Flaming Nora

To the theatre this week to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.  I'd read the book - but so long ago that I'd forgotten much of what happened in it. I'd not forgotten, however, that the book centered around an autistic boy. How this would be played out on stage would be interesting to see. The play is quite wonderful.  With its stripped back design it's an unusual set but one you soon get used to. The autism is expertly played and I empathised when I recognised some of my own behaviour pattern up there on the stage. As the lead character Christopher takes the train then the London Underground, I couldn't watch. I felt his pain. I've been there, done that, had a bad experience and got myself in a right state too. If you go to see this on stage, stay right to the end. I don't mean to the end of the show, I mean, stay sitting in your seat as other people are putting on their coats and walking out. You'll be rewarded, I assure you. ...

To the theatre this week to see something unusual. Inala - a Zulu ballet featured live music on stage from Ladysmith Black Mambazo along with dancers from the Ballet Rambert.  It was joyous, life affirming, go see it. And then to see the legend who is Jimmy Cliff perform a small gig at Newcastle Riverside. Another joyous night.  Just when I thought the night could not be better than it already was, he only gave me a wonderful cherry on top of an amazing cake when he sang The Pioneers' hit 'Let your yeah be yeah'.  It's one of my most favourite songs in the world, and one that Jimmy Cliff wrote. ______ I'm on twitter @flaming_nora

It's been a busy few weeks. To a talk on Art Deco Sunderland by Michael Johnson as part of Local History Month.  Much was made of the old Regal cinema (which became the Odeon) on Holmeside. It's now a bingo hall but the art deco interior, Michael told us, was one of the best preserved in the country. Also this week to see The Producers on stage. It was the second time I've seen the show and it was as funny as ever. Shame about all the empty seats in the theatre. Sunderland Empire really need to look again at their pricing of tickets to entice folk in.  I'm no fan of Jason Manford but have to admit he was very good in the lead role here, he can act and sing.  David Bedella played the role of Roger de Bris but I remember him as being the Best Frank-n-Furter that the Rocky Horror Show has ever had on stage. To see, for the third time, Matthew Bourne's production of The Car Man . As sizzling hot as ever. And to an independent venue to see The Rise ...

To the theatre three times in the last two weeks, so a blog post is due in case you think I've not been out. First off to the Sunderland Empire to see Priscilla Queen of the Desert, again. Regular readers (hello!) will know I've already seen this musical once before, in London . It was so good that when it went on tour and came to my local theatre, there was no choice but to see it again. It was just as good, just as fun as the first time and I loved it all over again.  In the ladies' loo at half-time, I had a giggle at a poster for an upcoming theatre turn - Psychic Sally.  Someone had lipsticked Sally's eyes red and changed the word Psychic to Psycho. Fab. Theatre visit number two was to the wonderful Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough to see Steve Huison in John Godber's Losing the Plot. This was a two-hander play of Steve Huison (he played Eddie Windass in Coronation Street) and Susan Cookson who looked very familiar from TV. A quick Google show...

My brother's involved in the local Am Dram theatre and this week I went along to see him in a play that's currently on there. As the Entertainments Editor of our local newspaper couldn't get there to review it, my review took centre stage in tonight's Sunderland Echo.  You can read it online here if you'd like .

In the spirit of making the most of gigs and nights out, it's been a busy May with two gigs and two theatre nights. Not bad for just half-way through the month. So, to the Newcastle 02 to see Happy Mondays and Inspiral Carpets. It was the first night of their tour in very many years, so was popular, to say the least. A decent night, full of energy, which is more than can be said for the second night there this month when we saw New Order.  The gig was spoiled by dreaful sound problems that saw the band strop off stage after just one song at the encore. To the theatre then with my first ever visit to Northern Stage in Newcastle, where there's a fab restaurant in the foyer where we had our tea. Or dinner, if you want to be posh.  The play we saw was wonderful, Alan Plater's Close the Coalhouse Door , brought up to date by Lee Hall.  An emotive play and still topical politically, all too sadly. And then to my local theatre, the Sunderland Empire to see South Paci...

To one of my favourite theatre venues this weekend, the Live Theatre on Newcastle's Quayside to see Geordie Sinatra.  The play is running at the Live Theatre before it transfers to the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, another of my favourite places for reasons too varied, and personal, to mention. Geordie Sinatra is a play about an old man with Alzheimer's Disease.  The disease causes him to think he's really Frank Sinatra. There's a lot more going on, as you'd expect, with his wife, daughter and drummer leading double lives, adding to the general confusion about what's real or imagined, truthful or lies.  It's an excellent play and I give it a Flaming Nora thumbs up of 4 stars out of 5. See what the Guardian thought of it too.

To the newly restored and quite beautiful Theatre Royal in Newcastle-upon-Tyne last night to see Tracie Bennett as Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow . I was absolutely blown away by Tracie's performance. The acting, singing and energy of the show, which was basically a one-woman show, was incredible. It's one of those shows that's going to stay with me for a very long time. I haven't enjoyed a theatre event this much in years, and as you know, if you're a regular Flaming Nora reader, I enjoy going to the theatre a lot. At the of the show, the audience didn't give Tracie a standing ovation, it was more of a group leap from seats, clapping wildly and cheering. Bravo! Bravo, indeed! 

To The Customs House at South Shields last night to see Willy Russell's comedy, Stags and Hens .  It's a cracking venue, can't recommend it highly enough and had dinner before the show in the Bistro, which was ace. An excellent night out and my first chance to see canny lass Corinne Kilvington acting on stage as Maureen.

To the wonderful Jermyn Street Theatre to see the London Premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's play  Drowning on Dry Land .  I'm a big fan of Sir. A but this was, for me, the best and funniest one of his plays  I've seen so far (and I've seen a lot!). While the play was wonderful, the theatre is a treat in itself. Set in a basement, it's a tiny little venue. It's so small, to get to the loos you have to walk across the stage (not while the play's running, of course!). And everyone is greeted personally on entering the theatre and thanked for coming, as they leave. It's a little gem of a theatre that allows the audience to get very intimate with the cast, and vice-versa.  So close to the stage was my seat that I was close enough to actor Les Dennis to count the numbers of hairs sprouting from his ears.

To the thee-ay-ter this week to see JB Priestley's When We Are Married. A stellar cast included some of the best comedy actors in the country- Roy Hudd, Maureen Lipman, Susie Blake, Lynda Baron, Michele Dotrice, Sam Kelly - all on stage at the same time. Wonderful.

To the theatre this afternoon to see a matinee performance of The Jersey Boys . I'm a huge fan of musical theatre and wasn't disappointed in this fantastically slick production. With a strawberry ice-cream at half time, this was a smashing way to spend a weekend afternoon. Mind you, as good as The Jersey Boys was, it still comes second to this fantastic stage musical I saw last year.

To the Old Vic this week to see Robert Lindsay and Pam Ferris (the woman from Darling Buds of May who wasn’t Catherine Zeta-Jones) in The Entertainer. It was an excellent piece of theatre. I raise my hat to Robert Lindsay who, apart from being gorgeous, whilst acting on stage and delivering dialogue, someone’s mobile phone went off in the audience. A lot of people laughed, I didn’t. Robert gave the audience member a stare and carried on. He should have threatened to walk off stage, like Richard Griffiths once did. A return to the Old Vic this summer is on the cards as they’re running Gaslight (aka The Murder in Thornton Square) by Patrick Hamilton. I’ve read all his novels , you know.