After the purgatory of lockdown it was a joy to rediscover live theatre again.  The start of the year was still hamstrung by postponements and cancellations as Covid disrupted performances, three attempts to see “looking good Dead” starring Eastenders’ Adam Woodyatt were thwarted by cast illness.

For me, the year was dominated by some superb children’s shows.

At Derby Theatre– “The Emperors New Clothes” was a brilliant, seditious reimagining of the story as a parable on Fake News

At Birmingham rep – “Jack and the beanstalk” was the best preschool  show I have ever seen with a single set, a cast of three and talent and imagination to burn.

The modern jukebox musical continues to evolve.

At Birmingham Rep  “the King of Reggae” a musical of the music of Bob Marley with a narrated connecting story opened new possibilities for the genre, part concert/ part history and a fabulous  musical score.

At Wolverhampton Grand “ the  Cher show Musical revue” used three Chers to cover the singers’  career narrating their own section, yet interacting  with others in a case of timeslip. The music was terrific, the story compelling.

Drama shone too.

At the Alexandra Theatre Birmingham, “Fatal attraction” shrugged off the shackles of the film to become  a  strong contemporary   story. Kym Marsh shone in the role Glenn Close  made famous.

At Sutton Coldfield’s amateur Highbury theatre the cast created an intense juggernaut of a production of “The Strange case of Dr jekyll and Mr hyde.” A confined space and fine acting can create theatrical magic as happened here.

2023 now approaches with a full programme, behind the arras and myself will be there to bring them to you.