One Snowy Night

A WINTER treat for young children is now on at the Albany Theatre.

One Snowy Night is a heart-warming story, based on the bestselling Percy the Park Keeper books by Nick Butterworth.

It has been adapted by renowned theatre company Slot Machine and is full of songs to sing along to, furry puppet friends to meet and blankets to be tucked up in.

For those not in the know, Percy the park keeper always feeds the animals in the park where he lives.

But one cold winter’s night, Percy finds his little friends shivering on the doorstep looking for somewhere warm to sleep.

Squirrel, Fox, Badger, Hedgehog and friends warm their collective paws (and claws) in Percy’s home until they too are disturbed by a little something burrowing into the hut from below!

The show is brought to life by a cast of three including puppeteer and Balham resident Amy Tweed.

"It's a lovely story and is a joy to be working on," says Amy. "It's about Percy who looks after a park and one night there is a really heavy snowfall and one by one all the animals come to his front door looking for shelter.

"It's quite simple but it's also very funny. There are great songs and all the animals have their own characters so it's a really fun show to do - my favourite is the fox but I also really like the four tiny mice.

"Between myself and the other puppeteer we operate 48 different animals so it's going to be quite something and we have got our work cut out!"

Amy and the rest of the cast and crew are currently in rehearsals for the show which starts at the Douglas Way theatre on Tuesday (dec 10).

"I am an actor really but I have done a few productions involving puppetry and it's the third time I've done this show so I know it well.

"What's really good about this one is that most shows at this time of year really focus in on Christmas but this is just a nice winter story. Kids are so fond of the books that it's fantastic to be part of something that brings the characters they love to life in such a visual way.

"And it's great especially for those for whom it's the first time in a theatre. It's very special and amazing to see their faces as they watch it."

One Snowy Night is on at the Albany from Tuesday, December 10 until Saturday, Decembver 29

Tickets cost £9.50. Call the box office on 020 8692 4446 or visit www.slotmachinetheatre.com or www.thealbany.org.uk for dates and times.

Cinderella - The Unicorn

FIVE STARS

CINDERELLA is one of the great fairy stories most kids know - a girl who is mistreated by her wicked step-mother but who eventually wins the hand of the handsome Prince Charming.

And a fantastic, modern re-imagining of the story by theatre company Travelling Light, is brought beautifully to life at the Unicorn Theatre.

When Ella's mother dies, she is brought up by her devoted and loving father who not only teaches her to dance but he also teaches her the names and calls of the woodland birds that surround her home.

Together they spend happy hours together in the forest. But before long her father re-marries and Ella's peaceful life is turned upside down by some new and unpleasant relations - namely her step-mother and her twin children.

Tragedy strikes soon after the wedding with the untimely and perhaps suspicious death of her father and things are never the same again for Ella.

Her step-mother forces her away from her beloved feathered friends and the woods and forces her to clean all day and sleep by the fire at night.

But one day Ella escapes back to the forest and meets a fellow bird enthusiast trying to find some ellusive birds.

They become friends, but all is not as it seems.

It is an utterly delightful show with a great script and a far cry from the schmalzy saccharine Disney version - and all the better for it. In fact in places it's quite dark too - think hacked off toes!

But with a stellar cast of five including Sarah Kameela Impey as Cinderella and Mark Kane as the unconventional Prince, beautiful music and puppetry all tied together in a quirky, funny and cleverly written story, this is a total joy.

Cinderella is on at the Unicorn Theatre, Tooley Street until January 5.

Tickets cost from £15. Visit www.unicorntheatre.com or call the box office on 020 7645 0560

Peter Pan - review

FOUR STARS

PETER Pan is not a story that is easily translated into a panto - for a start there is no Dame in the original story - but the creative team behind Croydon's Fairfield Halls has largely succeeded.

Starring EastEnders' hard man Phil Mitchell, aka Steve McFadden as Captain Hook and Croydon regular Quinn Patrick as Mrs Smee, the Dame, it is an exuberant and entertaining show with all of the obligatory Christmas cracker type jokes, slapstick, local and topical references, note-perfect songs, energetic dancing and versatile set.

Thanks to amazing visual special effects, zip wires and a bit of magic we are transported first to the London home of the Darlings where we meet the children - Wendy, Michael and John - and their nanny, Mrs Smee who tells them a story about Peter Pan, the boy who doesn't want to grow up.

As they go to sleep we see Peter's shaddow flit about the stage before he flies in through the window to find it.

When the three Darling children wake up and see him - or is this all a dream, we are not quite sure - they immediately become friends and travel with him to Neverland where they meet pirates, Indians, a life size and very realistic looking croc, mermaids and of course the Lost Boys.

They then embark on an adventure to rid Neverland of the evil Captain Hook before Wendy and her brothers have to go home.

David Ribi is suitably boyish as Peter Pan and is more than at home flying above the stage on wires and Elizabeth Carter makes a delightful Wendy.

There is a great supporting cast to help the show along many of which take on multiple roles. Kelly Chinery and Nathaniel Morrison are hilarious as both the mermaids and the Indians.

But it is the double act that is Steve McFadden and Quinn Patrick which is the star of this particular show.

Their scenes with each other were hilarious and in one scene disaster nearly struck when Mrs Smee nearly came out of her boat and into the orchestra pit. And Steve McFadden proves he can do more than be a gruff mechanic as he brings a tender side to his role as Hook.

Peter Pan is on at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon until Sunday, January 5, 2014.

Tickets from £17. Visit www.fairfield.co.uk or call 020 8688 9291.

Jack and the Beanstalk - Southwark Playhouse

A PANTO with a twist is how acclaimed playwright and director Toby Hulse describes his latest Christmas extravaganza.The show, Jack and the Beanstalk, which is staged by theatre company Goat and Monkey and penned by Toby, has just opened at the Southwark Playhouse. But if you think it's traditional panto fare, he advises you to think again.

"It's got everything you would expect of course when it comes to a traditional pantomime with giants, a beanstalk and all the usual songs and silliness," he chuckles. "But it's got an extra layer and there are a few twists, thrills and spills I guarantee you won't expect."

Some of these are closely guarded secrets - he doesn't want to spoil anything but think Mexican dancing beans, milk squirting cows and a play within a play.

"It is a family show, a lot of fun and the audience is very much part of the action and help create the show," he says. "So we expect everyone to be up for a good time and get involved."

What he will say is the premis is that of a group of actors who are trying to get a panto together but they are late doing so.

An inspector, hidden within the audience, is due to visit and so the group is in the process of trying to tidy up and put on the show - and they get the audience to help them.

"We as a society are constantly being inspected and assessed so it's a theme which is current and topical," says Toby.

"I also enjoy the show within a show idea as it allows the actors to comment on what's going on. It allows for lots of extra jokes and explains the plot in many different ways."

Toby is no stranger to writing festive shows, having penned the acclaimed production of Wind In The Willows at Wimbledon's Polka Theatre last year.

However, he says this year's has been particularly exciting as the Southwark Playhouse has moved to its new bigger home in Newington Causeway from under the London Bridge railway arches.

"It's a much easier space to work in and has a good sized auditorium," he says.

"When I sat down with the producers and talked about how we could involve the audience we looked at the geography of the building and discovered secret routes in to the auditorium which was fantastic. So it's been a particular joy to do."

But while he is no Christmas show novice he admits the pressure is always on to deliver the goods.

"I think there is always pressure particularly at Christmas, to put something on stage that you can't get anywhere else. We can't get this sort of entertainment from watching a DVD or watching TV.

"This is something a family can do all together - and it doesn't exist without the audience shouting back!

"This one begins the moment you enter the theatre and you are very much part of the show. It continues through the interval and afterwards - it's a proper evening out.
"It is also a real privilege to write a show like this because you are aware it could be a child's first experience of theatre.

"We all tell each other stories by reading books or talking about what we did during the day or at school. Telling stories is how we keep communities together and so it's a privilege to share a story like this. It's a very special thing."

Jack and the Beanstalk is on at the Southwark Playhouse, Newington Causeway until January 11. tickets from £16. Call the box office on 020 7407 0234  

The Elephantom - review

FIVE STARS

IMAGINE having an elephant in your house. And one which is particularly wild and cheeky. Well that is the situation in which one little girl finds herself in a production of The Elephantom at the National Theatre's Shed stage.

The show is an adaptation by Ben Power of Ross Collins' acclaimed book of the same name.

It features a cast of nine including the amazing puppeteers who manipulate the Elephantom.

At first we see the Girl, played by Audrey Brisson and her Mum and Dad going through the motions of their everyday lives. It is all ordered and structured and their movements are beautifully choreographed.

But the Girl is clearly lonely as her self absorbed parents spend most of their time engrossed in each other and pay little or no attention to their daughter.

But one night she has a dream and a blue elephant comes to visit. At first she is a bit scared of him but then she realises he has a sense of humour and she comes to enjoy having him around - not least because he is the only creature who gives her any attention.

But then he starts being mischievous and brings his friends round for a party and things start to get out of hand.

Full of wit, beautifully acted and choreographed, with lots of clever detailing and hugely inventive, this is a show for all ages.

And the sight of elephants disco dancing, jiving and congo-ing about the small stage will stay with me forever.

This is definitely one Elephantom in the room who will get noticed. Just brilliant.

The Elephantom is on at The Shed until January 11. Tickets cost £12. Call the box office on 020 7452 3244  

Interview with Tom Crook - Gruffalo man!

THERE can't be many parents of pre-schoolers who are not familiar with The Gruffalo.

Written by award-winning author Julia Donaldson in 1999, and with the now familiar illustrations of Axel Scheffler, the delightful tale of the brave and wily mouse who meets the unassuming monster in the deep dark wood has sold millions of copies around the world, spawned the sequel, The Gruffalo's Child, and was even adapted into a film shown on the BBC in 2009.

For those who may not have come across it, it is the story of a mouse who takes a walk through the woods one day and comes across three of his natural predators.

By sheer cunning he manages one by one to convince them not to eat him and instead to worry about the Gruffalo, a creature with, amongst other things, terrible teeth in his terrible jaws, prickles all over his back and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose, and who is partial to roasted fox, owl ice cream and scrambled snake.

It is currently the subject of a stage play, now on at the Lyric Theatre in the West End and starring Streatham-based actor Tom Crook in the title roll.

For the 31-year-old it is a dream job, despite the costume which he admits is not designed for non air-conditioned theatres.

"It's an amazing show. The reaction we've had so far has been fantastic and I'm having such a blast doing it but the costume makes me get very hot and sweaty," he laughs cheerfully. "It's like a boiler suit of fur."

He has joined the show after a successful UK tour in The Gruffalo's Child.

"Julia Donaldson's stories are beautifully written and are now considered modern classics," he says.

"I leapt at the chance to be in both shows because the characters are so well known and described so well in the books and kids love them.

"We get lots of audience participation as you can imagine which is fantastic. Kids are the best audience," he adds.

"They don't sit politely, they are with us the whole way through the show, laughing, singing, shouting, up on their feet, pointing and just having the best time - which is just as it should be. It's brilliant."

The show is about an hour long and has enabled the creative team to "flesh out" the story and its characters as well as introduce some music and songs.

"There are only about 80 lines in the book so it's given us a chance to think about what the animals would look, talk and act like if they were human which has been fun," says Tom.

"The snake is slinky, a good mover and quite vain! The Owl is quite stuffy and rigid so we've created him as a world war fighter pilot and the fox is a country squire.

"It's really brought them to life and the audience gets to see them for a bit longer than they appear in the book.

"The kids love it though - but woe betide any of us who says the wrong word or in the wrong order," he chuckles. "They know the story so well they can recite it perfectly and are not afraid to tell us if we've got it wrong. It's fantastic.

"But it just shows the brilliance of the book - the fact that children have taken to it in the way they have."

The show runs until mid January before it goes on another tour so Tom will be wearing his costume a while yet.

"We are taking it to Hong Kong and Singapore for a children's festival there which will be fun though it will mean wearing the fur a bit longer.

"It makes you realise how many theatres aren't air conditioned and just concrete boxes with lights."

And then it will be back home to Streatham where he's lived for the past three years.

"It's the longest time I've lived anywhere in London and I love it," he enthuses. "People give it a bad press but I think it's very unfair.

"It's got great transport links - fantastic for getting to the West End when I'm working there - and loads of great shops and cafés.

"It has a real proper community feel to it and is really vibrant - what's not to love!"

The Gruffalo is on at the Lyric until Sunday, January 12. Tickets cost from £14. Call the box office on 0844 482 9674  

Emil and the Detectives

Stuart McQuarrie as Mr Snow (credit Marc Brenner)

FOUR STARS

THE annual Christmas show at the National Theatre is always hotly anticipated and this year's gem is a production of Erich Kästner’s 1920s book Emil and the Detectives.

It stars a gaggle of about 50 kids who dominate the stage whenever they are on it. Indeed they seem to relegate the adult actors to mere supporting cast members for much of the time.

In short they are a joy to watch.

The story of a young boy's adventure in the big city is a good one too and will appeal to most kids. Young Emil is despatched from his small home town of Neustadt to Berlin by his mother. He takes with him 140 marks which he is instructed to give to his Grandmother when she meets him at the station.

However, on the train to Berlin he meets the shady and franky creepy bowler-hatted Mr Snow, brilliantly played by Stuart McQuarrie.

Mr Snow deftly steals the money and leaves poor Emil alone and frightened - not least about what his mother will say about the matter.

But Emil is made of stern stuff and not one to be downcast for long, he enlists the help of Berlin's children to find Mr Snow and get his money back.

There then follows a brilliantly choreographed race through the streets of Berlin to find the thief and a chance for the youngsters to show the audience what they are made of.

The parts played by the children are rotated between three different sets of youngsters and the night I saw it Ethan Hammer played Emil, giving an assured performance.

He was ably assisted by Georgie Farmer as Toots, Izzy Lee as his tom-boyish bike-riding cousin, Pony the Hat and Keeyan Hameed who won the audience's hearts with his portrayal of the put upon but persistent Tuesday, who is continually assigned to man the phones rather than get stuck into the action.

The whole production was great and Bunny Christie's amazing set should get a special mention as it was stunning.

But the stars are of course the children and seeing them rush pell mell through the stalls' seats in pursuit of the dastardly Mr Snow and the stolen cash was fabulous.

Emil and the Detectives is on until Tuesday, March 18 at the Olivier Theatre. Tickets from £12. Call the box office on 020 7452 3000.

Panto - Puss In Boots - Greenwich Theatre

FIVE STARS

IT'S panto season again and Greenwich Theatre's offering of Puss in Boots is an absolute belter.

Written by, directed by and starring Andrew Pollard, it is panto at its best. In fact, after nearly 10 years of writing the Crooms Hill theatre's annual Christmas show, it is Andrew's best yet and boy what a show.

From the moments the lights go down and the music starts, the gag-ometer is practically off the scale with all the magic, mayhem, silliness and outrageous costumes seasoned panto goers have come to expect with more than a few hilarious ad libs along the way.

This year it has a distinct French feel. Set in Paris it tells the tale of how Puss, played by Alim Jayda and owner Sam (Luke Striffler) find themselves penniless and alone after Sam's father dies.

But all is not well. A band of goblins, led by the evit Count Da Cash, is stealing everything from King Croissant's coffers and they won't stop til they get his daughter, the hilariously named Princess Petit Filou.

It's up to Sam and Puss aided and abetted by the King, Petit and Fruity Fifi to save the day before Puss runs out of his nine lives.

As befits any decent panto there are lots of interactions with the audience as well as amazing sets, fantastic, catchy music, puppetry and a brilliant cast.

Greenwich regular Paul Critoph is back, this time as the King and Andrew Pollard is brilliant as Fifi - her swim in the river is a sight to behold!

Pollard has once again set the bar by which other pantos are judged - and this one is about as high as you can get.

So if you only see one panto this Christmas, make it Greenwich's Puss in Boots - it will have you laughing out loud well into the New Year.

Puss In Boots is on at Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill until Sunday, January 5.

Tickets from £21, children's tickets half price. Call the box office on 020 8858 7755

Rainer Hersch at the Southbank Centre

THINK you know all those Christmas songs? Well listen to Rainer Hersch's interpretations and you may want to think again.

The comedian, writer, performer and classical musician will be bringing his own unique take on a selection of Yuletide tunes from yesteryear which have graced the charts at a special concert at the Southbank Centre next week.

From The Beatles to Mr Blobby, Harry Belafonte to the Human League and Benny Hill to the Military Wives, Christmas No.1 SINGALONG! will be a veritable jamboree of classic UK singles chart Christmas number ones.

"I have done a lot of shows at the Southbank Centre over the years. It's a lovely venue and the perfect place to do a mix of comedy and music which is what this is," he explains.

"Originally I was going to do Christmas songs from the 70s and 80s but then I thought number ones would be more interesting and fun to do so I'm looking forward to it."

But don't expect any of the original versions.

"My background is in classical music and a lot of the songs are quite classical in the way they are constructed. However, I will be doing my own special rendition of them, mashing them up a bit," he laughs.

"It's basically a sing-along, stand-up comedy trip down memory lane all rolled into one and the audience are very much part of the show."

Rainer's dual love of comedy and classical music began when he was at school.

"My first love was music and I got a real buzz out of it," he says. "My act of rebellion as a teenager was classical music. I got obsessively interested in piano and went to lots of concerts - many of which were at the Southbank Centre.

"I did a degree in economics but carried on playing music and started writing comedy shows. Eventually one fine day I realised I could earn a living out of doing both and I've not looked back."

Indeed he now performs shows all over the world as both a stand-up, soloist and with full size orchestras as well as his own eight-piece band.

And it will be this band who will be joining him on stage next week along with actress and singer Charlotte Page.

"Charlotte Page will help me do 15 numbers," he says. "Eight of them are cast iron classics and include Bohemian Rhapsody, and Ernie (the fastest milkman in the West) - they absolutely require audience participation!"

They will also be grouped in to categories including Classic, Novelty and Christian Songs.

"True classics are like those done by Slade," he says. "Those are my favourites because they are about having a good time over Christmas and put you in a party spirit. Not like Mr Blobby and the Band Aid single which are really cringy.

"Slade's Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day is definitely my favourite but imagine if it was Christmas every day – everything would be closed and we would be eating Turkey every day! It's nonsense!

"So, I will be doing a bit of song deconstruction as well. It'll be a bit like a Christmas cracker - full of surprises and hopefully go with a bang!"

Christmas No.1 SINGALONG! With Rainer Hersch and his orchestra is on at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre on Saturday December 14. Tickets cost £20. Call the box office on 0844 847 9910.

Glenn Tilbrook

MENTION the name Glenn Tilbrook and most people will immediately think of the pop band Squeeze.

The Woolwich-born singer songwriter rose to fame with the group which was formed in Deptford in 1974.

Together, Glenn and friend and fellow Squeeze member Chris Difford were responsible for penning some of the catchiest songs to grace the charts - including the likes of Tempted, Cool For Cats and Up The Junction.

But after an astonishing 13 albums the group went their separate ways in 1999 after 25 years together.

It gave Glenn the breathing space to throw himself into a solo career which saw him release two albums, one of which featured actor Johnny Depp on guest vocals, and form another band, The Fluffers.

But there was clearly unfinished business when it came to Squeeze and in 2007 the band reformed releasing a greatest hits album and going on tour.

Since then Glenn, who still remains true to his South London roots, has continued to work on a variety of solo and other musical projects.

He's just back from a two-month tour of America, has a new album to promote and is catching his breath before he sets out on a string of dates across the UK - including at Blackheath Halls on Saturday, December 14.

"Life is good," he says. "In fact it's pretty amazing. I've just got back from America where I went all over the place. At one point our driver said we'd done about 13,800 miles in six weeks. Unbelieveable!

"Now I'm doing a two month tour of the UK which I'm really excited about."

It's an eye-watering schedule but for a pro like Glenn it's par for the course and as we chat it's clear he has lost none of the passion and enthusiasm for the job which he says is the best in the world.

"It's great fun being on the road and exploring," he enthuses. "There really is nothing like it and I'm very lucky because people still want to come and listen but it can be exhausting," he admits laughing.

However, his latest outing is with neither Squeeze nor The Fluffers or indeed as a duo with Chris. Instead it is a totally stripped back solo affair.

"Touring on my own is quite liberating," he says. "I love being in the band but it's nice to do things on my own from time to time and I realised I hadn't done that in the UK for about six years so thought it was about time I did!

"The great thing about being by myself is it can get a lot more experimental.

"I work without a set list so I'm never completely sure about what I'm going to play until I'm on stage which makes it fun.

"The audience will have to come prepared to listen to a bit of everything - whether it's Squeeze the Fluffers or my solo work."

That's quite a lot to pack in then?

"It's not a bad back catalogue," he admits chuckling. "It's an amazing legacy and I'm immensely proud of my career and all the stuff I've done, particularly with Chris - we've had our ups and downs but we have written some great songs over the years and always end up coming back to each other. We are a good team."

And without wishing to be described as a workaholic, Glenn admits he can't sit still.

"I've got lots of projects on the go," he laughs warmly hinting at a collaboration with Chris on a new record early next year.

And there is another exciting project in the pipeline with Squeeze.

"We are working on some songs to go with Danny Baker's autobiography which is being made into a TV series," he says. "We have known him forever and it's a great project for a band like us to be involved in so that's been terrific."

But in the meantime Glenn is focusing on the gigs and his new album - Happy Ending - due out in January.

"The album has been influenced by, and is a comment on what's going on at the moment - things like Leveson Inquiry and the economy. It will be released as a vinyl, CD and download package which is exciting.

"And it will be good to be back in Blackheath. I still live up the road in Charlton and am very much a South London boy so it's always special to play on my home patch."

Glenn Tilbrook is at Blackheath Halls on Saturday, December 14. Tickets cost £18 in advance or £20 on the door. Call the box office on 020 8305 9300 or 020 8463 0100 or visit www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/blackheath-halls/

Blues Band

FOR Gary Fletcher, the old adage of being in the right place at the right time couldn't be more true.

The Streatham-born base player with the Blues Band was working as a cabbie in between gigs with other groups when drummer Wilgar Campbell got in his taxi.

"We got chatting and before you know it I met (Blues Band member) Dave Kelly who was forming a band with Paul Jones and Tom McGuinness from Manfred Mann and they eventually asked me to join," says Gary.

"It was pretty amazing really!"

That was 1979 and over the decades that have passed the group has stuck together touring across the globe and recording about 20 albums culminating in their current release Few Short Lines.

They are currently on a UK tour which sees a pit stop at Blackheath Halls on Saturday. (dec 8).

And for Gary it will be a welcome return home.

"We play here quite often," he says warmly. "It's a lovely venue. I visit quite regularly as I still have friends in Streatham where I grew up and whenever I'm here I always arrive a bit early so I can go for a bite to eat at one of the great restaurants before a walk over the heath."

And he adds the band is looking forward to the gig not least because Jona Lewie will be joining them on stage.

"We are very excited about it actually," he says warmly. "I have no idea what we'll be playing - with us there's no set list so sometimes we can end up playing stuff we haven't done for years so we just jam along. We usually get away with it though," he laughs.

"What's amazing is we never thought for one minute when we started that we would still be here all these years later but we are very grateful that we are.

"We've never been in the rock star category but do it because we love gigging and making good albums - we've never shifted albums for our pension funds!" he chuckles..
"And I think we've lasted because we only do about 65 dates a year, we have other interests outside the band and we never travel together so we aren't in each others pockets all the time. It works and we are still good mates which is great!"

The Blues Band is at Blackheath Halls on Saturday, December 7. Tickets cost £22. Call the box office on 020 8305 9300 or 020 8463 0100 or visit www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/blackheath-halls/

Scottsboro Boys - review

FOUR STARS

IN 1931 nine black teenagers boarded a train in Scottsboro, Alabama, in search of a new life. By the end of their journey, their lives – and those of every American – would be changed forever.

The boys were falsely accused of raping two white girls and were arrested, tried and found guilty. In fact over the years, they were tried numerous times and each time the guilty verdict was returned - despite one of the girls retracting her statement and admitting she lied.

Their story, which deeply divided America, had a powerful effect on American history and the American Civil Rights Movement and is now widely regarded as a miscarriage of justice.

And although this is a distressing and disturbing story that does nothing for the reputation of the American South, it provided the inspiration for Scottsboro Boys, a musical by award-winning composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb in 2010.

A production is now on at the Young Vic and a more powerful, uplifting and emotionally charged show you would be hard pushed to find.

Featuring five of the original Broadway cast, the acting, singing and dancing is terrific - in particular that of Kyle Scatliffe as Haywood Patterson, the most outspoken of the teenagers.

And although there is a slight unease at tapping ones foot along to songs about being electrocuted in the electric chair and lynchings the show is uplifting in its message about humanity and hope.

The direction is strong, the musical numbers tug at the heartstrings and the partnership of Colman Domingo and Forrest McClendon as Mr Bones and Mr Tambo and a host of other characters is an inspiration.

And despite it being a bladder busting 105 minutes without an interval this is a quite simply an extraordinary show that should not be missed.

The Scottsboro Boys is on at the Young Vic, The Cut, Waterloo until December 21.

Tickets from £10. Call the box office on 020 7922 2922.