Your Midlands and Shropshire am dram round-up

Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot can only be described as a completely unique musical comedy, with a script by Eric Idle and score created by Eric Idle and John Du Prez.

Our production will feature a newcomer to both the company and to the West Midlands, Jon Ranwell, who will take on the leading role of King Arthur, having previously worked professionally on stage and trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

Little did Jon know when he contacted me back in February via a friend of a friend, that that message would lead to a whole new set of pals, never mind the chance to star on the Grand Theatre stage!

Alongside Jon, appearing as his trusty servant Patsy, is James Collins who works regularly with Fizzog Productions and therefore is no stranger to comedic roles. James was not really familiar with Spamalot prior to auditioning, but I knew he was perfect to play Patsy as he has his very own brand of comedy which makes the audience laugh out loud, but also shed a tear at the same time. He is simply brilliant.

Spamalot does not really cater for the ladies and so, to give them a chance, we took the unusual stance of splitting the only female role in the show, The Lady of the Lake, between sisters Natasha Bennett-Ince and Lexie Bennett.

These two beauties were so hard to choose between, it seemed to make sense, and so they have been rehearsing together to perfect the Lady herself and hopefully steal the show from those horrible knights!

South Staffs stalwart, Simon McGee will play Lancelot. Now then, Simon is certainly used to playing the handsome hero who always gets the girl, but this knight has a very special secret! I won’t tell you what; you need to come and see for yourself!

Meanwhile, Mike James returns to the company after a 30-year absence to play the gentle Sir Robin, Chris Dowen plays the handsome Sir Galahad complete with several wig changes, and the incomparable Adam Starr appears as Herbert, a prince who really only wants to sing musical theatre while waiting to be swept off his feet by a handsome knight.

Romping through the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Spamalot has a host of fantastic tunes more magical than a Camelot convention, including He Is Not Dead Yet, Knights of the Round Table, Find Your Grail and of course the nation’s favourite comedy sing-a-long, Always Look on The Bright Side of Life.

Spamalot is a very brave choice of show for an amateur company, but we really want to offer every genre of theatre; from traditional musicals to outrageous comedies, to the new, progressive shows, in order to keep our audiences interested in our work and to appeal to all age groups.

I would say come and watch this show with a completely open mind. It is silly, slapstick and deliciously daft! Spamalot will have you rolling in the aisles! And to quote a Python: “It’s funnier than the Black Death!”

l Catch Spamalot at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from October 10-14. Tickets are now on sale at the Box Office, or by calling 01902 42 92 12 or online at www.grandtheatre.co.uk.

In complete contrast how about something a little more refined?

The Viva Musica Choir who are based in Stourbridge will be presenting a concert entitled The Magic of Music which will include many of your favourite magical melodies on October 14, at The Ruskin Centre.

l For tickets priced at £10 which includes a glass of wine or fruit juice, call 0121 550 5581 or 01562 883480. For more information about the choir, visit www.viva-musica.co.uk

Staying with the theme of choral singing, Anthem Choirs, who are based at Wednesfield High School in Wolverhampton, will be starting back for their autumn term this week, following their sell out summer showcase, Raise Your Voice.

The choir meets every Thursday evening and offers groups for the 9-18-year olds and then for over 18’. They sing everything from pop and rock to acoustic, soul and musical theatre and are led by Ellise Evans, a friendly, talented choir mistress who is full of fun and laughter.

l For more information, contact Elise on 07849255226 or email anthemvoices@hotmail.com

Over in the Shropshire area, Telford and District Light Operatic Players will be celebrating their 45th anniversary this year by performing Oklahoma.

More about that next week, but in the meantime, let’s talk a little about the anniversary.

Formed back in 1972 at Shirlee Garston’s school of dance by a dozen or so parents of her pupils, within two weeks TADLOP was formed to quench the thirst of people in the Telford and surrounding areas who loved musicals and light opera.

The group has performed a huge variety of different shows; from Gilbert and Sullivan to Lloyd Webber and Rice compositions, as well as more contemporary pieces. Their first show was Calamity Jane.

Congratulations on your 45th anniversary guys! Here’s hoping there are many more years to come.

Finally this week, Brierley Hill Musical Theatre Company is presenting Lerner and Lowe’s beautiful My Fair Lady from October 10-14 at Brierley Hill Civic Hall.

Based on George Bernard’s Shaw’s unforgettable play, Pygmalion, this musical oozes class and sophistication and includes classic tunes such as I Could Have Danced All Night, The Rain in Spain, I’ve Grown Accustomed to her Face and I’m Getting Married in the Morning. Sheer class.

l For tickets, call 03456588095 or visit www.bhmtc.co.uk

l Well that’s all for now. Please email your news and good quality photographs to a.norton@expressandstar.co.uk, call me on 01902 391662 or follow me on Twitter @AlisonNorton. Break a leg!