alive by the story of dress.
Dr Faye M Prior, Curator of Social History, with a 1970s’ outfit designed by Angela Holmes for her York-based fashion brand Droopy & Browns. The outfit was kindly donated by Angela’s sister, Leone Cockburn, and her niece, Clare Cockburn. Picture: Duncan Lomax, Ravage Productions, for York Museums Trust
This bespoke exhibition has been updated for the 21st century with a new section focusing on the City of York: York Makers. Thanks to the diligent research of York Castle Museum volunteers, York Makers presents York-made clothing, textiles and textile-working tools from the Middle Ages to the present day, alongside the stories of the people who made and used them.
York Makers celebrates creative people who lived and worked in York, some of whom contributed nationally as well as regionally to fashion.
On display are outfits by York-based designers Angela Holmes, founder of Droopy & Browns, and Vivien Smith, founder of Vivien Smith Simply Clothes. These two entrepreneurs created iconic fashion brands that offered distinctive styles on the high street from the 1960s to the early 2000s.
Gloves made of straw from the Secrets Of Dress exhibition at York Castle Museum. Picture: Duncan Lomax, Ravage Productions, for York Museums Trust
Other York Makers include Victorian shirtmaker Herbert Morris Crouch, who ran his own shop on Coney Street, and Mrs Maria Cook, the dressmaker whose ‘Made In York’ label sparked the volunteer research project.
Secrets Of Dress showcases 500 years of clothing, accessories and textiles, including items never displayed until now. Every object has something to tell, and many show repairs and adaptations, revealing how practices thought to be modern, such as ‘upcycling’ and ‘remaking’, have a long tradition.
Displayed in an accessible and fun way, iconic items and textiles from the 1960s and 1970s will be recognisable immediately. Visitors can touch, feel and try on costumes re-created by costume designer Naomi Pugh – aka ‘Nomes’ – of Textiles by Gnomes, and enjoy family trails with Little Spotters Trails, including a colouring page for creative little ones.
York Castle Museum is open Monday, 11am to 5pm; Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm. Tickets: adult £17; child £10.20; concessions available. Tickets are valid for 12 months. Children of York residents enter for free.
Visitors taking a close look at clothing and shoes in the Secrets Of Dress exhibition at York Castle Museum. Picture: Duncan Lomax, Ravage Productions, for York Museums Trust
“I’m thrilled to be playing Elle Woods,” says Emma Swainston. “It’s a dream role!” Picture: Matthew Kitchen Photography
OMIGOD You Guys! Legally Blonde The Musical is coming to York Theatre Royal in York Light Opera Company’s fabulously pink production from February 13 to 22.
The sassy and stylish award-winning musical comedy with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach is directed by Martyn Knight.
Emma Swainston will take the role of Elle Woods, a seemingly ditzy sorority girl with a heart of gold, who tackles the strictures and preconceptions of Harvard Law School to win back her man. Along the way, Elle discovers her own strength and intelligence, “proving that you can be both a beautiful blonde and brilliant”.
York Light Opera Company’s full cast for Martyn Knight’s February production of Legally Blonde The Musical. Picture: York Light Opera Company
Based on Amanda Brown’s novel and Australian director Robert Luketic’s 2001 film for MGM, Legally Blonde The Musicalis billed as a fun, feel-good show with a powerful message about staying true to yourself.
Martyn Knight says: “We are so excited to bring this empowering and hilarious show to York. Our production will celebrate Legally Blonde’s joy and energy while highlighting its important message of self-discovery and female empowerment.”
Emma Swainston will be following up her appearances on the York stage in Doctor Doolittle, The Railway Children, Fiddler On The Roof and as Sister Mary Leo in York Light’s Nunsense: The Mega Musical! at Theatre@41, Monkgate, last summer.
“Elle is a really inspiring character and I can’t wait to share her journey with the audience,” says York Light lead actress Emma Swainston
She will be part of a cast of 35, also featuring Zander Fick as Emmett Forrest, Emily Hardy as Paulette Bonafonte, Neil Wood as Professor Callahan, Emily Rockliff as Vivienne Kensington, Helen Miller as Enid Hoopes and Pippa Elmes as Brooke Wyndham.
Emma says: “I’m thrilled to be playing Elle Woods; it’s a dream role! Growing up I watched Reese Witherspoon play Elle in the original in the film on video, on repeat… and she’s such an icon. Elle is a really inspiring character and I can’t wait to share her journey with the audience.”
York Light Opera Company presents Legally Blonde The Musical, York Theatre Royal,February 13 to 22, 7.30pm nightly except February 16; 2.30pm, February 15, 20 and 22. February 17’s performance will be British Sign Language Interpreted. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
York Light Opera Company’s poster for Legally Blonde The Musical at York Theatre Royal
Let us pray…for laughs: The Little Sisters of Hoboken and Ben Wood’s Brother Timothy in York Light Opera Company’s Nunsense: The Mega-Musical! Picture: Matthew Kitchen
BLACK box theatre. Thick walls. No air conditioning, beyond a smattering of cooling fans. Then add nuns’ habits and wimples and the hottest night of the year.
No wonder, in the last breaths of her climactic big number, Clare Meadley’s Sister Mary Hubert suddenly exclaimed: “God it’s hot in here.”
The stultifying heat made the opening joke of Act 2 even more apt. “How do you make holy water?” “Boil the hell out of it!”. Theatre@41 boiled the hell out of us all, actors, Martin Lay’s band up high on the mezzanine level, and audience members alike, some improvising impromptu fans from programmes.
Good news – if not for sun worshippers – lies in the weather forecast. Lower temperatures for the rest of this week, even lower next week. Hallelujah, as the Little Sisters of Hoboken might well sing.
Or at least the last 12 still standing – and dancing, singing, acting, and telling jokes, too – after Sister Julia, Child of God’s dodgy Vichyssoise put paid to 52 of the sisters in a culinary catastrophe. Forty-eight have been buried but, heaven forbid, Reverend Mother Mary Regina (Joy Warner) has chucked money at buying a plasma TV, leaving the final four in limbo in the convent freezer.
Now the Little Sisters must stage a revue and talent show to raise the necessary funds, taking over the set for the 8th grade’s production of Grease at the neighbouring Mount St Helen’s School, James Dean & Marilyn Monroe posters, Fifties’ jukebox et al.
Cue the out-of-touch Reverend Mother mistakenly thinking the high-school musical was called Vaseline, but otherwise Grease references are not milked in Dan Goggin’s 1985 off-Broadway musical comedy.
Inspired by attending a school run by the Marywood Dominican Sisters that first spawned his line of greetings cards of a nun’s funny quips, Nunsense grew from a cabaret show into a full-scale production and later the Mega-Musical version with an expanded cast, more characters and more comic mayhem that Neil Wood is directing for York Light. In a nutshell, more fun per nun.
See Emily play: Emily Rockliff’s scene-stealing Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense: The Mega-Musical!. Picture: Matthew Kitchen
No nun pun is knowingly resisted by Goggin, from the song title Nunsense Is Habit Forming to the sisters’ vow that “on our way to heaven, we’re here to make some hell”, all in the cause of proving that “nuns can be fun”.
Five principal nuns each have a story to tell in both song and tale, enabling nuns and York Light alike to parade “triple threat” skills, whether Emma Craggs-Swainston’s Sister Mary Leo’s ballet dancing on point, or Emily Rockliff’s restless Sister Robert Anne, desperate to outgrow her “understudy” role, the convent equivalent of rising from chorus line to lead, as she parades her gift for mimicry with her wimple.
Kathryn Addison has fun with Sister Julia’s life-endangering cooking, Warner’s Reverend Mother maximises the comedy pratfalls in inhaling a mind-altering substance, and best of all is Annabel van Griethuysen’s forgetful but unforgettable Sister Mary Amnesia, parading her operatic voice, comic timing in eye contact and vocal delivery, even hammy ventriloquism with grouchy nun puppet “Maryonette”, all topped off by a country cowgirl song.
The humour is broad in range and style, occasionally smutty, sometimes slapstick, never subtle, and Goggin’s songs are similarly varied, from gospel to Andrews Sisters’ close harmonies, familiar musical theatre tropes to an ensemble tap-dancing dazzler, choreographed joyously by Rachel Whitehead.
Wood’s cast adheres wholly – and holy – to Goggin’s advice to “play nuns trying to be showgirls and not the other way round”, to the betterment of the show’s hearty comedy.
For added entertainment, the role of Father Virgil will be played in The Play What I Wrote guest turn tradition by a different actor at each performance. First up was Richard Bayton, setting the bar high in his good-natured cameo.
After The Sound Of Music and Sister Act The Musical, once more nuns are making a habit of entertaining in song and dance and unguarded humour in Nunsense. And that habit is catching: even stage manager Sarah Craggs is in nun’s clothes.
York Light Opera Company in Nunsense: The Mega-Musical!, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, running until July 6, 7.30pm (except June 30, July 1 and July 6); 3pm, June 29 and 30 and July 6. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Habit forming: Sarah Foster’s Sister Mary Brendan, back row, left, with, front row, from the left, Clare Meadley’s Sister Mary Hubert, Emily Rockliff’s Sister Robert Anne, Joy Warner’s Reverend Mother and Emma Craggs-Swainston’s Sister Mary Leo in a scene from Nunsense: The Mega-Musical!
NUNS, nuns and more nuns. Musicals love them, from The Sound Of Music to Sister Act and now Nunsense: The Mega-Musical!, York Light Opera Company’s summer show at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York.
Running from June 26 to July 6, the divine delights of Dan Goggin’s 1985 off-Broadway musical are being directed by Neil Wood with musical direction by Martin Lay.
“Get ready for a heavenly dose of laughter as we present a side-splitting extravaganza brimming with witty humour, toe-tapping tunes and heavenly hilarity, as well as in tap dancing, tightrope walking and ventriloquism” says Neil.
“Anyone expecting The Sound Of Music will be disappointed; anyone not expecting it will be overjoyed.”
In the wake of the unfortunate passing of four beloved sisters – now “chilling out in the freezer” after a “culinary catastrophe” involving Sister Julia’s dodgy Vichyssoise – the remaining Little Sisters of Hoboken find themselves in a sticky situation.
To raise funds for a proper burial – and perhaps a new cook! – the nuns must take centre stage for a riotous revue and talent show like no other, performed on the set of a school production of Grease that is being staged next door.
Building on the success of last June’s “riotous, rude and relevant” I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, York Light will stage a “mega-sized version” of Goggin’s show with an expanded cast, new characters and even more musical mayhem.
Neil Wood’s full cast for Nunsense : The Mega-Musical!, including late replacement Kathryn Addision, bottom row, second from left, and the ten Father Virgils
“It’s an absolute pleasure to return to York Light Opera Company to direct their summer show for the second year running,” says Neil. “Nunsense: The Mega-Musical is an exciting, hysterical and entertaining show and I’ve been lucky enough to cast 12 exceptionally talented actresses who encapsulate their various characters to perfection. It’s a wonderful show, which I’m sure audiences will adore.”
Among them will be Kathryn Addison, taking over from the indisposed Pascha Turnbull as Sister Julia, Child of God, at only five rehearsals’ notice.
One further cast hitch has required a novel solution, Neil reveals: “As with producing any show, you come across little hiccups, and our original Father Virgil [Matt Tapp] being sent to the Highlands a month before opening night was possibly the most extreme hiccup I’ve had to deal with as a director.
“So, what’s the solution? Do you find one actor who can cover all ten shows at late notice? No! Instead, we’ve found ten actors who can do one night each with limited rehearsal!”
Inspiration came from comedy national treasures Eric and Ernie. “I got the idea having seen the guest actors in The Play What I Wrote, the show based on the life of Morecambe and Wise, and it’s worked exceptionally well!” says Neil.
“We had such a good response from the gentlemen of York Light Opera Company and within days I’d managed to cast all ten performances. It was difficult to get one replacement actor to do all the rehearsals and performances at short notice, and a lot easier to get ten to do one show each, saying ‘tell me when you can’t do it’ and then getting my Father Virgil spreadsheet sorted out by the end of the weekend!”
Among them will be York musical actor, York Theatre Royal box-office manager and 2016 Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Richard Bayton, soon to appear in Bright Light Musical Productions’ York premiere of Green Day’s American Idiot at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre.
Sing something wimple: Emily Rockliff’s Sister Robert Anne to the fore in a rehearsal for York Light’s Nunsense: The Mega-Musical!
“It’s not a huge part, but it’s vital,” says Neil. One that requires only one rehearsal, as Richard explains. “We’ve all been sent the ten pages that Father Virgil features in to learn the lines. Then, on the night I’ll turn up at 6pm to prepare for the 7.30pm start, getting into the inner, deep characterisation of what it means to be Father Virgil, sorting out the blocking on stage and finding out who I’m supposed to be flirting with!”
Neil is enjoying his first experience of Nunsense. “I remember that it came to the West End in my nipper days and thought, ‘well, that sounds an interesting show’,” he recalls. “But I’d never thought about it again until I was approached by the York Light committee to direct their summer show for the second time in a row after I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.
“It’s an ideal contrast, a chance to have a totally different cast, with those 12 female roles. It started as a five-hander that’s now a much bigger ensemble show after Dan Goggin wrote more characters and more numbers, and he’s even done a version where you could add children, though we won’t be. “
Neil has even received advice via Goggin’s Facebook posts. “He signs all his posts as ‘Danny’, rather than ‘Dan’,” he says. “He’s advised the cast that they’re playing nuns trying to be showgirls and not the other way round, with ‘choreographed imperfections’ that go with that.”
He loves Goggin’s music too. “Sometimes, you come across a show and you think, ‘um, not sure’, but this one has a fantastic score: there’s country music, Andrews Sisters’ close harmonies, gospel, traditional musical theatre songs, even a ballet routine and tap-dancing nuns!
“Rachel Whitehead has choreographed the ballet and the tap number, and the rest of it has come out of that twisted mind of mine! The lovely thing about doing it at Theatre@41 is that because it’s a smaller space, it’s intimate. There’s no ‘fourth wall’ in the show but there is interaction with the audience because it’s that sort of show.”
Working alongside Neil is assistant director Sarah Foster, from Missouri, USA, who is in the third year of her PhD studies at the University of York.
Annabel van Griethuysen’s Sister Mary Amnesia, left, Emma Craggs-Swainston and Emily Rockliff’s Sister Robert Anne in the rehearsal room
“I saw the show at the theatre where I was directing with a company in Springfields, in the middle of nowhere! One of the 12 to 15 Springfields that The Simpsons never reveal exactly where they’re from,” says Sarah, who has helped the York Light cast to work on their American accents, just as she did for York Musical Theatre Company’s The Wizard Of Oz in May.
“I first saw the five-hander and I remember I was struck by just how genuine the show was; how funny it was; the variety of the nuns’ different stories and the variety of the songs. I wasn’t expecting the tap number in the middle!”
Sarah was involved with Springfield Little Theatre for eight years, mostly performing in musical theatre, before taking up her PhD studies in How the Arts Influenced Climate Change and Sustainability Education.
She finds time to maintain her theatrical involvement, whether as production assistant on York Light’s February production of The Little Mermaid at York Theatre Royal or now playing Sister Mary Brendan.
“She’s one of the teachers at the school connected to the convent,” she says of her role. “She’s the drama teacher who’s putting on the production of Grease.”
Summing up the show, Neil says: “The humour is bonkers with elements of farce, but not a Brian Rix or Feydeau farce. The humour comes from the five principal nuns’ stories unravelling as the Mother Superior tries to hold it all together, not always with successfully!”
“Their personalities keep bursting through, making it more difficult for the Mother Superior to control them,” adds Sarah.
Clare Meadley’s Sister Mary Hubert, front, and Sarah Foster’s Sister Mary Brendan, left, in rehehearsal for the Little Sisters of Hoboken’s fund-raising revue
Nunsense suits the “triple threat” talents of York Light, says Neil. “It needs good operatic singing, country & western belts too, good dancers and good actors, and that’s the joy of working with York Light. There are so many talents you can go to.
“The show is great family entertainment, with a couple of jokes that might go over young heads. Goggin knew what he wanted, and it’s not often you get a script that is so detailed and so full of possibilities to make it funny.”
“The comedic timing is really well thought out,” says Sarah. “And I’m also going to enjoy this show so much because it’s interactive, with conversations with the audience.”
Neil rejoins: “The fourth string to the director’s bow is being able to choreograph those laughs. I love to look for those moments.”
He highlights the comedic impact of a nun’s attire: the habit and wimple. “For the actors, the wimple absolutely focuses the importance of facial expression, but not to go over the top because expressions are magnified by the wimple’s shape,” he says.
“The habit limits the possibilities of the choreography because it restricts movement, but in a good way for comedy, as we have nuns trying to be showgirls, and not the other way round. We even have nuns on point in one number.”
The band members, perched on the mezzanine level, add to the visual impact too. “They’ll all be dressed as monks and vicars, and our musical director, Martin Lay, is playing the role of Father Patrick, leading the heavenly chorus,” says Neil. “Even the stage manager, Sarah Craggs, will be a nun!”
York Light Opera Company in Nunsense: The Mega-Musical!; Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, June 26 to July 6, 7.30pm (except June 30, July 1 and July 6); 3pm, June 29 and 30, July 6. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Sing something wimple: Emily Rockliff’s Sister Robert Anne to the fore in a rehearsal for York Light Opera Company’s Nunsense: The Mega-Musical
FROM nuns in a riotous revue to a celebration of Caribbean culture, The Fonz’s memoirs to Ballet Black’s heroes of dance, Charles Hutchinson’s arts diary matches the June sunshine.
York musical of the week: York Light Opera Company in Nunsense: The Mega-Musical!, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, 7.30pm, June 26 to 28, July 2 to 5; 3pm; June 29 and 30, July 6
AFTER the unfortunate passing of four beloved sisters in a “culinary catastrophe”, the remaining Little Sisters of Hoboken find themselves in a sticky situation. To raise funds for a proper burial (and perhaps a new cook), the nuns take centre stage for a riotous revue unlike any other.
Director Neil Wood brings Dan Goggin’s musical to mega-sized life in a version that boasts an expanded cast, new characters and even more musical mayhem. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Lynda Burrell, left, and Catherine Ross, founders of exhibition curators Museumand, at the launch of 70 Objeks & Tings at York Castle Museum. Picture: Gareth Buddo
Exhibition of the week: 70 Objeks & Tings, York Castle Museum, until November 4; Mondays, 11am to 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm
70 OBJEKS & Tings, a celebration of 75 years of Caribbean culture, showcases 70 items that connect us to the Windrush Generation in an “extraordinary exhibition of the ordinary”.
Curated by mother and daughter Catherine Ross and Lynda Barrett, founders of Museumand, the National Caribbean Heritage Museum, it features objects that combine familiarity and practicality and have been passed down the generations. On show are cooking and household goods, food packaging and beauty supplies, funeral items, music, games, books and newspapers. Tickets: yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk.
Alexandra Kidgell: Soprano soloist for Haydn’s The Creation at York Minster
Classical concert of the week: York Musical Society, Haydn’s The Creation, York Minster, tonight, 7.30pm
FOUR years later than first planned – blame Covid – York Musical Society performs Haydn’s oratorio The Creation under the baton of musical director David Pipe. The choir and orchestra will be joined by soloists Alexandra Kidgell, soprano, Nathan Vale, tenor, and Thomas Humphreys, baritone.
The Creation was composed in 1797, following Haydn’s visits to London, when he was inspired by hearing Handel’s great oratorios, such as the Messiah, sung by huge choral gatherings.
“Haydn’s oratorio is one of the most upbeat and enjoyable works in the repertoire, with plenty of drama for the chorus to bring to life,” says Pipe. “We are excited to have the chance to perform The Creation in York Minster’s inspiring surroundings.” Box office: 01904 623568, at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk or on the door.
Mostly Autumn: Highly summer concert at The Crescent tonight
York band of the week: Mostly Autumn, The Crescent, York, tonight, 7.30pm
MOSTLY Autumn may have been called “the best band you have never heard”, but that is a misnomer in their home city of York, where Bryan Josh and Olivia Sparnenn-Josh’s classic rock combo play tonight.
Twenty years of gigging, whether headlining or supporting Blackmore’s Night, Uriah Heep, Jethro Tull and Bryan Adams, goes into performing their combination of Seventies’ rock and prog-rock, peppered with a sense of the future. Box office: thecrescentyork.com.
Henry Winkler: American actor discusses The Fonz and more on Sunday
Coolest show of the week: Henry Winkler, The Fonz & Beyond, Grand Opera House, York, tomorrow, 7.30pm
HEY, Happy Days star HenryWinkler shares stories of his life on the 50th anniversary of his time in Hollywood after being told he would “never achieve”.
The Emmy award-winning actor, author, director and producer, now 78, is promoting his Being Henry memoir as he reflects on his sitcom days as The Fonz, the Happy Days role that defined a generation of cool, as well as subsequent appearances in Arrested Development, Parks And Recreation and Barry. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
Tom Jones: Returning to Scarborough Open Air Theatre for the first time since July 2022
Coastal gig of the week: Tom Jones, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, June 26, gates open at 6pm
SEATED tickets have sold out for Welsh whirlwind Tom Jones’s outdoor gig in Scarborough but that still leaves room for standing. Sixty years since releasing his first single, Chills And Fever, in 1964, he is still blowing those bellows as powerfully as ever at 84, having made history as the oldest man to notch up a number one with an album of new material in the UK Official Album Charts in 2021 with Surrounded By Time, overtaking Bob Dylan.
Expect It’s Not Unusual, What’s New Pussycat?, Delilah, She’s A Lady, Green, Green Grass Of Home, Kiss, You Can Leave Your Hat On, Sex Bomb et al from Sir Tom. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats: Introducing new album South Of Here at York Barbican
Rhythm & blues gig of the week: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, York Barbican, June 27, doors 7pm
NATHANIEL Rateliff & The Night Sweats play York Barbican as the only Yorkshire venue on their six-date South Of Here summer tour.
Noted for supplying the zeal of a whisky-chugging Pentecostal preacher to songs of shared woes, old-fashioned rhythm & blues singer and songwriter Rateliff will be showcasing his Missouri band’s fourth studio album on the eve of its Friday release. William The Conqueror support. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Crowning glory: Ballet Black in If At First, on tour at York Theatre Royal
Dance show of the week: Ballet Black: Heroes, York Theatre Royal, June 28, 7.30pm
CASSA Pancho’s dance company returns to York with the double bill Ballet Black: Heroes. Choreographer Mthuthuzeli November contemplates the meaning of life in The Waiting Game, a 2020 work infused with a dynamic soundtrack featuring the voices of Ballet Black artists.
Franco-British artist Sophie Laplane, choreographer-in-residence at Scottish Ballet, follows up her 2019 Ballet Black debut, Click!, with If At First, her exploration of “a more subtle heroism, a quieter triumph over adversity, in a struggle that unites us all”. Humanity, heroism and self-acceptance combine in this celebratory piece. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Eliza Carthy: Performing solo at the NCEM, York, and Fylingdales Village Hall
Folk gigs of the week: Eliza Carthy, National Centre for Early Music, Walmgate, York, June 28, 7.30pm; Fylingdales Village Hall, Station Road, Robin Hood’s Bay, June 30, 7.30pm
ELIZA Carthy, innovative fiddler and vocalist from the First Family of Folk, heads from Robin Hood’s Bay to York for a solo gig at the NCEM. At once a folk traditionalist and iconoclast, she revels in centuries-old ballads and Carthy compositions alike.
In her 32-year career, Carthy has performed with The Imagined Village, The Wayward Band and The Restitution, collaborated with Paul Weller, Jarvis Cocker, Pere Ubu, Rufus & Martha Wainwright, Jools Holland, Patrick Wolf and Kae Tempest, served as president of the English Folk Dance & Song Society and artist in residence in Antarctica and been described by comedian Stewart Lee as “not the Messiah, but a very naughty girl”. Broadside balladeer Jennifer Reid supports at the York gig. Box office: York, for returns only, 01904 658338 or ncem.co.uk; Robin Hood’s Bay, trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/57434.
David Ward Maclean, centre, and musical friends Sarah Dean and Steve Kendra
Retirement concert of the week: David Ward Maclean and Friends, with special guest Edwina Hayes, Friargate Theatre, York, June 29, 6.30pm
YORK music scene stalwart and busker supreme David Ward Maclean plays his retirement gig with friends on the eve of his 66th birthday (June 30). “I’m retiring from all public performance, except the occasional open mic when I fancy it, maybe the odd charity appearance if requested, and will be focusing on finishing recording some 40 unreleased songs of mine,” he says.
Joining David will be The Howl & The Hum’s Sam Griffiths, Bradley Blackwell, Sarah Dean, Steve Kendra, Emily Lawler, Dan Webster, Paul Heaney, Al Hamilton, Robert Loxley Hughes, Amy Greene, Sarah Jennifer and special guest Edwina Hayes. Box office: wegottickets.com.
Stuart Vincent’s Amir in The Kite Runner at York Theatre Royal. Picture: Barry Rivett
THE return of The Kite Runner and Forest Live, a mega-musical full of nuns and a new case for Holmes & Watson add intrigue and woodland joys to Charles Hutchinson’s week ahead.
Play of the week: The Kite Runner, York Theatre Royal, running until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2pm Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday matinees
DIRECTED by Giles Croft, Matthew Spangler’s adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s novel presents a haunting tale of friendship that spans cultures and continents as it follows Amir’s journey to confront his past and find redemption.
In his childhood recollection, Afghanistan is on the verge of war and best friends Amir (Stuart Vincent) and Hassan (Yazdan Qafouri) are about to be torn apart. Amid the excitement of a Kabul kite-flying tournament, no-one can foresee the terrible incident that will shatter their lives forever. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Murder mystery to solve: Calf 2 Cow in Sherlock & Watson – A Murder In The Garden at Helmsley Walled Garden
Immersive murder mystery experience of the week: Calf 2 Cow, Sherlock & Watson – A Murder In The Garden, Helmsley Walled Garden, tomorrow, 7pm (gates, 6pm)
WHEN a body is mysteriously found lying in the middle of Landsdown Manor Gardens, the police have no option but to persuade Sherlock Holmes to take on his toughest case to date.
Assisted by the loyal Watson, the detective duo must battle through villains to discover who is behind the murder in Bath comedy troupe Calf 2 Cow’s new adaption, full of slapstick, multi-role playing and rock’n’roll, penned by artistic director Matthew Emeny. Bring chairs, blankets and picnics. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.
Richard Hawley: Made in Sheffield, performing in Scarborough
Yorkshireman of the week: Richard Hawley, Scarbrough Spa, tomorrow (20/6/2024), 7.30pm
ON the heels of his Olivier Award-winning Sheffield musical Standing At The Sky’s Edge opening a six-month West End run at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, Richard Hawley showcases his ninth studio album In This City They Call You Love on his late-spring tour. Scarborough hosts the closing night. Box office: scarboroughspa.co.uk.
Nile Rodgers: Turning Dalby Forest into a disco floor with CHIC on Saturday, when Sophie Ellis-Bextor & Deco will be on the bill too
Welcome return of the week: Forest Live at Dalby Forest, near Pickering, Bryan Adams, Friday; Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Saturday; Richard Ashcroft, Sunday; gates 5pm
FORESTRY England revives Forest Live at Dalby Forest for the first time since 2019 for three nights of open-air concerts in aid of woodland conservation. Canadian rocker Bryan Adams, he of forest fame from (Everything I Do) I Do It For You for Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves, on Friday night will be followed by disco icons Nile Rodgers & CHIC on Saturday and the Wigan singer, songwriter and The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft on Sunday. Box office: forestlive.com.
Jessa Liversidge: Two Bards And A Songbird, one concert and a workshop in Helmsley. Picture: David K Newton
English and Scottish union of the week: Jessa Liversidge, Two Bards And A Songbird, Helmsley Arts Centre, Saturday, 7.30pm
EASINGWOLD singer and choir leader Jessa Liversidge presents her celebration of song inspired by two bards: William Shakespeare and Robert Burns, from her native Scotland. Her heartfelt performance spans traditional folk, pop and musical theatre, sung to her piano accompaniment plus a loop pedal to layer melodies and sounds.
Audience suggestions are invited to enable Jessa to improvise a new song around a Shakespeare/Burns quotation. From 4pm to 6pm, she will host a harmony-singing workshop for participants to sing in the evening show, with a combined ticket available for the workshop and concert. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.
York Light Opera Company cast members in rehearsal for Nunsense: The Mega-Musical
York musical of the week: York Light Opera Company in Nunsense: The Mega-Musical!, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, 7.30pm, June 26 to 28, July 2 to 5; 3pm; June 29 and 30, July 6
AFTER the unfortunate passing of four beloved sisters in a “culinary catastrophe”, the remaining Little Sisters of Hoboken find themselves in a sticky situation. To raise funds for a proper burial (and perhaps a new cook), the nuns take centre stage for a riotous revue unlike any other.
Director Neil Wood brings Dan Goggin’s musical to mega-sized life in a version that boasts an expanded cast, new characters and even more musical mayhem. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk
Tom Jones: Returning to Scarborough Open Air Theatre, where he last performed in July 2022
Coastal gig of the week: Tom Jones, Scarborough Open Air Theatre, June 26, gates open at 6pm
SEATED tickets have sold out for Welsh whirlwind Tom Jones’s outdoor gig in Scarborough but that still leaves room for standing. Sixty years since releasing his first single, Chills And Fever, in 1964, he is still blowing those bellows as powerfully as ever at 84, having made history as the oldest man to notch up a number one with an album of new material in the UK Official Album Charts in 2021 with Surrounded By Time, overtaking Bob Dylan.
Expect It’s Not Unusual, What’s New Pussycat?, Delilah, She’s A Lady, Green, Green Grass Of Home, Kiss, You Can Leave Your Hat On, Sex Bomb et al from Sir Tom. Box office: scarboroughopenairtheatre.com.
Sully O’Sullivan: Putting the comedy boot in on June 28 in Malton. Picture: Andy Hollingworth
Comedy gig of the week: Hilarity Bites Comedy Club, Sully O’Sullivan, Don Biswas and host Danny Deegan, Milton Rooms, Malton, June 28, 8pm
SULLY O’Sullivan has played New Zealand, Australia, Croatia, Canada and all over Great Britain, now adding Malton to that list. Politically charged Don Biswas covers such subjects his Asian upbringing, his neuro-diversity as someone with dyspraxia, ADHD and ASD [Autism Spectrum Disorder], topped off with conspiracy theories.
Northern comedian, writer and actor Danny Deegan hosts the show with tales of mischief and multiple characters. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.
Alison Moyet: 40th anniversary album and 2025 tour, visiting York Barbican next February. Picture: Naomi Davison
Gig announcement of the week: Alison Moyet, York Barbican, February 20 2025
MARKING 40 years since she left Yazoo to launch her solo career, Essex soul singer Alison Moyet will play York Barbican on her 25-date 2025 itinerary, her first headline tour since 2017.
After graduating from Brighton University in 2023 with a first-class degree in fine art printmaking, Moyet will combine art and music on her 18-track October 4 album, Key, creating the artwork as well as reworking singles, fan favourites and deep cuts, complemented by two new songs. Box office from 10am on Friday: yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/alison-moyet-2025/.
And then there were nuns: York Light Opera Company’s flyer for Nunsense: The Mega-Musical
THE Little Sisters of Hoboken will be bigger than ever in Nunsense: The Mega-Musical, York Light Opera Company’s summer show at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York.
Running from June 26 to July 6, the divine delights of Dan Goggin’s musical are being directed by Neil Wood with musical direction by Martin Lay.
“Get ready for a heavenly dose of laughter as we present a side-splitting extravaganza brimming with witty humour, toe-tapping tunes and heavenly hilarity,” says Neil.
In the wake of the unfortunate passing of four beloved sisters – now “chilling out in the freezer” after a “culinary catastrophe” involving soup – the remaining Little Sisters of Hoboken find themselves in a sticky situation. To raise funds for a proper burial – and perhaps a new cook! – the nuns take centre stage for a riotous revue like no other.
For the uninitiated, Dan Goggin’s 1985 off-Broadway musical promises a night of unforgettable entertainment, featuring:
● An all-singing, all tap-dancing cast of the Little Sisters of Hoboken, each with their own delightful personality.
● A script packed with jokes and side-splitting situations.
● Show-stopping song-and-dance numbers.
● A heart-warming message of community, perseverance and finding humour even, in the face of adversity.
Building on the success of last June’s “riotous, rude and relevant” I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, York Light will stage a “mega-sized version” of Goggin’s show with an expanded cast, new characters and even more musical mayhem.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to return to York Light Opera Company to direct their summer show for the second year running,” says Neil. “Nunsense: The Mega-Musical is an exciting, hysterical and entertaining show and I’ve been lucky enough to cast 12 exceptionally talented actresses who encapsulate their various characters to perfection. It’s a wonderful show, which I’m sure audiences will adore.”
One cast hitch has required a novel solution, Neil reveals: “As with producing any show, you come across little hiccups, and our Father Virgil [Matt Tapp] being sent to the Highlands a month before opening night is possibly the most extreme hiccup I’ve had to deal with as a director.
“So, what’s the solution? Do you find one actor who can cover all ten shows at late notice? No! Instead, we’ve found ten actors who can do one night each with limited rehearsal! Keep your eyes on social media to find out who.”
Inspiration came from comedy national treasures Eric and Ernie. “I got the idea having seen the guest actors in The Play What I Wrote, which is a show based on the life of Morecambe and Wise, and it’s worked exceptionally well!” says Neil.
“We had such a good response from the gentlemen of York Light Opera Company and within days had managed to cast all ten performances. However, that’s just one little treat for the audience…
“…Throw in tap dancing, tightrope walking and ventriloquism and you know you are in for a night you will never forget.”
York Light Opera Company in Nunsense: The Mega-Musical; Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, June 26 to July 6, 7.30pm (except June 30, July 1 and July 6); 3pm, June 29 and 30, July 6. Box office: tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Who’s who in the cast?
Reverend Mother Mary Regina: Joy Warner; Sister Mary Hubert: Clare Meadley (except July 5 and 6), Alison Davies , July 5 and 6; Sister Robert Anne: Emily Rockliff; Sister Mary Amnesia: Annabel van Griethuysen; Sister Mary Leo: Emma Craggs-Swainston; Sister Julia, Child of God: Kathryn Addison, replacing Pascha Turnbull, with only five days of rehearsals to go; Sister Mary Brendan: Sarah Foster; Sister Mary Luke: Chloë Chapman; Sister Mary Wilhelm: Madeleine Hicks; Father Virgil: as explained above; Brother Timothy: Ben Wood; Sister Mary John: Alison Davies (except July 5 and 6); Sister Mary Matthew: Amy Greene; Sister Mary Mark: Sophie Cunningham.
Pascha Turnbull’s Ursula, James Dickinson’s Flotsam and Adam Gill’s Jetsam in York Light Opera Company’s Disney’s The Little Mermaid. All pictures: Matthew Kitchen Photography
THREE matinees this week are testament to the family appeal of Disney’s aquatic adventure The Little Mermaid, a show ideal for half-term week.
Across the city from February 16 to 18 at York Barbican, a Tylosaurus, the largest predatory marine reptile to ever grace our oceans and now the largest marine puppet ever made, will be making a big splash in a purpose-built tank in Jurassic Live. “If you sit near the front, you will get wet,” comes the safety alert.
No such warning is necessary at the Theatre Royal, but in the absence of water, everything else is thrown at director/choreographer Martyn Knight’s hi-tech production: an LED screen by AV Matrix; flying by Blue Chilli Flying; images and animations by Broadway Media Distribution and additional scenic elements by Scenic Projects, Lowestoft, and Curtain Call Productions, Crewe.
Bon appetit: Zander Fick’s Chef Louis
The tentacle costume for 6ft tall Pascha Turnbull’s evil sea witch, the giant squid Ursula, has been made specially by Caroline Guy, to go with a spectacular array of sea-world costumes by Spotlight Costume Hire and additional costumes created by York Light.
Wardrobe coordinator Carly Price has overseen a sewing team of ten, complemented by 21 dressers at the theatre; ten people in Ellie Ryder’s wig, hair and make-up team; ten more in the stage crew, all serving a cast of 43. Set building took 14 people; Paul Laidlaw conducts an excellent nine-strong orchestra, three of them on keyboards.
Those numbers tell you this is a big, expensive show to mount, taking on the challenge of staging a musical produced originally by Disney Theatrical Productions, based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale and John Musker and Ron Clements’s animated 1989 film for Disney.
Monica Frost’s Ariel in mermaid mode in Disney’s The Little Mermaid
Built on a book by Doug Wright, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater, this is every inch a Disney show, in style, content and philosophy, but Knight’s cast still brings a York Light air to it too.
This is helped by the experienced presence of not only Turnbull’s terrific villain, Ursula, but also Neil Wood’s mandarin Grimsby, Martin Lay’s bird-brained Scuttle and in particular Rory Mulvihill’s stern King Triton, ruler of the underworld.
Turnbull’s Ursula and her henchmen with the flashing footwear, James Dickinson’s Flotsam and Adam Gill’s Jetsam, savour the dark side with more than a hint of pantomime villainy, and Turnbull’s rendition of Poor Unfortunate Souls is a formidable finale to Act One.
Neil Wood’s Grimsby and James Horsman’s Prince Eric
Jonny Holbek’s Caribbean crustacean, Sebastian the crab, carries the heaviest comedy load, and although painting a face red to deliver a calypso caricature in Under The Sea might not be on a par with a white actor blacking up as Othello in 2024, the Jamaican jive could sit awkwardly for those who cringed at Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
Nevertheless, Holbek is such a personable presence on stage – witness his Dewey Finn lead turn in School Of Rock last November – that his Sebastian goes down well, breaking down theatre’s fourth wall in the style of a panto daft lad.
Under The Sea, by the way, is as big and bright and fun as the big ensemble number should be, while Monica Frost’s Ariel, the mermaid who makes a deal with Ursula to take on human form (at the cost of her voice), relishes her spotlight in Part Of Your World in a resolute lead performance.
Rory Mulvihill’s King Triton
Lay’s Scuttle and the Seagulls could not be more positive in Positoovity, danced to tap choreography by Rachel Whitehead, and if you want an actor to maximise a cameo with comic flair and French drama, step forward Zander Fick’s Chef Louis in Les Poissons in the palace kitchen.
Roller-skating is all the rage under the sea for Triton’s daughters (Frost’s Ariel, Annabel Van Griethuysen’s Aquata, Helen Miller’s Andrina, Madeleine Hicks’s Arista, Chloe Chapman’s Atina, Sophie Cunningham’s Adella and Sarah Craggs’s Allana), who swish hither and thither and sing siren-style.
James Horsman’s Prince Eric, the royal who would prefer to be a sailor, is played as straight as a ruler, fitting the Disney tropes of dark hair, slim frame and mono-focus on his one – find his bride – task in hand.
Jonny Holbek’s Sebastian the crab and Ryan Addyman’s Flounder performing Under The Sea
Ryan Addyman, who had everyone talking about his Jamie New in York Stage’s Everybody’s Talking About Jamie Teen Edition last June, was promptly head-hunted to play Flounder, and he anything but flounders as Ariel’s fabulous fish sidekick here. One to watch, definitely.
Dial M for Mermaid if you enjoy Disney with a York Light touch, colours galore, fairytale fantasy, Turnbull terrors and Mulvihill regal authority
Performances: 7.30pm nightly, plus 2.30pm, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday matinees. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Martin Lay’s Scuttle, front, and the Gulls dancing Positoovity in York Light’s tap number in Disney’s The Little Mermaid
Pashca Turnbull in full regalia as Ursula, the sea witch, in York Light Opera Company’s production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Picture: Matthew Kitchen
WHY is the seaweed always greener in someone else’s lake? Find out in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, the spectacular finale to York Light Opera Company’s 70th celebrations that opens tonight (7/2/2024) at York Theatre Royal to coincide with half-term week.
Director Martyn Knight and musical director Paul Laidlaw are at the wheel for this underwater adventure with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater and book by Doug Wright, based on Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairytale and John Musker & Ron Clements’s 1989 animated film.
York Light bring LED projection, dazzling costumes and choreography by Rachel Whitehead to the timeless enchanting tale of Ariel, a mermaid who dreams of trading her tail for legs to explore the human world. Aided by mischievous sidekick Flounder and the cunning Ursula, Ariel strikes a bargain that will change her life forever, but all is not what it seems.
Ariel will be portrayed by Monica Frost, Flounder by Ryan Addyman, Sebastian the crab by Jonny Holbek, Prince Eric by James Horsman and King Triton by the York stage stalwart Rory Mulvihill.
Billed as “the now renowned witch performer”, Pascha Turnbull will play sea witch Ursula, the greedy squid with powers of dark magic that, spoiler alert, will lead to her banishment.
“I haven’t seen the live action re-make [Rob Marshall’s 2023 film] – on purpose! Melissa McCarthy plays Ursula in that version. No pressure there then!” says Pascha.
How would she describe Ursula? “I think she’s more than cunning. She’s sly, devious, manipulative…she’s just awesome! Some little girls dream of being princesses, but some dream of playing villains – like me! Baddies absolutely have more fun – and you don’t have to kiss anybody!
“The big powerful woman, the larger-than-life character, is just something I’ve always enjoyed. On top of that, my natural singing voice is alto –they tend to play villains – and I’m 6ft tall.”
Pascha Turnbull being made up for the role of evil squid Ursula in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Picture: Matthew Kitchen
Armed with “lots of tentacles I have to co-ordinate”, Pascha forms a new York Light team with James Dickinson’s Flotsam and Adam Gill’s Jetsam. “We’re Team Evil, as we call ourselves. James and Adam are even taller than me, so we’re a formidable team when we’re on stage together!” she says.
“I’ve seen James and Adam in other shows, like Joseph And The Mazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and James happens to work in the print industry, like me.”
Should you be wondering, Pascha and her brother Nick – even taller at 6ft 5ins – run Inc Dot Design & Print, in Seafire Close, York, a print and graphic design company set up by their father, John Turnbull, in 1980.
“I’ve always said it’s great to be tall because you always get served at the bar,” says Pascha, who will be part of a cast of 40 in York Light’s show, performing a suitably big solo number, Poor Unfortunate Souls, to boot. “That song sums up her manipulative nature. She’ll help people to live out their dreams, but there’s always a payment required!”
Looking forward to playing the York Theatre Royal stage, Pascha says: “York Light have always done their February shows there. It’s a heck of a feeling performing in such an iconic theatre building, and just having that professional experience around you is fantastic. Being back in that theatre makes you feel giddy,
“The fact that we’re doing this show over half-term means so many more people can see it, especially with all the matinees, and anything that encourages people into the theatre is a good thing. I’m very excited!”
York Light Opera Company in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, York Theatre Royal, tonight 7/2/2024) until February 17, except February 12. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
York Light Opera Company’s cast for Disney’s The Little Mermaid
Monica Frost’s Ariel
Ariel: Monica Frost Ursula: Pascha Turnbull Mersister Aquata: Annabel Van Griethuysen Mersister Andrina: Helen Miller Mersister Arista: Madeleine Hicks Mersister Atina: Chloë Chapman Mersister Adella: Sophie Cunningham Mersister Allana: Sarah Craggs Prince Eric: James Horsman
York Light debutant Ryan Adamson in the role of Flounder
Grimsby: Neil Wood Flounder: Ryan Addyman Sebastian: Jonny Holbek Scuttle: Martin Lay King Triton: Rory Mulvihill Flotsam: James Dickinson Jetsam: Adam Gill Chef Louis: Zander Fick
Annabel van Griethuysen’s Mersister Aquata, “Ariel’s mean, ambitious and devious big sister”. Picture: Matthew Kitchen
