A Kick in the Baubles – Sutton Arts

Posted on February 1, 2026 by garylongden
A quiet Christmas in

A kIck in the Baubles

Sutton Arts have rekindled a little known gem with this production.

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It is a family, domestic, one set,  melodrama which borrows from Alan Aykbourn’s  “seasons’ greetings” and Mike Leigh’s “ Abigail’s Party”.

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Written by Gordon Steel for the  estimable Hull Truck theatre company,  “ A Kick in the Baubles” is an edgy piece, combining  family chaos with the dramatic discomfort of Abigail’s Party. There is humour aplenty, tension, and a happy ever after ending which is a little too twee  for my liking – as the prodigal daughter returns.

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Steel grew up in the North East in Stockton as a “Smoggie” a Smog Monster from Middlesborough. The dialogue is wry, dry and authentic and eerily akin to   fellow  writer Geordie  Ian le Frenais and his work with hit television series “The Likely Lads”.

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 Recently unemployed Frank and his long suffering wife Jean are the pivot around which the action unfolds. A visit from jeans haughty   sister and ageing Lothario husband Harry is to be endured, not enjoyed.

Uninvited  neighbours karaoke King  Gary (Dan Holyhead )  and his own dimensional  wife ( Bex Perry) provide the physical  comedy and bawdiness.

Why are the greatest protagonists for karaoke the biggest boors? Bex brought out her Broad St best with the lowest cut top possible and shortest pvc mini skirt. The entire front row was agog as she took her curtain call bow.

 Milly Bailey (tilde Porter) has the difficult task of playing the errant daughter straight, and does so well amidst the comic mayhem

The proceedings are salami slice into two acts subdivided into eight scenes announced by an onstage screen, creating a soap opera feel.

Steel,  serves up two cups of bawdy , fizzing comedy to one of sentimentality, and piles up the clichés and one line gags as high as the Ferrero Rocher.

The play’s central character Frank,  combines a world weary ennui with a razor sharp vision of what is around him and a waspish turn of phrase in expressing it in a warm, satisfying production

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Forever Clapton – Nottingham Royal Theatre

Posted on January 20, 2026 by garylongden

As the tribute genre matures so some acts are emerging into pre eminence. The likes of the Australian Pink Floyd now  fill large venues in their own right. One glance at the tour schedule for Forever Clapton shows an act vying for that status.  The Nottingham Royal theatre has an illustrious history not only for theatre but also live music-  Jimi Hendrix played here in 1967.

Tribute shows have now come of age. No-one attends a Beethoven concert and complains that he was neither conducting nor playing. As the Rock and Pop era draws to a close, its protagonists becoming infirm, dead or retiring, so the opportunity to fill that growing void is growing while its musical popularity remains.

Clapton is a shrewd  choice for a tribute act. With over 280million   record sales he is widely known, but he has never had a reputation for lavish stage productions, and personally he can best be described as having a taciturn stage presence, providing new productions with plenty of leeway for reinterpretation.

Forever Clapton are a six piece band  featuring Benny Smith as Eric, drums, bass, keyboards and two female backing singers. The show is chronological, starting with the Bluesbreakers, taking in Cream’s greatest hits and following his solo career thereafter. A projected backdrop of vintage images with some live footage accompanies proceedings. The setlist is shrewdly chosen combining crowd pleasers like “Bad Love” with lesser known gems like “All Our Past Times”.

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Benny is excellent as Eric with an accomplished technical guitar technique honed since his first live performance aged ten. Physically similar to Eric, he replicates the notes and sound  exactly, but wisely  reinterprets the licks and solos to give it a contemporary feel.

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However  the success of the show lies in the arrangements – which are superb. The keyboards are very Steve Winwoodesque. Matt  Cowley on drums is at his best channelling his inner Ginger Baker. The secret weapon is the two backing singers whose harmonies are flawless, how I would have loved them to sing “ Can’t Find My Way Home”. Visually they also offer  a pleasing counterpoint.

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Obviously they finish with  a tumultuous “Layla” amongst numerous highlights, but above all this is a show with heart, exemplified by the band mixing with their beaming fans in the foyer after curtain down. A triumphant show, and a fine tribute to Eric. I shall be catching the band again later on the tour.

Gary Longden

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Song Sung Blue – Film review

Posted on January 14, 2026 by garylongden

Song Sung Blue

I am not the target market for this film. I hate the song “Sweet Caroline” ( which is reprised half a dozen times) , am not a fan of Hugh Jackman, and do not own a single Neil Diamond record. And yet… I was largely won over by this formulaic feel good film.

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It is a film about the redemptive power of music and the capacity of the human spirit to recover from adversity. Diamonds music is ubiquitous, you don’t have to like him to acknowledge his song writing skills, and even though “Caroline” is done to death in the film, there is sufficient high quality  alternative material to carry the day.

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The true story is not slavishly followed. The two hour condensed version works, but struggles with the massive mid plot gear change. a scene where some Lynyrd Skynyrd/ ZZ Top biker fans take issue with Diamond’s “Suleman” is undermined by the fact that I would have like to have punched Jackman too.

Kate Hudson is charismatic and engaging as Clare opposite Jackman’s  Mike performing as a Diamond tribute act. The plot twists are neat, with some humorous lines and the set pieces are well done. But There is always a battle between Karaoke and schmaltz. The first act concentrating on the music works far better than the second as emotional drama.

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The Housemaid- film review

Posted on January 9, 2026 by garylongden

A pulp fiction blockbuster powerhouse as a novel by   Freida McFadden  having sold six million copies. It would be an impossibility to convert that into a two hour film, so I approached it as  a stand alone entity

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It worked. Spooky ( if knowingly so), gruesome ( gratuitously), pacy, slick and taut it is one of the best modern horror/chillers that I have seen, albeit a predictable formulaic one.

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Tamanda Seyfried, is chillingly unhinged  as  perfect housewife Nina Winchester, whose perfection does not last long.

Sydney Sweeney stars as Millie Calloway, a young woman with a troubled past who takes a live-in housekeeping job out of necessity with secrets of her own. She plays younger than her age in a provocative Jeffrey Epstein sort of way as prey to , Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar). The finale is frenetic and compelling as Millie takes control with eroticism never far away, deftly handled by Director Paul Feig, The book is different from the film but the latter has been recrafted well

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David Bowie – the final Act -film review

Posted on January 4, 2026 by garylongden

I approached this with some trepiastion. What was “the Final Act”?

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Was it Blackstar? an album much lauded in my view simply because of the extraordinary circumstances in which it was made by an extraordinary musical artist. Beyond the title track, “Heathen “ and the “Next Day” are far stronger collections of songs.

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Is the knowledge that your death is imminent a  positive creative spur, or an imperative to do what you can with what you have where you are?

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Then there are the protagonists. Were they chosen because they had valuable insights, or because they themselves were  ,marketable, therefore making the film more marketable?

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The significance of Blackstar as a concept is well explored, as is Bowie as a modern standard bearer for the artistic, an spiritual  journey of us all.

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The promoter john Giddings view on David’s foray into Tin Machie was risible. Reeves Gabrel’s recollections way off beam, mainly in his anticipation of his own ability. Viv Goldman’s belief that th negative reviews took a pick axe to David’s ego- is absurd.

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Visconti ,and Wakeman ( looking unnervingly like a retired Sergeant Major), make the shrewdest observations.  Dana Gillespie is delightfully humble and unassuming. Her estimation of Angie’s contribution to  his stylistic metamorphosis generous. Gary Kemp the perfect voice piece for the fans.

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The music journalist’s verdict on Tin Machine- that they hoped it would go away, was amusing- as they did.

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The narrative arc is not chronological, but still contains some gems- not least some wonderful footage of a Young Americans performance with a stellar backing vocal team.

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Goldie adds nothing to the story ,Moby does. David’s prescient interview with Paxman about the Internet continues to astonish and amaze- the significance of his Glastonbury show is overstated. The magnificence of his performance is not. He sachays on with a supreme fey nonchalance imploring us to  “Love me love me say you do”. Of course we do David!

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Slicky excels- David is not the only one who smiles when Earl launches into “Stay”. He, Garson and Visconti emerge as David’s soul mates. Visconti’s  mealy mouthed refusal to mention Co Co Schwab by name is curious, the vignette of the meeting in which Bowie reveals his illness, heart warming and poignant.

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I do not think this film will win David any new fans, but to aficionados and the cognoscenti,  it is indispensable.

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Ice Road – film review 2021

Posted on December 18, 2025 by garylongden

Enjoyable Hokum starring Liam Neeson set in Manitoba Canada

There are plenty of ice road jeopardy moments- will they go through the ice or won’t they?

Of course there are truck and snow mobile chases.

This is ice road truckers with a bigger budget based around a diamond mine collapse. The baddies are ridiculously portrayed but it is not a documentary or a reality show,  and the story  cracks along at pace as  the “good guys” defeat incredible odds.  An unholy amalgam of Speed and Cliffhanger.

Nonsense- but loads of fun – More in the 2025 sequel set in Nepal also starring Neeson

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Downton Abbey- the Grand Finale, Film review

Posted on December 18, 2025 by garylongden

The final instalment of the film trilogy. Languid, and with a fin de siècle air. Writer Julian Fellowes is now almost 76 years old himself. There is an inescapable sense that he is writing not simply about Downton Abbey but himself as the generational change in stewardship of the Abbey coincides with the tumultuous events of the 1930’s and another world war.

Nothing much happens. Lady Mary takes over. An American shyster is thwarted and that is about it. Apart from the fact that it is now all over. Or is it? Is a new series with Lady Mary  around the corner?

The costumes, particularly the sister’s dresses are to die for, all bias cuts an cowl necks courtesy of Anne Robbins. The cinematography is lush and numerous loose ends over the entire series are tied up Noel Coward comes to dinner. Despite all this the editing of he scenes is frenetic. It is almost as if we are being told-  “if you are finding this  bits slow, here’s  something else!”

A fitting finale to  a wonderful story series.

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Aladdin- Sutton Arts theatre

Posted on December 13, 2025 by garylongden

Panto returns to Sutton Arts after a three year break with  a record breaking sold out run. Harriet Gordon stars as Aladdin giving the role, style, pizzazz , and a fine singing voice.

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This is on of my favourite pantomimes. A bumbling comic Wishy washy is essential and  James Hutt as her brother  delivers the goods in endearing spades. The other essential is a good Dame. Here we haves Aladdin’s mother,  Widow Twankey, played by Paul Atkins with  a pleasingly idiosyncratic characterisation. He plays it pretty straight as a man in a dress with innuendo at a minimum eschewing drag queen excess.

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Sutton Arts theatre is physically quite small, with stage facilities strictly limited. The band play from the bar! But stage designer mark Nattrass pulls off a convincing colourful set as well as playing emperor and air traffic controller, marshalling a commercial Jet 2 flight through the auditorium.

The Princess’s servant  LaLa  steals the show in the comic stakes with her romancing Wishy Washy. Princess Jasmine,  Evie O’Malley is suitably resolute in the face of  Abanazar’s evil. The ubiquitous whole new world of a magic carpet ride, probably obtained on the Soho Rd Handsworth is a showstopper.

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I have played the role of Abanazar myself, and it is a wonderful part which Dave Thane does full justice to opposite his nemesis Jerome Pinnock-Glasgow as the Genie with the ensemble behind. Husband and wife team Dexter and Emily Armstrong  direct a large 25 strong cast who are disciplined, talented and entertain. The three children in my party aged ten, nine and eight loved it.

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Aladdin rubs his lamp  to 20-12-25..

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Cinderella- Lichfield Garrick

Posted on December 13, 2025 by garylongden

Cinderella

The safe option. A traditional panto, at a traditional panto theatre, performed by an experienced traditional theatre company albeit with untraditionally climbing ticket prices.

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Firstly, a disclaimer, I have known the star, Dame Sam Rabone for fifteen years and have performed alongside him. He is a friend, however secondly I paid for my own ticket and those of eleven  of my family who accompanied me ( over £350) – so I can say what I want!

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Production values are high, the stage looks good, and the costumes are bright and shiny courtesy of Amy Chamberlain. The ubiquitous carriage for Cinders drawn by a flying horse is a  visual showstopper.

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Sam plays a villainous ugly sister alongside Matt Daines, as Aldianna and ugly sister Liddleena. Cheap, brash and vulgar- it is a bit like walking down Rugley High street…

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There is always a story behind the story of a good panto .  In this case it is  writer and media polymath Paul Hendy, Emily Wood  and Evolution productions who have  multiple  pantomimes running UK  wide simultaneously .Whilst Evolution guarantee a standard, there is plenty of room for local jokes ( the folk of Rugeley do not escape) and topical political gags.   It is Directed by the Garrick’s artistic director and chief executive, Daniel Buckroyd,  who ensures that the corporate safety net of Evolution has enough space in it for a local dimension.

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My party included six children aged three to twelve. They loved it. The first half of the two and a half hour show ( including interval)   was weighted towards jokes for the adults to enjoy- the second half majored on silliness and was all the better for it. Ben Thornton’s Buttons links proceedings and searches for a girlfriend.

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Cinders is Shannon Bourne , innocent and with a fine singing voice Adam Craig,is her dashing Prince ( Rita Coolidge nothing to be scared of).Clarice Julianda as the trainee Fairy Godmother steals the show.

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The daft ghost sequence is still daft. The children laughed their heads off. This is as reliable Christmas fare as Turkey and trimmings and runs until January.

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Gary’s Oscars- my theatrical Midlands best of 2025

Posted on December 12, 2025 by garylongden

We are so fortunate in the Midlands to have such a diverse range of theatres. I have been equally fortunate to see so many good productions over the year

Unfortunately Zendaya was unavailable this year

As is traditional ,as the year draws to a close, I present my own awards for the most noteworthy  shows of 2025 which I have had the pleasure of seeing:

Best Professional drama

1.Boys from the Blackstuff- Derby theatre. A searing revival of Alan Bleasdale’s best work

2. Dear England- Nottingham Royal theatre. A fantastic biographical  play of the fortunes of England manager Gareth Southgate. For theatre lovers who don’t like football and football lovers who don’t like theatre! At Birmingham Hippodrome in 2026- don’t miss it

3. Murder at Midnight-  Wolverhampton Grand .Another black comedy from the hottest contemporary dramatist around, Torben Betts

Amateur  Drama

Haunting Julia- Sutton Arts an inspired  quirky off beat revival of Aykbourn’s rarely performed  chiller.

Pro Musical

1,Moulin Rouge- Birmingham Hippodrome. A lavish, spectacular  extravaganza with eye watering ticket prices- worth every penny.

2, Top Hat- Nottingham Royal theatre- renowned for its song and dance, but this production also delivers a wonderful comic sub plot. At Birmingham Hippodrome in 2026- don’t miss it

3. Sunny Afternoon- Alexandra theatre Birmingham– fabulous Kinks jukebox musical which soars because of what is on the jukebox.

Amateur  Musical

Sound Of Music- Sutton Arts . If you are going to revive this am dram period piece you had better do it well- and Sutton Arts delivered that  in spades

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