Cast:

Leisa Keightley

Synopsis:

Inside Mrs Joe Bradshaw, 42 year old mother of two grown children, is the former Shirley Valentine longing to get out. her hope and self confidence badly shattered by school, marriage and life, she is reduced to talking to the kitchen wall whilst preparing her husband’s evening meal, to be on the table as he opens the front door every night. As she sips a glass of wine she dreams of drinking in a country where the grape is grown. Her feminist friend offers her a holiday in Greece and, with great trepidation and a lot of forward planning, Shirley seizes the opportunity and goes, to encounter a totally different lifestyle.                                                                                                    Shirley, breaking out of the mould cast for her by society, is brilliantly shown with humour, warm sympathy and human insight by the author of Educating Rita and Blood Brothers, Mr Willy Russell.

Show Review:

The titular character, Shirley Valentine was played by Leisa Keightley. Leisa has been a regular cast member with Bonkers Theatrical performing in over 20 of their shows. Leisa took on the challenge of a one woman play with confidence and played the character with authenticity. Shirley was portrayed as a lonely wife with big dreams yet little drive to fulfil those dreams. Leisa was able to keep the Liverpudlian accent throughout the performance, never breaking character. It was a mean feat to learn and perform this one woman, 2 act play. Considering the vast amount of lines Lesia had to memorise, it was understandable that she stumbled on her lines a couple of times, but this didn’t detract from the pace of the piece, and she easily recovered without hesitation. With the set and layout of the stage, Leisa really made you feel like she was talking to you and you were there in her kitchen, sat at her dining table, having a chat over a glass of wine. The play is written with nostalgic references to the 80s which had the audience laughing along, reminiscing about those times. Shirley Valentine was directed by Mark Walker. His vision of the piece, along with the smaller venue of Bonkers Playhouse, produced the intimacy of being seated in Shirley’s kitchen, having a catch up, like an old friend immersed in conversation. The props and scenery were in keeping with the 1980s. Mark paid close attention to detail with regard to the working clock on the kitchen wall which reflected the time correctly in each scene, Drachma in Shirley’s money wallet for her holiday and little added touches like Liverpool football tickets on the noticeboard in the kitchen. In act two, a beautiful beach background was displayed for when Shirley made it to Greece, along with the sound of the crashing waves in the distance. Mark also included the key characters “Wall” and “Rock” within the set. Leisa costumed the piece herself with 80s clothing, including a neon orange bikini top and jeans whilst in Greece which was a bold choice and showed Leisa’s commitment to the character. Overall, it was a well rehearsed performance and enjoyed by all. Well done to Leisa and Mark for undertaking this mammoth piece and delivering it in a way that made the audience feel really included.

YVETTE BOUGOURD EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 REP.

Cast:

John Arcanum

Synopsis:

A truly magical evening of illusion and more. Featuring our resident master of magic Dr John. Parental guidance is advised for this production.

Show Review:

IMAGINARIUM

DIRECTED BY MARK WALKER

REVIEWED ON SATURDAY 29th JUNE 2024

AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

Imaginarium is a realm where the boundaries of reality blur and the impossible becomes possible. Five extraordinary characters guided the audience through this enchanted world, each a master of their mysterious art. From the cunning sleight of hand of Eddie ‘The Sly’ Fletcher, to the silent but deadly feats of Silent Vishnu, the mind-bending marvels of Dr. Aiden Mind, to the eerie enchantments of Dr. John, and finally, the astonishing skills of the great Autismo. Together, they wove a tapestry of tales and tricks that dazzled the audience’s senses and challenged their perception, delivering a performance where the imagination was the only limit.

The auditorium was set out with cabaret seating rather than rows of seats which enabled the audience to see everything happening on the stage and for each character to interact with each audience member easily. The curtains opened to reveal the stage set with a large screen and live camera stream focused on the magician’s table to enable the audience to see up close the tricks as they were performed. Prior to entering the stage, each character was introduced via a voiceover, giving some background of their character and skills. Their individual costumes enhanced their personality enabling the audience to distinguish between each of the characters.

Jonathan Strudwick played all of the roles, directed by Mark Walker. The audience met Eddie Fletcher first, conning his way through the audience, trying to trick them out of their money. Eddie demonstrated his skill of sleight of hand to trick the audience into selecting envelopes containing “Imaginarium cash” rather than the one containing the real money. From the start, the audience were captivated by how each trick was done as each of the characters involved a lot of audience participation which made the set up feel more intimate.

Following a brief scene change, filled by Mark performing his own tricks (thanks to the audience’s heckling), the audience met the second magician of the night, Vishnu. Vishnu was a silent character with tricks a little gory such as, tying razor blades together in his mouth and injecting his eye with “pain medication”. The background music really added the mystery of this silent character, building the tension for the ‘edge of your seats’ tricks.

The third character was Dr. Aiden Mind, guiding the audience through some dark magic. An audience member was asked to split some Victorian autopsy cards in to 2 piles, reading each victim’s eyes to see if they had a traumatic death, or natural death. The member of the audience unknowingly had split the cards perfectly into those who were possible victims of Jack the Ripper and those who weren’t. How this was done is beyond anyone’s belief! I particularly enjoyed the finale of this character where, in a different trick, he revealed the audience member’s chosen playing card through several cards making the picture of the Mona Lisa holding the said card.

Act Two opened with Dr. John, the mind reader. During one of his tricks, an audience member was able to correctly identify which snooker balls had been chosen by 5 audience members. How the audience member managed to identify all 5 balls correctly was impressive yet mind boggling! In addition, Dr. John performed a trick where another audience member had to choose a matching pair of socks from 52 possible cards of socks. Although it appeared that the audience member hadn’t managed to do so, in a turn of events, the chosen cards matched the socks being worn by Mark, a pair he had been wearing since before the performance had even begun.

Finally, the audience were introduced to the great Autismo who had the skill of solving Rubix cubes in a matter of seconds. A Rubix cube was sent around the audience to be mixed up in an unknown pattern, yet when it was returned to the stage, all within the eyes of the audience, it matched perfectly with the one which had been sealed in a glass bottle. Autismo was also able to put another Rubix cube inside a glass bottle by smashing them together. This was sent around the audience to enable them to try to figure out how it was done, which is still unknown! Autismo ended the night by performing a balancing act with random objects, such as a toothbrush, a bottle, a box of crayons and a pencil etc. By the end of the night, the audience were in a state of disbelief with Jonathan pulling off every trick.

There were many more tricks performed, too many to name, but all were well received by the audience. With the venue being smaller, it enabled all of the audience members to see exactly what was happening and to be involved at times.

Jonathan has over 30 years’ experience as a magician which shone through each of his characters. I had the privilege of seeing Jonathan perform a few card tricks up close following the show and his sleight of hand is just incredible. He even let me have a look at his water glass which changed the water from clear to red, I still can’t work out how that was done!

The way in which Jonathan spoke to the audience throughout made them feel at ease yet a vital part of his show. It was well directed by Mark with different styles of magic to keep the audience engaged throughout the evening.

The team at Bonkers always give a warm welcome and make you feel at home in their venue. Thank you for a magical evening!

YVETTE BOUGOURD EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 REP.

Cast:

Alan Galway  –  John Simpson  –  Martin Grover  –  Leisa Keightley

Jenine Grover – Pam Dee  –  Penny Walker – Scarlett Grover

Synopsis:

A fantastic collection of some of the best known musical theatre songs from shows first performed in the 1970’s,

Cast:

Alan Galway  –  Ashley Malcolmson  –  Bob Mutch  –  Cory Kilgallon  –  Jonathan Cook

Leisa Keightley  –  Pam Dee  –  Caroline Young  –  Carly Walker  –  Penny Walker

Synopsis:

A family friendly Christmas show with a twist, featuring songs, sketches and dance.

Cast:

Joan – Kaye Stevens    Nick – David Russell.

Synopsis:

Less than two weeks after the September 11th attacks, New Yorkers are still in shock. One of them, an editor named Joan, receives an unexpected phone call on behalf of Nick, a fire captain who has lost most of his men in the attack. He’s looking for a writer to help him with the eulogies he must present at their memorial services. Nick and Joan spend a long afternoon together, recalling the fallen men through recounting their virtues and their foibles, and fashioning the stories into memorials of words. In the process, Nick and Joan discover the possibilities of friendship in each other and their shared love for the unconquerable spirit of the city. As they make their way through the emotional landscape of grief, they draw on humour, tango, the appreciation of craft in all its forms—and the enduring bonds of common humanity. THE GUYS is based on a true story.

Show Review:

THE GUYS

DIRECTED BY MARK WALKER

REVIEWED ON FRIDAY 22^ND SEPTEMBER 2023

AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

‘The Guys’ is a well-crafted and intelligently written play by Anne Nelson; it is approached with the utmost respect to the people and events that unfolded on that tragic day on 11^th September 2001.

Mark Walkers direction was nothing short of brilliant, he treated ‘The Guys’ with the gravity and sensitivity that it deserved. When the lights lit up the set Mark’s attention to detail was obvious, from the smell of coffee from the coffee machine, the photographs of Joan’s sister’s family (who’s apartment they were in) the 2001 calendar on the wall, the two tickets for a Broadway show, two tickets for the viewing platform of the Empire State Building to the folder containing documents with the New York fire department logos on them. The two actors had been perfectly cast and were extremely well-rehearsed.

The plays action takes place twelve days after the attacks in an apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Once the audience was in place and in full blackout the play began with an audio recording of firstly the second plane crashing into the second tower, then the sound of countless sirens and then the deafening rumble of the collapsing towers, the impact of hearing and not seeing this occur was profoundly chilling, the silence among the audience was palpable.

The lights come up and we are then in the apartment with Joan, who is a New York editor waiting for the arrival of Nick, who is a New York Fire Department Captain. When he arrives Nick explains how he lost eight men in the attacks and has to deliver eulogies for them all, he is clearly distressed that he does not know how to write them. Joan agrees to help him. The main part of the play then unfolds with the interaction between the two characters as they work through these eulogies. There is an emotional roller coaster as Nick remembers his colleges and what they were like and Joan sensitively prompting his recollections. Nick leaves when this is complete. The climax of the play is Nick delivering the eulogies whilst a television screen shows footage of the collapsing towers, then the distressed survivors, the rescuers and the damaged fire trucks and finally a view of the Infinity Pools of the 9/11 memorial.

Joan was played by Kaye Stevens and Nick was played by Dave Russell. These two actors both gave outstanding performances and I cannot praise them enough. Their American accents were consistently perfect throughout. Their interaction with each other was excellent and the dialogue between them flowed with ease for the duration of the play. I have seen both of these actors before in other productions and they have always been incredible, but tonight their performances exceeded anything they had done before!

The lighting and sound quality was very good throughout the performance. The set and the props were outstanding. The costumes were excellent, particularly Nicks uniform that was an authentic New York Fire Department Captains uniform that the actor David had purchased from America.

Congratulations to Mark, Kaye and Dave for all their hard work in making ‘The Guys’ such a moving and memorable production. I have never sat through a play before that has so visibly affected an entire audience, there was a hush and a long pause before the applause and there were many in tears as they left the auditorium. Well done!

CAROLINE JERVIS EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 INDIVIDUAL MEMBER.

Cast:

Barry – Gordon Ritchie. Simon – Alan Galway. Nick – Mark Walker. Tiffany – Charlotte Smith. Fran – Pam Dee. Laura – Wendy Hopkins.

Synopsis:

Captain’s Day at the Seven Lakes Golf Club gets off to a bad start when the men’s Captain is indisposed. Club       secretary, Simon, relishes the chance to take over but is soon thwarted by the   arrival of Vice Captain, Nick and his    girlfriend, Tiffany. Lady Captain, Fran, and enthusiastic but hopeless Barry add to the confusion as a series of disasters mount. With the unexpected arrival of Simon’s wife, Laura, tensions build and things go from bad to worse.

Show Review:

REVIEWED AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE ON 29^TH APRIL 2023

“Par for the course” is a very well – crafted comedy written by Peter Gordon. All the action takes place at the Seven Lakes Golf Club on their Captain’s Day. As their Captain is indisposed the vice-captain, Nick, takes on the role, much to the disgust of the secretary, Simon. There then unfolds a day full of mayhem, mishaps and general chaos ….

“Par for the course” was, as always, brilliantly directed by Mark Walker. The staging and attention to detail was perfect. The play had great pace and moved seamlessly throughout. Well done Mark!

The six actors all had well defined characters which they all sustained throughout the play. Gordon Richie in the role of the hapless Barry, gave a very endearing performance, poor Barry had endless enthusiasm, but little talent, and was relegated to the ladies team to even up the teams. Simon the secretary was wonderfully played by Alan Galway. Simon spent most of the time writing notes in his little book and ducking and diving from his wife, who thinks he is at B&Q. The role of Nick was hilariously played by Mark Walker, who breezed in dressed like a wannabe hells angel to take charge of everything. Nick was closely followed by his girlfriend Tiffany, played by Charlotte Smith, who not being the brightest spark, reaps havoc on the day and inadvertently drops Simon in it by letting his wife know that he is at the golf course and not B&Q, for me this was the stand out performance of the evening. The role of Fran, the ladies captain, was played with a great deal of poise and authority by Pam Dee. The final character we meet is Laura played by Wendy Hopkins her scenes when she is becoming more and more inebriated are absolutely hysterical. Congratulations to all the actors, they gave first class performances with some impeccable comic timing.

The set for “Par for the course” was excellent and was very well-dressed. The scene changes were carried out smoothly and seamlessly. The lighting and sound quality was perfect throughout. The costumes were very good and were in keeping with the piece.

Congratulations to all the company for this highly enjoyable play which had the audience laughing hysterically throughout the evening. Well done!

Reviewed by Caroline Jervis. (Standing in for NODA Rep Reg 7)

Cast:

Carly Walker – Charlotte Smith – Leisa Cooke – Rachel Fletcher – Gordon Ritchie

Synopsis:

We present for you, a tribute to the worlds greatest brother / sister act, The Carpenters.

Featuring all their greatest hits in a ‘not to be missed’ production. If you like the music of The Carpenters, you really must see this show.

Cast:

Monica – Jane Walker Bill – Alan Galway Dan – Seb Goss Ian – Martin Grover Birgitta – San Hammonds Swing – Bob Mutch

Synopsis:

July 4th, 1990. In Italy, England are playing Germany in the Semi final of the World Cup. In Majorca, Bill and Monica are on holiday trying to rekindle a failing marriage. Monica dreams of an affair with Gary Lineker, the `Queen Mother of Football’, though in fact she’s been seeing Dan, a friend of Bill’s and a travel writer whose books are published by Bill’s firm. Circumstances change when Dan unexpectedly arrives at their hotel, ostensibly in Majorca to write an article. But as the game begins, the three, in the company of Bill’s colleague Ian and Birgitta, a local German tourist rep they’ve befriended, settle down to watch the game on TV. Through ninety minutes, extra time and the infamous penalty shootout, the field of battle switches between the hotel and the Italian football pitch as Monica, Bill and the England team approach the inevitable.

Show Reviews

Opening Remarks

When Mark Walker invited me to attend Bonkers Theatrical (‘Bonkers’) latest production, ‘An Evening with Gary Lineker’, I groaned a little. This is because I HATE football. I mean literally HATE it! I thought: “Ummm, will this be the first Bonkers production I do not enjoy?”. No chance! I loved Mark’s latest production and, I should have known better to even consider otherwise: Mark, as a multi-award-winning director, knows best!

I warmly congratulate and thank Mark and all the cast, crew, and wider team at Bonkers for another brilliant evening of live entertainment. I think the highest accolade I can offer is that you made a football-hater love a show about – well kind of about – football! I particularly applaud Mark, for once again, finding a unique, extremely funny, but equallythought-provoking script.

The Show

When I heard the title of the show, ‘An Evening with Gary Lineker’, I had no idea what to expect. My only thought was, “What on this Earth is this going to be about?”. I had visions of an actor portraying Gary Lineker as he was interviewed by someone like Parkinson. How wrong was I?!

Arthur Smith and Chris England’s script is set during the 1990 World Cup, in particular the day of the Semi-Final between England and Germany. The plot follows the interpersonal relationship of Bill and Monica, a married couple, who are on holiday in Majorca. Bill, a football fanatic, puts the holiday on hold to watch the big game. However, Bill – despite trying – cannot seem to put his life and marriage on hold for the footie: Bill is joined by friends Dan and Ian, and a German tourist rep, Birgitta, who collectively result in various distractions from the game. However, the biggest obstacle to Bill enjoying the Semi-Final is his rocky marriage: his wife, Monica dreams of an affair with Gary Lineker, the ‘Queen Mother of Football’, but has been seeing Bill’s friend Dan, a travel writer, for some time. Through ninety minutes, extra time, and the infamous penalty shootout, the field of battle switches between the hotel and the Italian football pitch as Monica, Bill and the England team approach the inevitable: heartbreak and failure.

The script was brilliant. It was funny and light-hearted. But it was also tender and thought-provoking, causing the audience to process the emotions of an unhappy wife that has spent her entire marriage coming second to football, to learn the grass will not be greener on the other pitch!

Creatives

Direction by Mark was, once again and as always, of the highest standard. I enjoyed, in particular, the use of freeze frames and stage zoning when characters addressed the audience. I also thought scene transitions were handled creatively and with ease. Mark, as he always does, had brought out the best in his cast, ensuring that all on stage had clear character definition, excellent stage presence, and outstanding interaction with one-another.

Cast

The cast was outstanding and perfectly suited to each of their roles. Jane Walker (Monica), Alan Galway (Bill), Seb Goss (Dan), Martin Grover (Ian), and San Hammonds (Birgitta) all did brilliantly! The interaction between all on stage was outstanding and the character work was superb, second to none.

I enjoyed very much the relational work created by Jane, Alan, and Seb. Brilliant. I want to specially mention the work of Jane, who I have not had the pleasure of seeing perform before. Jane’s work was outstanding. She had everyone in the audience feeling her pain one moment and then laughing with her the next.

I also recognise the work of Bob Mutch who provided several swing roles for the show, but – most importantly – was also, for a fleeting moment, Gary Lineker. As ever, Bob’s work is of a high standard.

I congratulate all concerned on the extremely high standard of their work on stage. It was clear that the audience – even (not joking!) the two German patrons sat next to me – were thoroughly enjoying the production created.

Production

The set was excellent, and the versatility added via the folding flat was brilliant.The properties were, as I always see at Bonkers, of an equally high and realistic standard. Great attention to detail had been paid to the dressing of the set, which I appreciated greatly.

The costumes were reflective of the play and overall production.

The lighting design was excellent. The sound effects were managed with professionalism and the stage management was outstanding.

Closing remarks

My warmest congratulations for a brilliant production of ‘An Evening with Gary Lineker’. I thank Bonkers for the hospitality shown to me upon my visit. I look forward to seeing the company’s next production.

Luke Campbell

Regional Representative, NODA East Midlands District 7

Cast:

Sandy – David Russell   Joe – Lester Cooke.

Synopsis:

Joe is in crisis, his life a swirling scribble of obligations he feels he’s failing to fulfil. For five minutes a day he finds a little solace and peace, alone on an isolated bench. Sandy is mourning the passing of his Maggie. The bench is his memorial to her memory. A shrine to his loss.

As both attempt to impose their purpose on the bench, so begins an epic conflict of passive aggression. A conflict that will change the two of them, and will, maybe, finally answer the eternal question, when is a bench not a bench? A satirical comedy about finding a safe place in a threatening world.

Show Reviews

Opening Remarks

I always know I am in for a treat when I am invited to attend a Mark Walker production at Bonkers Theatrical (‘Bonkers’): his latest venture, ‘The Bench’, did not disappoint, living up to Mark’s exceptionally high standard and leaving his reputation as the master of drama in District 7 and the East Midlands Region untarnished.

I congratulate and thank Mark and all the team at Bonkers for always staging such unique, highly professional, and thought-provoking productions, which are not widely staged in East Midlands.

The Show

‘The Bench’ is written by Kier McAllister and was certainly not a script I had come across before. In short, it is fantastic and extremely funny but also heart-warming, tender and at times raw. If you are familiar with the TV show ‘After Life’, keep this in mind as you read what follows.

The storyline, which is satirical and comedic in nature, plots the developing relationship between Sandy and Joe. The pair’s turbulent encounters, and their developing relationship, unfold around a park Bench – sorry Sandy, I mean memorial! Joe visits the bench to find solace and peace from the burdens of his life; Sandy attends the bench regularly out of a sense of obligation for an un-nurtured love and to mourn Maggie. These two competing purposes behind visiting the bench results in as far from five minutes of rest as you can imagine: the pair enter an epic conflict of passive aggression, which somehow has them returning to the bench time and again to take another round with each other until eventually, the pair become friends, I think!

The script is jam-packed with extremely funny lines and exchanges between Sandy and Joe. It is also laced with meaningful discussions about suicide, homosexuality, and prejudice. This tension in themes creates a great contrast to the comedic value of the work.

The play really is extremely well written, and I am enormously grateful that Mark has brought the production to life at Bonkers.

Creatives

Direction by Mark was, once again, of the highest standard. The texture and depth created with a cast of two should be applauded. Mark clearly brought out the best in his cast, ensuring that both actors demonstrated the range of emotion and characterisation demanded by the script.

Cast

The cast was outstanding and perfectly suited to each of their roles. David Russell, as Sandy, and Lester Cooke, as Joe, were simply superb.

Both David and Lester had sustained and developed characterisation and stagecraft. Their interactions with one another were of the highest standard and created the relationship required by the script to carry the comedic, satirical plot.

The pair demonstrated a full range of emotions, which allowed them to meet the demands of their roles. Their skills in presenting anger, upset, raw pain, wit and much more were of a professional standard.

I congratulate David and Lester on their outstanding portrayal of Sandy and Joe; their work was worthy of a professional stage.

Production

The set was of a very high standard, adding realism to the stage, which contributed to the overall professional nature of the production. The properties were, as I always see at Bonkers, of an equally high and realistic standard. Great attention to detail had been paid to the dressing of the set. I congratulate Carly Walker for her work in this area.

The costumes were also well sourced and reflective of the play and overall production.

The lighting design was brilliantly realistic. The sound effects were managed with professionalism and the stage management was also of an outstanding standard with every transition being handled with ease.

Closing remarks

My warmest congratulations for an outstanding production of ‘The Bench’. It truly was of an exceptionally high standard and worthy of recognition.

I thank Bonkers for the generous hospitality shown to me upon my visit.

I look forward to seeing the company’s next production.

Luke Campbell. Regional Representative, NODA East Midlands District 7

Cast:

Chris – Bob Mutch.  Hugh  –  Gordon Ritchie.  Gemma – Sam Hammonds.

Evelyn – Josh Pugh.  Linda – Leisa Cooke.  Walter – Alan Galway.  Kriston – Daniel Fortune.

Synopsis:

Five neurotic actors, one stressed Stage Manager, a crazed director, an invisible playwright and an escaped monkey are desperately rehearsing the world’s worst play, which keeps being rewritten. And every rewrite is more hilariously terrible than the one before. And although it really shouldn’t, somehow, the show manages to go on.
“Stop! …The Play is a fist-bitingly funny send-up of everything bad about bad theatre.

Show Reviews

This being my first visit to a production in this miniature but significantly equipped theatre; I was intrigued and fascinated how such an intimate venue would work and how an audience would react to the closeness of the caricatures. Bonkers Theatre is, as the name implies, a little strange to the initial eye. The entrance is just like you would expect if you were visiting a local newsagent or hairdressers, but, as you enter you are immediately taken into Bonkers world of corner shop theatrical establishments with every facility available and nothing spared. An example that could be used by many. I was greeted by Mark Walker the play director and owner of the theatre and his wife Jane, in the well stocked bar, reception and refreshment area that also doubled as the display for trophies and awards presented to the previous shows, many of which bear the name of Nanette Lovell MBE, my predecessor and NODA Regional Councillor. From this spotless area, equipped with two WCs, one of which is designed for disabled visitors, there is a door that, when opened, invites you into the attractive auditorium and stage area and one of the comfortable 40 available seats. I was encouraged into this wonderful world of showbiz extravaganza and shown my seat to await the start of the show. The play is designed to, and please accept my apologies for entering the author David Spicer’s world of naughtiness, demonstrates just how crap and downbeat professional theatre can be as it gets its original intentions wrapped up into progressive frustrations and dreadful script alterations coupled with out of line caricatures who display neurotic tendencies that drag the audience into the mad world of drama at its worst. Yes as described on Bonkers website (an alternative to programs) “A fist bitingly funny send up of everything bad about bad theatre”.    As the curtain opened we were introduced to three of the five ‘neurotic’ caricatures. The Stage Manager played convincingly by Bob Mutch. He is expected to play the subservient problem sorter, dressed inappropriately, but correct for this production, with a head torch that is never on at the correct time. Bob’s portrayal was very reminiscent of many SMs lost in their world of confusion managing to obtain every requested additional prop, usually at the last minute, including a monkey that is never used! On stage with him, two of the ‘professional cast members’ fantastically played by Sam Hammonds and the often convincingly confused Gordon Richie with his expressive facial interpretations. In the first instance they are the main caricatures, but not for long! Enter on stage the Director Josh Pugh. Oh yes, we all have had to put up with this type of disorganised person who thinks they are in charge but are not. Josh played this very challenging role with perfect self appreciation and self confidence. We watched as he was totally devoid of independence and all the time under the control of the ‘never seen’ writer who rewrote the play almost on a daily basis. The writer expected the director to convince the cast up to the last rehearsal day and beyond. Just when we, the audience, are ‘with it’, Alan Galway enters. He plays the confused member of the cast that in amateur productions we are all familiar with. He portrays an older member who can remember, inaccurately, his past performances and is unable to remember his part in this production. Leisa Cooke then is introduced as a new cast member; she would like to take over but is thwarted by the final cast member Daniel Fortune. How Daniel kept to grips with his variety of caricatures was amazing. His final renditions were disguised as a feministic gay man with convincing wafts of the hand and puckered lips. Hilarious! I hope that you the reader are satisfactorily confused? Yes, good. The production is aimed, with the excellent adaptation of the director and his talented cast, to not only underline the worst productions (either amateur or professional) but the worst script in the worst situation. Any person involved with theatre will, embarrassingly, remember a production that they have been involved in. In my opinion the entire cast needs to be complimented for this production. Although it is very difficult to portray, the fact that all five convincingly managed to depict this tricky production with complete ‘professionalism’ is outstanding. It is one of those plays that is either successful or not. However, this cast, crew and production staff were outstandingly successful and hilarious in their adaptation. Well done.

Nigel Hancocks
NODA Regional Councillor, East Midlands

STOP!…The Play by David Spicer
Mark Walker has done it again! Bonkers’ latest production, ‘STOP!…The Play’, was outstanding! The script – which brought to mind items such as ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ and ‘The Farndale Avenue Presents Series’ – was hilarious, the direction brilliant, and the casting perfect. The production was of the highest standard from on-stage to off-stage. It is FIVE STARS: 10/10 from me! A massive well done to all concerned and thank you for making me laugh as much as I did, which was a great deal!

Luke Campbell
NODA Regional Representative, East Midlands – District 7

The Cast
Frank – James Wallace  Rita – Kate Gillespie-Allan

Synopsis
Frank is a tutor of English in his fifties whose disillusioned outlook on life drives him to seek refuge in bottles of whisky he hides on his bookshelves. Rita is a forthright, twenty-six year old hairdresser who is hungry to ‘know everything’. With Frank as her tutor Rita embarks on an Open University course and her education process begins. The effects are both amusing and serious as her fresh, intuitive approach becomes clouded and stifled as she grapples with the problem of a formal education geared to the passing of exams.  The play became a hit film with Michael Caine and Julie Walters.

NODA Review
Reviewed by Luke Campbell – Assistant to Nigel Hancocks, Regional Councillor, Noda East Midlands
Reviewed on  Wednesday 8 December 2021
Directed by  Mark Walker

Opening Remarks
Bonkers Theatrical (‘Bonkers’) is a formidable entity when it comes to the staging of drama. Put simply, the company helps to puts the ‘D’ in NODA and has a litany of district, regional and national awards to prove it.
Since 2018, Bonkers has been the resident company of the Bonkers Playhouse Theatre, Kettering (‘Playhouse’).The independent studio theatre is a special place: its small auditorium is ideal for the staging of the plays that the company is well known for. The Playhouse also boasts a fully licensed bar, a comfortable lounge area, and extremely welcoming hospitality. It was, thus, a relief to me, that the home of this multi award winning company had survived the challenges of the past two years. The survival of the Playhouse and the company is to the credit of the sheer tenacity of Mark Walker and his team. I salute you! With the Bonkers’s outstanding reputation in mind, I was thrilled to be invited to review its latest production, ‘Educating Rita’.

The Show
‘Educating Rita’ was written by Willy Russell and its plot – perhaps, in part, due to the film adaptation starring Julie Walters and Michael Caine, but also due to its inclusion in the English curriculum in schools – is reasonably well known.
The comedic drama details the evolution of a relationship between Rita (a hairdresser come Open University student) and Frank (a Lecturer in English Literature). Russell uses the relationship as a backdrop against which to explore themes common to much of his work, namely: the British class system, politics, and education.
Bonkers had been trying to obtain the rights to stage a production of the play for six years. I am pleased that the rights holder finally succumbed to the repeated requests of Mark, because the company’s production of ‘Educating Rita’ was outstanding.
Direction by Mark was of the highest standard. The blocking was superb. It was clear to me that his direction played a vital part in the characterisation offered by the cast: the direction granted the actors the space in which to create the authentic relationship required by the script.
I am extremely impressed that Mark achieved a professional production in such a short rehearsal period, during the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. Well done!
Frank was portrayed by James Wallace. I congratulate James on his portrayal of the character, which he certainly made his own. I struggled at first to click with the character, but then I realised this was due to the creative genius of the actor, whose use of tone and pace created an intonation to his delivery that produced an aloft barrier between Frank and Rita, which in turn transferred to the audience. Quite the sophisticated move – bravo!
James handled the full range that the character of Frank has to offer: the execution of the aggression, self-pity, jealousy, and drunkenness were perfect. What’s more is that James was able to land the sincerity and compassion also demanded by the role, ensuring that the nurturing educator, deep within Frank, peered through the whisky soaked cynic the audience first met.
What I really admire is James’s ability to create a relational partnership against which his co-star could deliver an outstanding performance as the title character, Rita. It is the art of a true professional to know how to balance your own role to permit another to flourish in their role.
Rita was portrayed by Kate Gillespie-Allan. Her performance was, put simply, mesmerising. In a few more words: captivating, comedic, expressive, vulnerable, authentic, outstanding.
Kate is an extremely talented actor. Her skills in characterisation, linguistics (the Liverpudlian accent, which was sustained to perfection throughout and replaced with a middle class one when required), and comedic delivery are some of the best that I have seen. She seemed to muster the full range and depth demanded by the complex, yet loveable, character with ease.
She was able to use her expressive, mischievous charm to create an instant bond between the audience and Rita. At the same time, Kate demonstrated extremely believable vulnerability to captivate the difficult realities that anyone seeking to transcend the British class system encounters.
For me, Kate’s performance was just as strong as that of Julie Walters in the film, for which she received a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and an Academy Award nomination.
Together James and Kate delivered a professional presentation of Russell’s characters. The relationship created was believable – just as the writer intended. Many congratulations!
The two-act play centred around a single location, Frank’s Office. As such, a stationary boxset was used as setting. The set was of a high standard and characterised by its realism. The same is true of the props – the attention to detail did not go un noticed. Both the set and the props enhanced the production creating an authentic space in which two talented actors could work.
The costumes were well sourced; reflective of the period in which the play is set; appropriately, formed extensions of the characterisation offered by the cast; and were well deployed to denote the personal transformation experienced by Rita and Frank.Costuming was also used, in part, to indicate the passage of time; however, I think that to truly utilise costumes in this way we needed to see both characters regularly adjust their costuming.
The lighting design was simple yet realistic. The sound effects were managed with professionalism and the use of classical music to bridge scene transitions demonstrated a real attention to detail. I appreciated that the same music was played in the lounge area during the interval: this created a continuation of the theatrical space.

Concluding Remarks
My warmest of congratulations for an outstanding production of ‘Educating Rita’.
As Community Theatre starts to build back from the unprecedented circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital that audiences feel safe to venture into auditoriums. I applaud Bonkers for its commitment to creating a COVID-19 secure venue: the company remains committed to social distancing, mask wearing, and other vital measures to keep its audiences and actors safe.
I thank Bonkers for the generous hospitality shown to me upon my visit. All the best for the rest of the run and I look forward to seeing the company’s next production.
Luke Campbell. Assistant to Nigel Hancocks, Regional Councillor, Noda East Midlands

Audience Feedback
Mesmerising.
Acting of the highest order.
I was completely drawn into the play.
An outstanding peice of dramatic theatre.

The Cast
Alan Galway – Daniel Fortune – Josh Pugh – Sam Leach – Leisa Cooke – Penny Walker

 Synopsis
Continuing with the ‘Bonkers Do…’ theme, this time we attack The Rat Pack. Join us as we perform some of the best loved swing songs from the Rat Pack era. Guaranteed to be hit after hit of some of the most well known songs ever written.

Audience Feedback
Beautiful songs, beautifully sung.

The Cast
Alan Galway – David Mander – Richard Llewellyn – Daniel Fortune – Bob Mutch – Ashley Malcolmson – Martin Brown – John Payne

 Synopsis
Ever fancied a night out enjoying all your favourite comedy sketches from across the decades? Here’s your chance. Featuring sketches from Rowan Atkinson, The Two Ronnies, Monty Python, Abbott & Costello, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.

Audience Feedback
I laughed so much I nearly pee’d my pants.
A fabulous night out, just what we needed.

The Cast
Thomas Novachek  –  James Wallace            Vanda Jordan  –  Michaela Clement-Hayes

 Synopsis
Thomas, a beleaguered playwright / director, is desperate to find an actress to play Vanda, the female lead in his adaptation of the classic sadomasochistic tale Venus In Fur. Into his empty audition room walks a vulgar and equally desperate actress, oddly enough, named Vanda. Though utterly wrong for the sophisticated part, Vanda exhibits a strange command of the material, piquing Thomas’ interest with her seductive talents and secretive manner. As the two work through the script, they blur the line between play and reality, entering into an increasingly serious game of submission and domination that only one of them can win. A mysterious and erotic drama.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON ^4TH MARCH
2020 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE

Bonkers Theatrical have again found something completely different to present to their audiences with this little gem called Venus in Fur which is a very well written play by David Ives. The play premiered off Broadway in 2010 and transferred to Broadway in 2011. Venus in Fur is a play within a play and is set in New York. Thomas Novachek is the writer and director of a new play based on the 1870 novel Venus in Furs, he has spent the day auditioning actresses for the leading female role when at the last minute aspiring actress Vanda Jordan breezes in, she is brash and vulgar but manages to persuade Thomas to read some of the play with her, he is very impressed with her insight into the character and becomes caught up in the mood of the play. The audience is taken on a two hour journey full of explosive sexual tension …  The director, Mark Walker has captured the mood of the play brilliantly. The set was excellent with a well-placed drainpipe that constantly has water running through it from the torrential rain outside and some well-timed claps of thunder that could only add dramatically to the tension of the play. The two actors were both outstanding with Michaela Clement-Hayes in the role of Vanda Jordan and James Wallace as Thomas Novachek. The nudity and adult themes within the play were all very tastefully and sensitively performed. The costumes were excellent and were in keeping with the play’s theme. The set was very well dressed and the props all positioned and managed well. The lighting and sound quality was excellent throughout the performance. Congratulations to Bonkers Theatrical and especially to Mark, Michaela and James on what was a faultless opening night.

CAROLINE JERVIS
NODA DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE.
“Venus in Fur”  presented by Bonkers Theatrical at The Playhouse Theatre on Friday 6th March 2020.
Director:  Mark Walker…

Whenever I go to Bonkers Playhouse I know I am in for an exceptional evening and “Venus in Fur” was simply outstanding.  I did not know anything about this piece of theatre – not really surprising as very few amateur groups would be capable of  even thinking about taking it on board.  The story is of a playwright/director who is desperate to find an actress capable of playing  “Vanda”  – the female lead – in his adaptation of the classic sadomasochistic “Venus in Fur”.  In walks a real life actress whose name is Vanda – who is so so wrong for the part but convinces Thomas (the director) to give her the role. As the two work through the script the line between the play and reality becomes increasingly blured.  The 2 cast members , Michaela Clement-Hayes (Vanda Jordan) and James Wallace (Thomas Novachek) are simply  outstanding. The hours of rehearsal these two actors along with director Mark Walker showed through with the exceptional performances achieved. Congratulations to you all. This is one of the best drama productions I have had the privilege of seeing anywhere.

Nanette Lovell  Noda East Midlands Councillor.

Audience Feedback
This company never seem to fail.
Absolutely outstanding performances.
Bonkers Playhouse, The place to see great drama.

The Cast
Kaye Stevens  –  Leisa Cooke  –  Kathryn Rose
David Russell  –  Lester Cooke  –  Daniel Fortune

Musical Director – Kaye Tompkins

Synopsis
This celebration of the mating game takes on the truths and myths behind that contemporary conundrum know as ‘the relationship.’ Act I explores the journey from dating and waiting to love and marriage, while Act II reveals the agonies and triumphs of in-laws and newborns, trips in the family car and pick-up techniques of the geriatric set. This hilarious musical pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face at the portal of romance, to those who have dared to ask, ‘Say, what are you doing Saturday night?’

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 27^TH JANUARY
2020 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” is an excellent choice of musical for Bonkers Theatrical as it is ideally suited to the intimate surroundings of their Playhouse Theatre. The book and lyrics are by Joe Dipietro with the music by Jimmy Roberts. The musical was first performed “Off Broadway” in 1996. The story is presented in the form of a series of connected tales with a central theme of love and relationships and takes you through life’s events from dating, romance, marriage, lovers and beyond through the course of one’s life. Mark Walker’s direction was thoughtful, imaginative and comprehensively staged. The musical direction by Kaye Thompkins was excellent as was the three-piece orchestra who accompanied the performers throughout the show. The six cast members played a variety of roles each during the show, they were – David Russell, Lester Cooke, Daniel Fortune, Kaye Stevens, Leisa Cooke and Kathryn Rose. It would be unfair of me to single out anyone as they were all equally outstanding. Their characters were all well-defined and sustained and there were some awesome vocals from all six and their harmonising was a joy to listen to. Well done to you all!
The set, designed by Mark Walker and painted by Carly Walker was excellent. The Origami Birds were a brilliant addition! The costumes were all very good and in keeping with the piece. The lighting and sound quality was perfect throughout. Congratulations to all at Bonkers Theatrical for this faultless opening night. This musical was hilariously funny, at times very moving and dramatic and highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable throughout!

CAROLINE JERVIS
NODA DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE.

Audience Feedback
The best show I’ve seen in many years.
Wow, That was better than staying at home in front of the telly.
Strong acting, strong singing, strong charcters. What a great night out.
Wonderfully funny and superbly acted.

The Cast
Daniel Fortune  –  James Wallace  –  Alan Galway  –  Lester Cooke  –  Jake Stevens
Leisa Cooke  –  Kathryn Rose  –  Samantha Hammonds  –  Carly Walker  –  Penny Walker

Synopsis
Continuing with the ‘Bonkers Do…’ theme, this time we attack Christmas. Some of the best loved festive songs along with poems and sketches. A guaranteed fun night out for all the family to get you into the festive spirit.
Limited tickets available, so book early.

Audience Feedback
Just what we needed to get into the Christmas spirit.
A very well thought out review, Great voices and damn funny.

The Cast
Janet  –  Kathryn Rose
Josh  –  James Wallace

Synopsis
Two strangers, a man and a woman, board a San Francisco BART train at 4:30 a.m. They’re alone  in the car, each is married, both are doing the New York Times crossword. She’s an organized, sensible psychologist. He’s a free spirited, unemployed ad exec. She is a crossword pro, he always quits. When he tosses his puzzle away, she snaps, “Crosswords are a metaphor for life, those who finish, succeed, those who don’t, fail.” Now he vows to finish. Why?  He’s a competitor and she happens to be lovely. This starts an eighty-minute ride described by critics as “Hilarious,” “Witty,” “Romantic,” “Poignant,” and “Wonderfully entertaining.” Two opposites in an enclosed space, attacking each other’s values but also being swayed and intrigued by them. They each have serious life problems that the other helps solve. Their trip is filled with unpredictable, but believable, surprises, even a passionate kissing embrace or two. As the train ride ends, it’s obvious each of them has been changed for the better.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 15th JULY 2019 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

“2 ACROSS”
DIRECTED BY MARK WALKER

SHOW REPORT
“2 Across” is the latest production from Bonkers Theatrical. The play was written by Jerry Mayer and features a cast of two – Josh, played by James Wallace and Janet, played by Kathryn Rose. The action takes place on a San Francisco BART train. The two strangers share an empty car and are drawn into conversation by the fact that they are both doing the New York Times crossword puzzle and begin a lengthy debate on their different strategies on how best to complete it.
Mark Walker has again brilliantly directed this production which is very different from the type of play that we would normally see from Bonkers Theatrical. The pace builds slowly and draws the audience in, the story-line is very compelling and at the end there is a surprising and unexpected twist. The play has been very well rehearsed and the two actors, James and Kathryn both give outstanding performances with well-defined and plausible characterisations of their roles. Well done to you both!
The set was amazing and very well made and looked really authentic. The lighting and sound quality was excellent throughout the play. The sound effects were brilliant and greatly enhanced the production.
Congratulations Mark and your two exceptional actors on this faultless opening night. You all gave the audience a thoroughly enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

CAROLINE JERVIS
NODA EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE

Audience Feedback
Very thought provoking play!.  Superb.
It is amazing to think how a short meeting with someone can affect your life and how you think.

The Cast
Mrs Johnstone  –  Leisa Cooke    Mrs Lyons – Jane Walker    Mickey – Daniel Fortune    Eddie – Jake Stevens    Linda – Carly Walker    Narrator – Alan Galway    Swing – Bobby Mutch

Synopsis
The story revolves around two boys, Mickey Johnston and Eddie Lyons, both from different backgrounds. One from a well off family, The Lyons’, and one from quite a poor family, The Johnston’s. The two boys become friends at the age of seven and we watch them grow into adults. But there is a secret that Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons hold. Eddie is the twin brother of Mickey, who was given away at birth to an infertile Mrs Lyons. As the two grow up they become very close and are even in love with the same girl, Linda. As they all grow older Mickey and Linda are married but, due to recession, Mickey becomes chronically depressed. He also believes Linda is having an affair with Eddie. He then sets out on a mission to find his ‘friend’. Mrs Johnston and Linda hurry after him in a last ditch attempt to stop him killing his twin. Mrs Johnston finally tells the brothers the truth, but with tragic consequences.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 8th JULY 2019 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

“BLOOD BROTHERS”
DIRECTED BY MARK WALKER

SHOW REPORT
Bonkers Theatrical’s latest production of “Blood Brothers the play” opened this evening in front of a sell-out house. The play is written by Willy Russell and tells the moving and captivating tale of twins who are separated at birth and grow up on opposite sides of the tracks; they meet again later with fateful consequences …
“Blood Brothers” has been brilliantly directed by Mark Walker, a great deal of thought has gone into this production with some very intelligent touches, like the single rose carefully placed in the opening, the significance of which becomes apparent at the end; to the soft heart beat pulsing throughout the play that becomes quite chilling in the final scene. The play had a great pace too, with very slick scene changes. Well done Mark!
The casting of the seven characters was excellent. Leisa Cooke who played Mrs Johnstone brought real warmth to her role and made you feel real sympathy for her heartache in having to give up one of her twins. The role of Mrs Lyons was played by Jane Walker; she showed the contrast in character between the two women really well and totally shocks the audience in the final scene. Daniel Fortune was outstanding as Mickey creating real believability in Mickey as a seven year old right up to adulthood. Jake Stevens was excellent as Eddie and he showed the stark contrast in the upbringing of the twins perfectly. The role of the Narrator was brilliantly played by Alan Galway he set the mood of the play from the opening and sustained this throughout with at times quite chilling effect. Carly Walker played the role of Linda the character who both twins fall in love with; she too portrayed very well the young Linda through to adulthood with great believability. Bobby Mutch played Swing and showed his versatility in playing a variety of roles in quick succession. Well done to all the cast you all gave awesome performances!
The set for “Blood Brothers” was excellent and was very well-made and utilised. The props were good and also utilised well. The costumes were excellent and were all in keeping with the era. The lighting and sound quality was excellent throughout the performance and both were used to create atmosphere with great effect.
Congratulations to all at Bonkers Theatrical for an excellent and faultless opening night; you took the audience on a real roller-coaster of emotions with this amazing performance of “Blood Brothers”

CAROLINE JERVIS
NODA EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE

Audience Feedback
Amazing performances.  Absolutely brilliant.
I was left speechless. There is nothing amateur about this company.

The Cast
Nora – Kathryn Louise   Torvald – James Wallace   Kristine – Jenny Wallace
Dr Rank – Alan Galway   Krogstad – Gordon Ritchie   Helene – Becky Woodham   Anna – Lynda Wilkin

Synopsis
The slamming of the front door at the end of Ibsen’s delicate and electrifying play shatters the romantic masquerade of the Nora and Torvald’s marriage. In their stultifying and infantilised relationship, they have deceived themselves and each other into thinking they are happy. But Nora’s concealment of a loan she had to take out for her husband’s sake forces their frivolous conversation to an irrevocable crisis, until Nora claims her right to individual freedom.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 11th JUNE 2019 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

“A DOLLS HOUSE”
DIRECTED BY LESTER COOKE

SHOW REPORT
“A Doll’s House” is a play by Norwegian Henrik Ibsen and was first performed in Norway in December 1879. This production is in a new version by Simon Stephens. Although the play is one hundred and forty years old it is still quite relevant today. The plot in the beginning appears simple, but becomes ever more complex with its twists and surprises, some splashes of humour and some very dark moments; it is full of symbolisms and gives a good insight into the life of a middle-class wife and mother of that era.
This is Lester Cooke’s first time directing for Bonkers Theatrical and I must say he has done an excellent job! The staging was perfect and the pace built at just the right speed and he clearly has a good understanding of the story and how it should be presented. The cast of seven were all remarkable and each built and sustained their characters throughout the play. Kathryn Rose was outstanding as Nora, going deep into her character to portray Nora’s “awakening”. James Wallace was excellent as Torvald and showed well the male dominance of that era. Jenny Wallace was excellent too as Kristine and managed to show her character to be a real “foil” for Nora. Another excellent performance came from Alan Galway as Dr Rank he brought a lot of sensitivity and warmth to the role. Gordon Richie brilliantly played the role of Krogstad his facial expressions showed how evil and vile his character was. Two very good and noteworthy performances came from Becky Woodham as Helene the maid and from Lynda Wilkin as Anna the nanny. Well done to you all!
The set for “A Doll’s House” was beautifully made and dressed and looked very authentic. The costumes were all very good and were all in keeping with the style of the era. The lighting and sound quality was excellent throughout the evening.
Congratulations to Bonkers Theatrical for what was a faultless opening night. This was a very enjoyable and thought provoking production portrayed with great authenticity.

CAROLINE JERVIS
NODA EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE

Audience Feedback
Stunning, Superb, Captivating.
An emotional rollercoaster. Another triumph for Bonkers.

The Cast
Alan Galway  –  Daniel Fortune  –  Jake Stevens
Jenny Wallace  –  Rachel Fletcher  –  Charlotte Handy  –  Carly Walker

Synopsis
Continuing with the ‘Bonkers Do…’ theme, this time we attack The Movies. Join us as we travel through the ages featuring some of the best movie songs of all time. Think of your favourite movie, then think of the headline song from that movie, there’s a good chance it will be in this show.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 19th MAR 2019 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

“BONKERS DO THE MOVIES”
DIRECTED BY MARK WALKER
VOCAL COACH AND AUDIO/VISUAL EFFECTS BY DANIEL FORTUN   CHOREOGRAPHY FOR UNCHAINED MELODY BY CARLY WALKER

SHOW REPORT
What a delightful evening this was! ”Bonkers do the Movies” is a very original show and was once again brilliantly directed by Mark Walker. With a giant TV screen centre stage showing images from the twenty nine movie numbers performed during the evening there was certainly something for every taste. Getting the timing right was no mean feat and was done to perfection, well done! The set was simple but very effective with the stage veiled with black cloths which showed of the screen perfectly and two microphone stands strategically placed for the performers as they entered the stage. The costumes were simple too, mainly black with a lovely touch of accessories when needed which was very classy. The lighting design was excellent throughout the show, as was the sound quality. The whole evening flowed with ease from number to number and had a good and effortless pace throughout the show.
There were just seven artistes in the show and they all performed brilliantly. Seasoned actor, Alan Galway sang five numbers, my favourites were Mrs Robinson and Suicide is Painless. Charlotte Handy also performed in five numbers her My Heart Will Go On and I Will Always Love You were both absolutely stunning. Daniel Fortune opened the show with The Greatest Showman which was fabulous, and he sang the beautiful Unchained Melody in which he was accompanied with a stunning ballet dance from Carly Walker (choreographed by herself) I loved Daniel’s version of Everybody’s Talking. Jake Stevens impressed me very much with his Men in Black, I Believe I Can Fly and Once Upon A Time in New York City. Jenny Wallace had some really big numbers like Don’t Rain on my Parade and Let It Go but my favourite from her was The Windmills of your Mind. Rachel Fletcher sang with a great deal of passion, especially in The Rose and Moon River. Well done to you all, you were incredible with both your vocals and your performances.
Congratulations Bonkers Theatrical for this faultless first night which was thoroughly enjoyable for all the audience.

CAROLINE JERVIS
NODA EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE

Audience Feedback
So many films I have to go and watch again now.
A beautiful evening’s entertainment with something for everyone.

The Cast
Judy  –  Kate Gillespie-Allan   Michael – Daniel Fortune

Synopsis
It’s dusk. Mother and father are in their bedroom, dressing in preparation for Parents’ Evening at their only daughter’s primary school. During this rare opportunity to check in, the couple embarks on a volatile, passionate and surprising confrontation that challenges every one of their life choices. The play is a painfully witty, perceptive exploration of the landlines of parenting in modern marriage.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 19th MAR 2019 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

SHOW REPORT
“Parents Evening” is an extremely well written play by Bathsheba Doran. The story takes place over one evening when married couple, Judy and Michael are in the bedroom getting ready to go to their daughters parents evening. The atmosphere becomes extremely volatile and highly charged as the couple become embroiled in an extended and painful row about who is to blame for their daughter’s bad behaviour.
Once again Mark Walker has brought his directing expertise to the Bonkers Playhouse Theatre with this hard-hitting play. It has been well-staged has a great pace and has been brilliantly cast.
I am full of admiration for the two actors in this play; Kate Gillespie-Allan as Judy and Daniel Fortune as Michael both give outstanding performances. Their characters are very well defined and are played with great honesty. This is a play that the audience can easily identify with, it is at times uncomfortable to watch, is often very funny, but is fully engaging throughout. Well done Mark, Kate and Daniel for bringing this very worthy play to the stage!
The play had one set, a bedroom, which had been very well dressed and organised. The costumes and props were really good and appropriate for the play. The sound quality was excellent throughout as was the lighting, which was very subtle and added atmosphere to the production, particularly in act two. Congratulations to all at Bonkers Theatrical for this excellent and faultless first night performance!

CAROLINE JERVIS
NODA EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE

Audience Feedback
Superbly acted, once again.
A great night out. Lots of laughs as well as lots to ponder. Highly recomended.

The Cast
Kaye Stevens.

Synopsis
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black’s classic Tell Me on a Sunday is a one-woman show that charts the course of a young English girl newly arrived in New York. Brimming with optimism, she sets out to seek success, companionship and, of course, love. But as she weaves her way through the maze of the city and her own anxieties, frustrations and heartaches she begins to wonder whether – in fact – she’s been looking for love in all the wrong places.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 21st JAN 2019 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

SHOW REPORT
A touch of class came to Kettering this evening in the shape of “Tell me on a Sunday”. The one woman show by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black wowed the audience tonight in the intimate surroundings of The Bonkers Playhouse Theatre, a perfect venue for this production. “Tell me on a Sunday” was first performed at the Sydmonton Festival in 1979. The original recording featured Marti Webb as Emma. It was shown as a BBC Telecast in 1980 as part of “Song and Dance” this show then went into the West End in 1982 and onto Broadway in 1985. This is the first amateur production of “Tell me on a Sunday” to be seen in Northamptonshire.
The direction by Mark Walker was brilliant, the staging was excellent and the pace of the show was perfect. The musical direction by Kaye Tompkins was remarkable and it is no mean feat to accompany a sung through musical. Kaye Stevens gave an incredible performance as Emma the English girl newly arrived in New York; Kaye drew the audience into her apartment and took us on her journey of relationships and loves won and lost, with a good mix of tongue in cheek humour and a great deal of emotion. My favourite number was “It’s not the end of the World” which was very movingly performed by Kaye.
The set was excellent, was very well dressed and carefully planned with lots of attention to detail. I loved how the clothes rail emptied and the linen basket slowly filled as Emma changed costumes on stage, you knew the show was at the end when the clothes rail was empty! The sound quality was excellent throughout; the lighting was superb and greatly enhances the show.
Congratulations to all at Bonkers Theatrical especially Mark Walker, Kaye Tompkins and Kaye Stevens on what was a faultless and thoroughly enjoyable opening night!

CAROLINE JERVIS
NODA EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE

Audience Feedback
Wow. Just wow.
Beautifully performed and directed.
A performance that’ll live a long while in my memory.

The Cast
Dasher – Alan Galway.  Cupid – Phil Mills.  Hollywood – James Wallace.  Blitzen – Leisa Cooke. Comet – David Mander.  Dancer – Susan Hackett.  Donner – Martin Brown.  Vixen –Kate Gillespie Allan. Judge Candy C. Ane – Jane Walker. Clerk of the Court – Carly Walker.  Sata Claus – Eric St John.  Security Guard – Steff Keightley.

Synopsis
Looking for something different this Christmas? Tired of ‘Pantomimes’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’? Well, this is the play for you! Eight reindeer dish the dirt on the real Santa. All those rumours you’ve heard about him and the elves. About Rudolph’s little secret and Vixen’s story that was leaked to the press, all true. Yes, the reindeer finally speak up and they do not hold back! This play is not recommended for younger audiences. Adults only for this one!

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 3rd DEC 2018 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

SHOW REPORT
The Eight Reindeer Monologues is a hilariously funny play written by Jeff Goode and is strictly for adults only! All of the action takes place in a court room where Santa Claus has been put on trial, his eight reindeer each have to give evidence and the audience act as the jury. This production has once again been expertly directed by Mark Walker it had a very good pace and was brilliantly cast. The twelve actors were all outstanding … Carly Walker as Clerk of the Court, Jane Walker as Judge Candy C. Ane, Steff Keightley as Security Guard and Eric St John as Santa Claus. The Eight Reindeers were Alan Galway as the bossy head reindeer Dasher, Phil Mills as the very camp, gay Cupid, James Wallace as Hollywood / Prancer (with a big ego), Leisa Cooke as the forth write lesbian Blitzen, David Mander as a very funny Comet, Susan Hackett as Dancer, Martin Brown as Donner (father of the ill-fated Rudolph) and Kate Gillespie-Allan as Vixen. I do not want to single out any of the actors as they were all brilliant, but I particularly enjoyed the performances from Leisa, David and Kate. I was very impressed with how each actor stayed in character and reacted to the all the action throughout each monologue. Well done to you all you were all amazing! The set was simple but very effective as were the costumes. The lighting and sound quality was excellent throughout the performance. The Eight Reindeer Monologues was side splittingly funny and outrageous throughout. The audience found Santa Claus guilty tonight … but the rest of the week … who knows! What a fun-packed evening this was!

Caroline Jervis
NODA East Midlands District 7 Representative.

Audience Feedback
Excellent performance tonight of the Eight Reindeer Monologues – we really enjoyed it. So funny.
Superb performances as always.

The Cast
Alan Galway – Daniel Fortune – James Wallace – Terry West – Sam Hammonds – Jenny Wallace – Rachel Fletcher

Synopsis
A tribute to the hugely popular music from two iconic movies, The Blues Brothers & The Commitments. Both groundbreaking in thier own way and giving the world some of the best loved music of a generation. Bonkers Theatrical presents its very own tribute to these two musical giants.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 8th NOV 2018 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

SHOW REPORT
Bonkers Theatrical has cleverly put together this Musical Tribute Show by combining the music of The Commitments and The Blues Brothers. The shows director, Mark Walker has done a terrific job in the staging of this production, it was slick, fast paced and highly entertaining. Daniel Fortune’s musical arrangements and vocal coaching was brilliantly done.
The show featured seven artists, they were – Daniel Fortune, Alan Galway, James Wallace, Terry West, Samantha Hammond, Jenny Wallace and Rachel Fletcher. All the performers were amazing and the quality of the vocals and harmonising was incredible from them all. With a smattering of tongue-in-cheek iconic humour and very well-choreographed routines this all made for a wonderful evening’s entertainment.
There was no set, as such, but the stage looked fabulous with a surround of black curtains and some well-positioned free standing microphones, the excellent lighting made it all look very classy indeed! The sound quality was superb throughout the performance. The costumes were really good and authentic looking, making the show as visually outstanding as it sounded.
Congratulations to all at Bonkers Theatrical for this first class, fun filled show.

Caroline Jervis
NODA East Midlands District 7 Representative.

Audience Feedback
Loved it, loved it, loved it. What a fabulous evening. Want to see it again.

The Cast
Ray – David Mander   Una – Susan Hackett   Girl – Penny Walker

The Story
At his workplace, 55-year-old Ray is shocked to be visited by a young woman, 27-year-old Una. Fifteen years earlier, he had sexually abused her. This relationship, which lasted three months, began and ended when Una was 12 and Ray was 40. Ultimately, they ran off together, and, while Ray was taking time to compose himself after realizing what he had just done, he left her alone in a motel room. She got worried and left to find him, which led to both of them frantically searching for one another and raising suspicions within the small coastal town where they were staying. Eventually, a couple out walking their dog took Una in and called the police after learning why she was there. Ray was then arrested and imprisoned. Upon his release, he managed to establish a reasonably successful new life under another name, but Una recognized him in a photograph and tracked him down. Ray takes Una to the office break room, where the two engage in a long and difficult confrontation involving Una’s continuing struggles to understand and come to terms with the abuse and her intensely conflicting emotions, which pivot between anger, curiosity, confusion, and even a persistent attachment to Ray, whom Una loved, and she believed that he loved her. The fearful Ray, who is himself trying to forget the past and the potential feelings he had for Una, parries her demanding questions and descriptions of her feelings and experiences, all the while uncertain of her intentions.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 7th AUG 2018 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

PLAY REPORT
“Blackbird” is an extremely well written, hard hitting and explicit play by David Harrower. The story is set around two characters, fifty five year old Ray and twenty seven year old Una. Fifteen years earlier when Una was just twelve years old, Ray had sexually abused her, Una has now turned up unexpectedly at Ray’s work place and the most unimaginable confrontation begins ….
Director Mark Walker, assisted by Daniel Fortune has very sensitively brought this remarkable piece of theatre to the stage. The storyline has been approached in an accurate, frank and honest manner. Well done for achieving this.
The two actors in the central roles, David Mander as Ray and Susan Hackett as Una were both outstanding. David managed to sustain an air of embarrassment and shame throughout the performance and his reactions during Una’s monologue made very uncomfortable viewing. Susan too sustained her character throughout and her monologue was remarkable she was able to revert back to the feelings she had as a twelve year old in a very convincing way. There was a delightful cameo performance from Penny Walker as the “Girl” this was Penny’s first acting role.
The set for Blackbird was simple, well made and very effective as were the props. The costumes were chosen well. The lighting and sound quality was excellent throughout the play. The use of sound effects and music was very effective indeed and added greatly to the atmosphere.
Congratulations to all at Bonkers Theatrical for this amazing and faultless first performance of “Blackbird”. This was a difficult play for the audience to watch, it was harrowing, explicit and very disturbing. You could have heard a pin drop through most of the play as it was so absorbing. Well done!

Caroline Jervis
NODA East Midlands District 7 Representative.

Audience Feedback
Totally outstanding performances and a really moving evening of theatre.

The Cast
Phillip – Bob Mutch.  Treat – Daniel Fortune.  Harold – Alan Galway

The Story
Two grown orphan brothers live in an old dilapidated row house in North Philadelphia, deserted in childhood by an unfaithful father and by the death of their mother. Older brother Treat, brutal and violent, provides for his younger brother Phillip by being a petty thief, interpreting the role of father. With the love and protectiveness of an older brother and an orphan’s fear of abandonment, Treat takes away Phillip’s chances to grow up, depriving him of knowledge and forcing him to live in a world of illiteracy and innocence, relegating him to their lost childhood. As Treat is out stealing to put food on the table, Phillip never leaves the house, thinking he will die from something outside because of a near deadly allergic reaction he had as a child. Haunted by the death of their mother, he spends his time lying in her closet filled with unworn clothes. Curious about the world, he secretly attempts to understand things by watching reruns of ‘The Price Is Right’ and underlining words in newspapers and old books he finds lying around. Treat kidnaps and ties up a Chicago gangster named Harold. Harold, an orphan himself, with the prowess of an escape artist, loosens the ties that bind him, turns the tables around, and with gun in hand, puts himself into the role of teacher, healer and surrogate parent.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 22^nd MAY 2018 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE KETTERING

PLAY REPORT
“Orphans” is a very powerful play by Lyle Kessler. It tells the story of two grown up orphan brothers from North Philadelphia. The older brother, Treat, is a petty thief who is violent towards his brother and anyone else he meets. Phillip is the younger brother, he is kept innocent and illiterate and not allowed to leave the house by Treat’s misguided attempts to protect him. The third character in the play is Harold who is a gangster from Chicago and an orphan himself. Harold is kidnaped by Treat and the harrowing story unfolds ….
“Orphans” has been brilliantly directed by Mark Walker with exceptional casting and staging that took the audience on a roller coaster of emotions.
The three actors all gave outstanding performances and interacted well throughout the play, they each had believable and well-sustained characters. Daniel Fortune as Treat showed a streak of male-violence that was quite chilling and at times uncomfortable to watch, at the end of the play he showed a different, softer side to Treat when he cradled his dead mothers coat. Bobby Mutch as Phillip managed to portray the child-like innocence and naivety of his character very well and showed how much Phillip craved the love of his dead mother. Alan Galway as Harold made his entrance as a very plausible drunk, his character always appeared to have an alternative motive for his actions. It was very uncomfortable to watch his interaction with Phillip in act one when he wanted to touch his shoulders and give him “encouragement”, Phillip appeared to enjoy the contact but Treat became quite violent when Harold tried to give him “encouragement”. It was not until the very end of the play that I realised that Harold was not a paedophile but was in fact their father!
The incredible acting by Daniel, Bobby and Alan kept the audience on the edge of their seats all through the play as the tension and atmosphere built to its dramatic climax. Congratulations on three awesome performances!
The set for “Orphans” was very well constructed and dressed. The costumes were excellent. The lighting and sound quality was very good throughout.
Well done to all at Bonkers Theatrical for this thought provoking and tense drama.

Caroline Jervis
NODA East Midlands District 7 Representative.

Audience Feedback
Wow, wow, wow! Where do I start?!? Tonight we went to see ‘Orphans’ at Bonkers Playhouse and I can safely say that it was beyond incredible!!! In the studio space, we felt completely immersed in the world of this psychological moving piece. The tension built by the trio was so high that I, as an audience member, genuinely forgot to breathe! (I have ACTUALLY strained my neck I was that tense). The characterisations were flawless from Daniel, Alan and Bobby! Utterly believable and accomplished throughout. The performance was so polished, with beautiful moments of non-verbal communication. Huge credit to Mark Walker, the attention to detail was simply stunning.
It’s not often that I’m astonished these days, but I was totally bowled over by the production of Orphans at the Bonkers Playhouse last night. Three mesmerising performances by Alan Galway, Daniel Fortune and Bobby Mutch and really tightly directed by Mark Walker. A tough play, very professionally handled

The Cast
Narrator – Jane Walker.  Woman 1 – Leisa Cooke. Woman 2 – Emma Williams. Woman 3 – Becky Woodham. Woman 4 – Samantha Hammond. Woman 5 – Katie Rose Parker. Woman 6 – Kate Clennett.

The Story
The Vagina Monologues. At first women were reluctant to talk about their intimate zone. They were a little shy. But once they got going, you couldn’t stop them. Women secretly love to talk about their vaginas. They get very excited, mainly because no one’s ever asked them before.’ Eve Ensler has written a poignant and hilarious tour of the last frontier, the ultimate forbidden zone, The Vagina Monologues is a celebration of female sexuality in all its complexity and mystery. Hailed as the bible for a new generation of women, it has been performed in cities and colleges throughout the world, and has inspired a dynamic grassroots movement — V-Day — to stop violence against women. Witty and irreverent, compassionate and wise, Eve Ensler’s award-winning masterpiece gives voice to real women’s deepest fantasies and fears, guaranteeing that no one will ever look at a woman’s body, or think of sex, in quite the same way again.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 19^TH MARCH 2018 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE

The Vagina Monologues is a very well written play by Eve Ensler. The play is set in a coffee shop where seven women sit relaxing and whilst drinking coffee they begin to talk about their intimate parts. The audience is taken on an emotional roller-coaster as the women discuss stories of violation, rape, torture, brutality, cruelty and all manner of women’s issues that would normally remain un-said. The stories are often sad, sometimes shocking and at times hilarious.
Bonkers Playhouse Theatre is an ideal venue for this production as from the moment the curtains opened you were part of the cosy atmosphere of the living room. The director, Mark Walker has excelled himself with the staging of this play the casting was perfect the set was superb and very well-dressed and the pace of the play was excellent.
The seven actors were all outstanding. Jane Walker was The Narrator and gave a very confident and sincere performance. Leisa Cooke was Woman I and was excellent throughout. Emma Louise Williams was Woman 2 and moved me close to tears when re-telling the story of her rape.  Becky Woodham was Woman 3 and her tale of the old woman’s “Flood” was really funny. Sam Hammond was Woman 4 her “Angry vagina” tale was excellent too.Katie-Rose Parker was Woman 5 and told of the woman who had a man who liked to “Look” at her bits, this too was hysterical. Kate Clennett was Woman 6 she had me in stitches with her description of the “Hair”. The monologue of Reclaiming the C*** was very tastefully done and had the audience laughing hysterically.The cast have all created great characters and when needed all had very convincing accents they interacted perfectly with each other and the play flowed with ease throughout the performance. Well done to all seven actors you were awesome!
The sound quality was excellent throughout and the lighting was perfect and used to great dramatic effect at poignant moments.
Congratulations to everyone, both on and off the stage for what was a faultless opening night!

CAROLINE JERVIS
NODA EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE.

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK
Went to see this show last night and was thoroughly entertained by a fabulous cast. Incredibly funny, thought provoking, emotional and powerful. Would highly recommend that you buy tickets to see this. If you have not been to Bonkers Playhouse yet you will be surprised by the amazing facilities there. Support local theatre and talent.
My daughter treated me to Vagina Monologues last night as a mothers day gift. What an emotional, roller coaster. Laughed so much at times, very sad at others. Very informative. Would recomend providing you dont mind strong language very occasionally. Loved the venue. Wonderful friendly staff especially Mark. Hope to see you again soon.
Wow – Vagina Monologues – you ladies excelled. There is no way you should call yourself amateur, your performances are superb. Orgasmic almost!! The downside is you have created a stalker for all your future productions. Congratulations to you all.

The Cast
Ken Harrison – Lester Cooke.  Sister Anderson – Leisa Cooke. Kay Sadler – Kate Clennett. John – Daniel Fortune. Dr Clair Scott – Jane Walker. Dr Michael Emerson – Alan Galway. Mrs Gillian Boyle – Katie-Rose Parker. Phillip Hill – James Wallace. Dr Paul Travers – Luke Simcoe. Peter Kershaw – Kevin Maltby. Dr Barr – Mark Walker. Andrew Eden – Adrian West-Tooms. Mr Justice Millhouse – David Wicks

The Story
“Whose Life is it Anyway” is a play about a man in hospital who fights for the right to choose to die. The hospital’s view, like the view of our society today, is that euthanasia is illegal and that doctors must try to preserve life and cannot destroy it. Ken Harrison is a quadriplegic after a car accident six months prior to the opening scene of the play. The doctors managed to stabilise him, but Ken is unable to move any part of his body other than his head and he cannot survive independently from the hospital. Before the accident he was a sculptor and he now wonders if he will ever be able to return to the life he once led. When he realises he will never be able to do so, he decides he does not want “to go on living with so much effort for such little result”.  The hospital staff, however, maintain that it is their job “to save life, not to lose it”. These opposing views are argued throughout the play and help to widen our knowledge of and opinions on euthanasia and free will.

NODA Review
REVIEWED ON 19^TH FEBRUARY 2018 AT BONKERS PLAYHOUSE THEATRE

There are not many occasions in local amateur theatre that can go down as truly historic … but this was definitely one of those! What a privilege it was to be amongst the first audience on the opening night in this new purpose built playhouse. The new venue is warm and welcoming and the auditorium is very comfortable and intimate … perfect for plays.
Bonkers Theatrical has made an excellent choice in their opening production of “Whose Life is it Anyway?” by Brian Clark. The play started out as a TV play in 1972 and was then adapted for the stage in 1978, a film version was made in 1981. “Whose Life is it Anyway?” is as relevant and thought-provoking now as it was back in the 1970’s. The story is about sculptor Ken Harrison who is paralysed in a car accident and six months later begins a battle for the right to be allowed to die.
The play has been brilliantly directed by Mark Walker, the casting was perfect and as each character developed we were taken on an emotional roller-coaster, occasionally broken by moments of intense humour.
Full credit must go to Lester Cooke who played quadriplegic Ken Harrison, his performance was very well-controlled, inspirational and frankly awesome! The twelve other actors all gave incredible performances with great depth of character from each one of them … Alan Galway as Dr Emerson, Leisa Cooke as Sister Anderson, some much needed light re-leaf from Kate Clennett as Nurse Sadler and Daniel Fortune as John. Two performances that stood out for me came from Jane Walker as Dr Clair Scott and James Wallace as Phillip Hill, they both brought out the ultra-sensitivity in their roles. There was Katie-Rose Parker as Gillian Boyle, Luke Simcoe as Dr Paul Travers, Kevin Maltby as Peter Kershaw, Mark Walker as Dr Barr, Adrian West-Tooms as Andrew Eden and David Wicks as Justice Millhouse. Each and every one of these actors deserve equal credit as they all lay-bare the depth of their characters before the audience.
The set for this production was excellent and very well-constructed and dressed. The costumes and props were very good and authentic. The lighting and sound quality was perfect throughout the evening.
This was an excellent and faultless opening night, congratulations to everyone involved in this amazing production of “Whose Life is it Anyway?”

CAROLINE JERVIS.
NODA EAST MIDLANDS DISTRICT 7 REPRECENTATIVE

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK
Well I do not know what to say, wow wow wow, what a fantastic play and performers, it was as good as we have seen in London. Thank you so much for a very enjoyable evening xx
Absolutely fantastic! Whose Life is it Anyway was so thought provoking – humour, sadness, human dilemma.. all brilliantly portrayed. We will definitely be back.

The Cast
Lily – Kate Clennett.  Sylvie – Alex Underwood. Janice – Katie-Rose Parker.  Tiffany – Susan Hackett.  Mr Causeway – David Mander.

The Story
Set in a busy call centre selling sex toys, Sex Cells is a bitter-sweet comedy drama that explores motherhood through the relationships and rivalries of the four women employees and their Manager, Mr Causeway. Lily is 65 years old with a 28 year old son. She has never examined their flimsy relationship until he resolves to break ties. Sylvie is 39 and desperate for a child. Her third attempt at IVF failed and with hardly any eggs left she will stop at nothing to have another go. Even if this means asking Lily, a woman she can’t stand, for a loan. Tiffany is 29. She has witnessed what children have done to the women in her life, not least her twin sister. She longs for love, but always meets the wrong men. Janice is 39 and has five children. She struggles to remember what it was like to be the independent woman she once was. The manager Mr Causeway is a gentle man of 55 who cannot deal easily with the stresses of life… or the constant rows that break out between his co-workers. A must-see for all mothers, want-to-be mothers and anyone who’s ever had a mother.

NODA Review
Reviewed on 29^th Sept 2017 at the Star Hall, Finedon

“Sex Cells” a comedy drama written by Anna Longaretti, is set in a call centre that sells sex toys! We are taken on a roller-coaster of emotions by the five actors in this very well written play. Director, Mark Walker has surpassed himself with this hilariously funny, fast-paced production. “Sex Cells” was brilliantly cast and superbly staged. Well done Mark! There were awesome performances from the five cast members, each had very different and well-defined characters and they interacted perfectly with each other throughout the performance. Kate Clennett was excellent in the role of Lily, a lady who has fallen out with her son and lost her husband, Kate had a terrific well-sustained accent and great comic timing. Alex Underwood’s character Sylvia is desperate to have a baby and has been through several failed I.V.F. treatments. Alex gave an outstanding, thoughtfully controlled performance. Katie-Rose Parker played Janice, a thirty-nine year old woman with five children. This was another excellent and well-sustained performance. Susan Hackett plays Tiffany, a twenty-nine year old who is always on the look- out for love. Susan also had great comic timing and gave a bubbly performance which I enjoyed very much. Mr Causeway is the fifty-five year old hapless manager who has to deal with the four headstrong ladies he is brilliantly played by David Mander, he too has excellent comic timing and a very expressive delivery. Well done to all the cast you all gave first-class performances! The production had an excellent set which was very well-made and dressed. The blackouts in the scene changes were short and very slick and there was good use of incidental music to mask the changes. The props were very good throughout and well-managed. The costumes too were very good and in keeping with the piece. The lighting quality was excellent throughout the performance. Congratulations to all the company both on and off the stage for this hilariously funny and thoroughly enjoyable production. This was a faultless opening night, with no obvious problems. You should all be very proud!

CAROLINE JERVIS. NODA EM DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE.

The Cast
Sara – Alexandra Underwood.  Tom – Alan Galway.  Leo – David Wicks.  Yuri – Kev Aitkin.

The Story
Lucky Me is a whimsical comedy about love, aging, bad luck and airport security. Sara’s having a bad week. Really bad! The light bulbs in her apartment keep burning out, there’s a leak in the roof, the aquarium is full of dead fish, the cat’s gone AWOL, and her Father – who chased off her last beau – is suspicious of Tom, their new neighbour, a TSA agent who just brought Sara home from the emergency room on New Year’s Eve with a fractured fifth metatarsal. As Tom’s attraction to Sara increases, he learns of the bizarre streak of bad luck that’s been haunting Sara for years – twenty-two years to be precise.

NODA Review
Reviewed on 5^th May 2016 at the Star Hall, Finedon

“Lucky Me” is the 14^th production from Bonkers Theatrical and is a play written by Robert Caisley. I think I would describe the play as a romantic comedy with a great deal of drama. “Lucky Me” has been carefully directed by Mark Walker, the play is a difficult piece, having only four characters in it. The play begins quite slowly but picks up pace as act 1 progresses, like a simmering cauldron that erupts with moments of dramatic and sexual tension between the characters. Well done Mark for creating a piece full of atmosphere that is sustained from the beginning to the end. Congratulations to all four actors who appear in “Lucky Me”. The play is relentlessly wordy, demanding great concentration from its performers. All four created well-defined characters that were sustained throughout the performance. They all had very good accents which were also well-sustained. Alex Underwood plays Sara, a very pessimistic woman who has endured twenty two years of bad luck, her ex partners seem always to befall accidents and the last, her husband, died! A very strong performance indeed from Alex and I was particularly impressed with her scene in act 2 when she was alone on the sofa, talking on her mobile, a great soliloquy! David Wicks was excellent in the role of Leo, Sara’s father. Leo is a cantankerous, bitter, rude and selfish old man. The character, Leo, is blind and David was very convincing in his portrayal of a blind man, and had great interaction with the other performers too. Another excellent performance came from Alan Galway as Tom. Tom is a hapless, slow-witted, love-sick man who spends the duration of the play trying to woo Sara and is constantly at loggerheads with her father. A very controlled and sustained performance from Alan, well done! Yuri was the final character in the quartet of performers and was brilliantly played by Kev Aitkin. Yuri is the Ukrainian landlord who pops up in act 2 just in time to add some well-needed comic relief. The scene when Yuri turns to Tom and says “do you want to see my b******s? was absolutely hilarious! A well sustained performance from Kev. The set, provided by Eric St John was simple but very effective. It was well-dressed with good attention to detail, it even had a working and well-stocked fridge! The props and costumes were all good and appropriate. The lighting was used to good effect throughout with good use of blackouts to cover scene changes. The use of incidental music to cover scene changes was excellent. This was an excellent opening night with no obvious problems. Congratulations to all the company of Bonkers Theatrical on what was a very enjoyable evening.

CAROLINE JERVIS. NODA EM DISTRICT 7 REPRESENTATIVE.

The Cast
Greta – Janet Askew.  Betty – Christine Haynes.  Mary – Eileen Moloney.  Rita – Caroline Jervis.  Cindy – Jane Walker. Milly – Emma Williams.  Fran – Lynda Wilkins.  Zoe – Kate Clennett.  Lorna – Alex Underwood.  Sheila – Leisa Cooke.

The Story
The action of the play takes place throughout a single day as is confined to the lounge of a care home for retired actors. As the play opens staff are attending the funeral of a resident. The home is very short of residents and the arrival of Sheila, a business manager from the Head Office of the company that owns the Home sparks desperate measures to increase the number of residents. Unfortunately, a series of mishaps to Sheila only add to the general chaos of the home. Things like lost teeth, incontinence issues and another death. Matters are further complicated – and come to a head – when one of the residents thinks she recognizes Sheila.

NODA Review
Jenny Chandler EM 8 (Deputising for Caroline Jervis EM 7)

Adrian Cale’s “Bowing Out” (a nice play on words) is set in a retirement home for actors. On the day on which the action takes place manager, Lorna, while trying to maintain order among her eclectic mix of retirees and staff receives a visit from head office in the person of Sheila who has been tasked with deciding the fate of the home which is in need of both more residents and more funding. The comedy develops as Lorna tries to energies everyone into strategies which will rescue their home. Alex Underwood (Lorna) and Leisa Cooke (Sheila) both brought their considerable acting expertise to their roles and delivered believable characters. They were well supported by Jane Walker and Emma Williams as staff members Cindy and Milly who were given the unenviable tasks of disguising themselves as pseudo extra inhabitants of the home. These roles gave both actors the opportunity to produce extremely over-the-top performances which they both relished. Newcomer to the company Kate Clements made her mark as Zoe the young hairdresser with ever an eye to the mainchance. However my star performer of the evening was Lynda Wilkin who, as the manic cook, Fran, was really quite scary – I wouldn’t have wanted to be caught in her kitchen! The cast was completed by the four lady retirees Janet Askew (Greta) Eileen Moloney (Mary) Christine Haynes (Betty) and Caroline Jervis (Rita).

The Cast
Bonnie Parker – Emma Legg.  Clyde Barrow – David Mander.  Narrator 1 – Alan Galway.  Narrator 2 – Mark Walker.

The Story
An unconditional love story.
Based on the legend of the infamous outlaw couple, set   during the Great Depression of the 1930s in an unnamed southern state of the United States of America. The action unfolds in one self-contained scene in a disused barn, as the pair spend their final hours together on the run from the law. The pair’s dialogue touches on a number of morbid, adult themes, in particular criminality, poverty and destructive   romantic entanglement.

NODA Review
Reviewed by Jenny Chandler. 20/9/14 Deputising for Caroline Jervis.

The names of Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow will be forever enshrined in the annals of history of the U.S.A as amongst the most violent and unreasonable of villains and perpetrators of many horrific crimes. Adam Peck’s play sets out to give a more in depth insight into the characters of the infamous pair and perhaps goes some way to explaining the reasons why their lives descended into self destruction. Both Bonnie and Clyde lived during the Great Depression of the 1930’s when families could barely scratch a living and it was all too easy to fall into a life of crime. The action of the play is set in a disused barn where the two spent their last few hours before being blitzed in a roadside ambush.
Although a short piece, the dialogue successfully conveyed the deep feelings between the pair and perhaps some of their regrets. Both actors, David Mander (Clyde) and Emma Legg (Bonnie) excelled in their roles, showing empathy and a depth of feeling for their characters. The play was augmented by a narrative and some contemporary slides sourced and delivered by Alan Galway and Mark Walker. This really served to give the audience a clearer understanding of the couple, their background and times and while not exonerating them totally provided food for thought and a lingering sadness that the lives of Bonnie and Clyde could have been so different.
The set, lighting and costumes were well thought through and amply supported the on stage action.
Well done to all involved in providing a thought provoking evening.
Jenny Chandler (East Midlands Rep. District 8)

The Cast
Richard Roma – David Russell.  Shelly Levene – Jon Reynolds.  John Williamson – Lester Cooke.  Dave Moss – Alan Galway.  George Aaronow – John Simpson.  James Lingk – James Reynolds.  Detective Baylen – Gordon Ritchie.  Blake – Mark Walker.

The Story
Times are tough in a Chicago real-estate office; the salesmen (Shelley Levene, Ricky Roma, Dave Moss, and George Aaronow) are given a strong incentive by Blake to succeed in a sales contest. The prizes? First prize is a Cadillac El Dorado, second prize is a set of steak knives, third prize is the sack! There is no room for losers in this dramatically masculine world, only “closers” will get the good sales leads. There is a lot of pressure to succeed, so a robbery is committed which has unforeseen consequences for all the characters.

NODA Review
This David Mamet Pulitzer Prize winning play set in a real estate office in Chicago is a pretty hard hitting piece of theatre. As sales are below expectations the bullish Blake (Mark Walker) sets his team, in no uncertain terms, the task of increasing sales making it a contest. To the winner will go a state of the art car but failure will result in dismissal. This news firmly sets the cat among the pigeons as each salesman tries to come up with strategies which will at least eliminate the loss of his position. Throughout the audience is made to see that, almost without exception, devious ploys are being brought into play as the men try to ensure that they will get the all important good sales leads which will result in a successful outcome.
Glengarry Glen Ross is a really challenging piece for any director and cast but, as usual, Mark had gathered a very strong group of local actors all of whom threw themselves whole heartedly into their respective roles. All gave memorable performances. Richard Roma (David Russell) the present king of the heap confident that he could win, Shelly Levene (Jon Reynolds) once the leader of the pack but now losing direction, Dave Moss (Alan Galway) a hustler and George Aaronow (John Simpson) who was my star performer of the evening as he demonstrated his characters angst and uncertainty to perfection. The remaining cast gave great support. I had a minor issue with the set in that i felt it needed to look a bit more up market and also i would have liked to see a good shine on the shoes. The men were, after all, salesmen and first impressions would be all important. However these are minor issues. The standard of the production from an acting point of view was first class and i’m sure the rest of the audience, like me, were very impressed.
(Reviewed by Jenny Chandler EM8 Deputising for Caroline Jervis)

The Cast
Ralph Wantage – David Mander.  Nancy Shirley – Jane Walker.  Agnetha Gottmundsdottir – Pam Dee.  The Guard – Alan Galway.

The Story
One evening ten year old Rhona goes missing. Her mother, Nancy, retreats into a state of frozen hope. Agnetha, an American academic, comes to England to research a thesis: “Serial Killing—A Forgivable Act?” Then there’s Ralph, a loner who’s looking for some distraction. Drawn together by horrific circumstances, these three embark on a long, dark journey which finally curves upward into the light. Angry, humane and compassionate, ‘Frozen’ is an extraordinary play that entwines the lives of a murderer, the mother of one of his victims and his psychologist to explore our capacity for forgiveness, remorse and change after an act that would seem to rule them out entirely.

NODA Review
It was with great trepidation that I entered the Masque Theatre at Barton Seagrave to review ‘Frozen’ by Bryony Lavery. After all the recent media coverage of Madeleine McCann and the Operation Yew Tree investigation, I knew the subject matter of ‘Frozen’ would be highly contentious and at the forefront of the audience’s minds. However, with Bonkers Theatrical’s reputation for dealing with such unorthodox subjects, I knew that it would be sensitively handled. Indeed, their bravery for taking on such a profound piece at this moment in time must be applauded.
The drama is particularly demanding and emotionally draining on both the audience and the actors alike. The uncomfortable subject matter of child abduction and murder, coupled with the highly emotive storylines, ensures the audience is taken on a rollercoaster of emotions.
The play opens with short monologues from each of the three main characters revealing his or her story. These stories intertwine and progress to duologues as they connect with one another and reveal how the characters gradually metaphorically ‘thaw’ and become ‘unfrozen’.
Jane Walker plays Nancy Shirley, the mother whose life has been ‘Frozen’ since the disappearance of her daughter, Rhona. Naturally, the audience’s sympathy is immediately for this character, but Walker’s impassioned performance ensures that this sympathy is maintained throughout – even with the shocking decision to meet her child’s murderer.
Pam Dee plays psychiatrist Agnetha Gottmundsdottir, an American academic who comes to England to research her thesis ‘Serial Killing – A Forgivable Act?’ Hers is perhaps the most difficult role for the audience to interact with as she is there not simply to confirm prejudices but to open minds to alternative possibilities. Dee played this role with such alacrity and professionalism that the audience’s preconceptions were definitely fully challenged.
David Mander’s portrayal of serial child killer, Ralph Wantage, was without doubt a stunning performance. He skilfully drew the audience in with his angry outbursts creating highly powerful drama along the way. This, coupled with revelations about his abuse as a child, ensured the audience were on the edge of their seats. Indeed, the audience were so riveted you could hear a pin drop.
Also, although he never said a word, Alan Galway played a very imposing prison officer.
Credit must go to Mark Walker for his skilful direction of the thought-provoking and often disturbing material.  His inspired decision to keep to a minimalistic one set ensured that full focus remained on the emotions. His creative use of projected backdrops and subtle sound bites ensured that the pace and tension were maintained without the need for full scene changes.
Congratulations to all involved for an extremely powerful, professional performance.
(Reviewed by Dale Freeman)

The Cast
Eddie Heptinstall – Alan Galway.  Pearl Heptinstall – Jane Walker.  Kevin Heptinstall – Bobby Mutch.  Sandra Heptinstall – Emma Legg.  Thomas – Seb Goss.  Hariett Pollock – Leisa Cooke.  Vernon Pollock – Lester Cooke.  Tarquin Pollock – Jonathan Cook.

The Story
Set some years ago, when physical and mental abuse was a fact of life to many women, this play is about domestic violence inside marriage – a subject still regrettably topical many, many years later. The engagement of two university students brings together their families.Sandra is from working class Doncaster and Tarquin is from the stockbroker belt of Chertsey in Surrey. The parents of both these students, although geographically and sociologically distant, share a common problem – the two fathers are controlling bullies with large fists. One mother seeks continual refuge in vodka bottles, the other in a make-believe gentleman companion, who is the antithesis of her husband. The play explores their different social attitudes in a dramatically comedic way to start with, but the mood darkens considerably when the brutish red mist and balled fists become unbearable and unstoppable, with unpleasant, but not altogether unexpected results.

NODA Review
I always look forward to seeing Mark Walker’s productions – they offer a challenge to both audience and actors and “Behind Closed Doors” was no exception.  Set quite a few years ago this play is about domestic abuse inside marriage and regrettably is still current. Two families, one from the Surrey stockbroker belt and the other in the north, a working class family from Doncaster.  The one thing the families have in common is that the fathers are both controlling bullies with fists as a solution for dealing with their “inadequate” wives.  The two families have been brought together as a result of their daughter, Sandra, from Doncaster (Emma Legg) and son, Tarquin, from Surrey (Jonathan Cook) getting it together at university and about to announce their engagement.  The play begins with a visit to the Heptinstall household where we meet the bully of a father, (played by Alan Galway) his slow witted son (Bobby Mutch) and his downtrodden wife (Jane Walker) who is used to getting a “belting” but has some spirit of her own and often gives (verbally) as much as she gets. Cut to the Surrey family where the father (Lester Cooke) has reduced his wife (Leisa Cooke) to a quivering wreck by emotional abuse which eventually results in physical abuse. How do the wives deal with this – well Pearl from Doncaster has invented a gentleman companion, Thomas (played by Seb Goss) who is the antithesis of her husband whilst Harriet from Surrey seeks solace from the vodka bottle. The two young people tell their individual families of their intended engagement and plans are made for the two families to meet at a mutually convenient venue. The worst type of behaviour is exhibited by the male members of both families resulting in Vernon and Harriet leaving shortly after arriving.  Back home in Surrey the emotional and severe physical abuse begins. This play explores the different social attitudes in a dramatically comic way to begin with but as the mood darkens when the brutish red mist and balled fists become unbearable and unstoppable with unpleasant but not altogether unexpected results.  Superb performances by EVERYONE in the cast. Once again another blockbuster of a drama from Bonkers Theatrical.  Many, many congratulations to everyone involved in this thought provoking production with outstanding direction by Mark Walker.

Nanette Lovell (Deputising for Caroline Jervis, Regional Representative, NODA East Midlands, District 7

The Cast
One – Jonathan Reynolds.  Two – Julie Paris.  Three – Jane Walker.  Four – Leisa Cooke.  Five – Seb Goss.  Six – Ian Stark.  Seven – Frances MacKenzie.  Eight – Alan Galway.  The Invigilator – Mark Walker.  The Guard – Lester Cooke.

The Story
Eight talented candidates have reached the final stage of selection to join the ranks of a mysterious and powerful corporation. Entering a windowless room, an Invigilator gives them seventy five minutes to answer one simple question. He outlines three rules they must obey or be disqualified: don’t talk to him or the armed guard by the door, don’t spoil their papers and don’t leave the room. He starts the clock and leaves. The candidates turn over their question papers, only to find they’re completely blank. After the initial confusion has subsided, one frustrated candidate writes ‘I believe I deserve…,’ and is promptly ejected for spoiling. The remaining candidates soon figure out they’re permitted to talk to each other, and they agree to cooperate in order to figure out the question: then they can compete to answer it. At first they suspect the question may be hidden in their papers like a security marker in a credit card, and they figure out ways to change their environment to expose the hidden words. But light, liquids and other plans all come to naught. Soon enough, the candidates begin to uncover each other’s background, prejudices and hidden agendas. Tensions rise as the clock steadily descends towards zero, and each candidate must decide how far they are willing to go to secure the ultimate job . . .

NODA Review
What an incredible piece of theatre Bonkers Theatrical have created – again.   Simple story, or so it seems, eight talented candidates have reached the final stage of selection for a top job with a powerful corporation.  They are now required to sit an exam and that is how the set appears – to begin with.  Eight tables and chairs set in a typical exam style room.  The candidates take their seats and the invigilator appears and explains the rules.  They have one question to answer and 75 minutes to do this.  They turn their papers over, but no question. So what to do now?  Oh I forgot to mention there is an armed guard at the door ready to evict anyone who breaks the rules.  As the play evolves the characters  reveal how far they will go to secure that top job.  The tension rises to almost breaking point as the clock ticks down to zero.  Everyone on stage is superbly cast and the technical crew are brilliant.  This piece of drama is what all amateur theatre is all about.  It is not possible to mention anyone individually as everyone is important in this incredible piece of theatre.  One person I must mention is Mark Walker who has adapted this piece from a film and for his superb direction.  Congratulations to everyone taking this “EXAM” – you have all passed!

Nanette Lovell (Deputising for Caroline Jervis, Regional Representative, NODA East Midlands, District 7

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK
Just returned from watching Bonkers Theatrical production of “Exam”. One of the most powerful pieces of theatre I’ve seen in a long while. Such a talented cast, well written script, great staging and effects, can’t praise it highly enough. If you ever get an opportunity to see one of their shows, run don’t walk. You won’t be disappointed!!
Such a powerful piece of theatre. The set magnificent. How clever was it on the amateur stage. Well done to all the cast.

The Cast
Vivien Witherington  – Jane Walker.  Clive Witherington  – Lester Cooke.  Lizzie Meadows – Julie Paris.  Eric Meadows – Alan Galway.  Trish Meadows – Ashleigh Hammond.  Michelle Greenwood – Rachel Compton.  Mrs Greenwood – Kate Long.  Nicola Ward – Emma Legg.  Kevin Ward – Seb Goss.  Nurse Lindsay Walker – Leisa Cooke.  Sister Mitchell – Pam Dee.  Dr Mathers – Mark Walker.  Dot – Kaz Coles.  Brenda – Sally Gore.

The Story
This extremely funny play takes a ‘behind the scenes’ look into the world of the maternity ward. Join sex-mad nurse Lindsay Walker, and the four ladies on C Ward. The patients are : Vivien Withrington whose husband forgot to pay the private health insurance; Lizzie who has been caught out in the change of life; Nicola who gets confused easily and whose baby will have to match the soft furnishings in her house, and Michelle, whose only mistake was drinking alcopops and being 16. Three of these four have the husbands they deserve, who each tries to help his wife during the last few hours before ‘the big push’ in the only way they know best – by being a man, and either not being there, or retiring as often as possible to the TV Room. Michelle though, has her mum – a domineering matriarch who is desperate that the baby is adopted to prevent the shame of having to reveal that her daughter is an unmarried mother. The delivery rooms are full and so Vivien (who insisted on delivering in the birthing pool at the private ‘Woodlands’ nursing home) together with Nicola have to deliver in their beds on the ward, during which Sister Mitchell and Nurse Walker show their compassionate side. Through all this, the two domestics (Dot and Brenda) provide a down-to-earth patter of comfort to the labouring mothers, and barbed wit to the hospital staff.

NODA Review
Stand and Deliver – a modern play set in a hospital maternity ward – follows the tumultuous event of pregnancy during its final stages of four women, each typeset to represent various social cultural strands. Nicola, played by Emma Legg, is the stereotypical blonde bimbo, whose only wish is that her child-to-be is a girl, and matches in with current house décor. Julie Paris plays Lizzie, a mother of numerous children who, one would have thought, was past the child-bearing age. Then we have Michelle, played by Rachel Compton. She’s 16, and, after a one night stand, her life seems non-existant, especially with her mother, Mrs Greenwood played by Kate Long, demanding that her child be given up for adoption. Finally, we have the atypical upper-class snob, Vivien, played by Jane Walker, who’s only concern is that her husband forgot to pay the private health insurance. The four main characters are supported by their partners – or in case of Michelle, her conservative mother – a highly sexed ward nurse; a boisterous, yet comical ward sister; and the ward cleaners – two callous and work-shy gossips whose only interest lies in more overtime.The hilarious goings-on in this maternity ward contained all the necessary fun for a frolicsome evening. British comedy at its best, Director Mark Walker deserves a massive applaud. Laughter after laughter, the cast portrayed their characters to ‘a tee’. A special ‘well done’ must be given to all four mothers-to-be, as, without their expose to the real life challenges of child birth, the play would not have held its thread. Nurse Walker also deserves a special mention. The quality of her acting skills were superb, she managed to render her character with natural ease, and she showed her great stage prowess in voice and action. The set was built to an extremely high standard. A pat on the back to all involved. Diction could not be faulted, and props used worked well. Lighting was also well executed, and the play flowed in a continuous way synonymous with professional theatre. Overall, a highly entertaining show solidified by a highly talented cast. I would hope that one day, Stand and Deliver will take its final ovation on a professional stage. This evening’s performance being plainly flawless, I look forward to seeing more of Mark Walker’s direction in the future.

Ben Archibald (Deputising for Caroline Jervis, Regional Representative, NODA East Midlands, District 7

Independant Review
If Carlsberg did comedy plays…….. I cannot remember seeing such a brilliantly funny play as Stand and Deliver. From first to last every scene was littered with hilarious one-liners, running jokes and excellent visual comedy. As in most comedies there was also some very moving scenes that impacted very well on the audience. Set in a maternity ward the story revolves around the impending births of 4 babies whose respective mothers came from a wide social spectrum. Jane Walker, as Vivien, gave a very good performance and the ‘change of character’ required during the piece was excellently handled. Rachel Compton, as the very young mother-to-be Michelle, showed just the right balance between needing to grow up fast and the naivety of a teenager. Kate Long, as Michelle’s social climbing ‘horrified by what the neighbours will say’ mother gave a strong performance that had the audience’s hackles up from her first entrance!  Julie Paris’ portrayal of mother of 5, Lizzie, was heart warming, funny and ultimately incredibly moving. Emma Legg yet again proved what an excellent, versatile actress she is, as she played the ‘I am doing it by the book’ Nicola. Her description of the sexual prowess of her husband and the subsequent reactions were stomach hurting funny!! Leisa Cooke’s Nurse Walker was played with her usual aplomb and it was good to see her in a role that showed her good understanding of timing and delivery of comedy lines. She made a perfect foil for the old fashioned Matron role, Sister Mitchell, played sincerely by Pam Dee, and the near the knuckle (well actually they were more ‘in the bone’ than near it) scenes with Dr Mathers, played by Mark Walker, were superb. The expectant fathers – Clive, (Lester Cooke) Kevin (Seb Goss) and Eric (Alan Galway) were played very well, particularly in the waiting room scene where each actor gave some classic comedy performances. Last, but certainly not least, Kaz Coles, as ward cleaner Dot, literally got a belly laugh with every line! Ably assisted by her work partner Brenda, played by Sally Gore, theses characters stole every scene they were in – comic timing to perfection!! Another well received play from the Bonkers team, led by Director Mark Walker, that had the whole audience in fits of laughter throughout.

Jonathan Reynolds

The Cast
Katy Courbett – Leisa Cooke.  Meagan – Kate Long.  Rex – Ian Stark.  Don Hellman – David Mander.  Tom – John Stevens.  Advertising Woman – Jenny Tymon.  Advertising Man – Andre Anthony.  Plummy – Pam Dee.  Goth Girl – Heather Smith.  Cancer Man – Andre Anthony.   Army Dude – Jamie Rae.  Counter Attack Host – Julie Paris.  Mara – Donna Hewitt.  Counter Attack Guest – Pam Dee.  Jewel Jenson – Sophie Gibson.  Brad Prince – Seb Goss.  Candy – Emma Walker.  Kelly – Alexandra Underwood.  Byron Boyd – Jonathan Cook.  Pablo Rodriguez – Mark Hanson.  Abalone – Ruth Bowe.  Trevor – Paul Whiteman.  Rick Morgan – Lester Cooke.  Rick’s Wife – Jane Walker.  Ricky – Zak Hewitt.  Mr Blair – Jon Reynolds.  Controller – Paul Whiteman.  Buck Conrad – Alan Galway.  Camera Man – Jamie Rae.  Krista Diamond – Alexandra Underwood.  Announcer – Steve Patrick.  Pablo’s Mother – Kaz Coles.

The Story
In a world where reality and entertainment are continuously colliding, Live! follows ABN network president Katy Courbet and her team as inspiration strikes to create the most daring reality program ever. The show is Russian Roulette, network style, with contestants competing for five million dollars on-air, complete with a loaded gun. Live! examines the competitive and often gut-wrenching world of television production, where everyone from the crew to the contestants to the network brass becomes engulfed in a ratings battle where questions of morality and ethics lead to a dark, sick and unforgettable outcome.

NODA Review
Well I must admit that I have never been to a world premiere of any kind of production and I entered the theatre with some trepidation.  I knew that “LIVE” had been a film and that Mark Walker had been given permission to write a stage version of this dark piece of drama and this is exactly what he and his co-writer Leisa Cooke produced – and how!  The piece starts off in the office of a TV company in the USA where the executives and pondering on how to come up with a reality show to top all reality shows – “Russian Roulette” was suggested and immediately discarded for obvious reasons! However Katy Courbet, the president of the TV station was determined to get this show networked and this is exactly what she did.  What about contestants – would anyone ever come forward?  No problems there – all kinds of humanity turned up with the hope of being a winner – 5 million dollars being the prize for the lucky ones – the unfortunate one getting zero. We sat through the auditions and heard the reasons why these individuals were prepared to risk their lives. This was very cleverly staged with a camera man filming the auditions with close ups and giving us close-ups by siting two TV screens either side of the stage.  A brilliant touch of theatre.  So the contestants are selected – all legal difficulties overcome – the tension is beginning to build – end of Act 1.  During the interval the stage had been transformed into a TV studio – the contestants (all dressed in white) were on the set accompanied by various members of their families and friends. The clock ticks and transmission time gets nearer.  Friends and family are asked to leave the studio and take their seats in the audience.  The TV executives retire to the production and viewing area.  The host of the show  arrives along with his glamorous assistant complete with the gun. The host loads the gun with a live silver bullet – the name of the first contestant is selected – he  is handed the gun, places it to his head and pulls the trigger.  Throughout all of this the camera is running and we see the face of the contestant in close up.  Strong stuff – well you ain seen nothing yet!  The tension in the audience is almost unbearable  – there are six contestants  – have we really got to go through this again, and again and again……..  To reveal more would ruin the play but there are quite a few more twists which the audience has to endure before curtain down.  This production was one of the most incredible pieces of theatre I have ever seen.  Every character was so carefully cast and perfect for the roles they had to play.  In a piece like this it is very difficult to name any individuals as everyone was quite simply brilliant – however I feel I  must mention Leisa Cooke and “Katy”, Ian Stark as her trainee “Rex” and Ruth Bowe as one of the contestants “Abalone” .  The quality of acting and direction was incredible – the audience felt that they knew all of those contestants as real people.  I cannot praise this production highly enough.  Congratulations to Mark Walker for having the courage to mount such a production.   This piece of theatre deserves to be produced by other amateur companies – if they dare!   In his programme notes, Mark tells the audience to “sit back, relax and enjoy tonight’s production”.  Mark you should have been sitting in the audience with us – no way could we sit back and relax – we were all on the edge of our seats!!  Many, many congratulations to everyone involved with “LIVE” – it did everything it said in the advert – quite, quite brilliant.

Nanette Lovell
East Midlands Councillor

The Cast
Stella – Leisa Cooke.  Lauren – Jane Walker.  Stage Manager – Alan Galway.  2nd Girl – Kay Patterson.

The Story
Lauren is like most wannabe actresses – she wants to be famous, and to be famous you have to suffer the audition process. So when she attends an audition for a ‘must have’, career building part, little does she know that the Director, Stella, has very strong views about how an audition should be conducted; about how the person auditioning should be tested and what should and should not be said. Stella is about to push Lauren to her mental, physical, emotional and ethical limits. Each of her auditions lasts for a complete day, and they are very much one to one. Close to her breaking point, Lauren is subjected to alcohol, drugs and mind games as part of the audition process, all so that Stella can find out the answer to one question. How far will an actress go to get the part?
This powerful new drama is hard hitting and spiky, both suggestive and revealing; an insight into the mindsets of the examiner and the examined.

NODA Review
I must confess that I had never heard of a play called “The Audition”. I knew it was a two-hander about an audition but that was about all – oh yes not suitable for under 16 year olds due to content! Well we have all experienced all sorts of auditions but never, ever one like this!. A simple enough story with Lauren, a wannabe actress, arriving for an audtion,convinced if she lands this role she will be famous and is willing to suffer the audition process to gain the part. And suffer she does – along with the rest of the audience. The director of the play auditions one candidate each day and the audition takes all day. This audition comprises alcohol, drugs and mind games and has the audience on the edge of their seats practically from curtain up. The two actresses are Leisa Cooke (Stella the Director) and Jane Walker (Lauren the actress) and what incredible performances they both gave.It is a very brave company to stage such a hard-hitting and spiky production which is both suggestive and revealing – an insight into the mindsets of the examiner and the examined.The two actresses were quite simply incredible. The intense rehearsal period lasting three months must have taken over he lives of Leisa and Jane not to mention Mark Walker, the director. Be assured it was worth every second.
Congratulations to the three of you for allowing us, the audience, to experience such an emotional evening of theatre. I would urge other companies to take a look at this play (if you dare!) This is truly amateur theatre at its very, very best

Nanette Lovell
Regional Councillor. NODA East Midlands

The Cast
Lennie – Mark Walker.  George – Alan Galway.  Slim – Lester Cooke.  Candy – David Wicks.  Curly’s Wife – Leisa Cooke.  Curly – Sam Holbird.  Crooks – Greg Ottley.  Carlson – Steve Hough.  Whit – Jon Baish.  The Boss – Andre Anthony.  The Dog – Jake.

The Story
Of Mice And Men is one of the greatest tales of the last century, both in moralistic storytelling and personal acheivement in the real world. It was written by John Steinbeck in 1937 and revolves around the difficult lives of migrant ranch workers George Milton and Lennie Small who travel around depresion torn California looking to earn their keep. George and Lennie travel from ranch to ranch together, an act in itself uncommon during a time when men often looked out only for themselves, in a bid to “Work up a stake” with which they can settle down and live a better life together. The quick witted and cautious George often ends up looking out for Lennie. The giant’s vast physical strength and limited mental capabilities often lead to situations where the men have to flee for their lives. After another similar episode they arrive at a ranch near Soledad, South East of Salinas in California.They are taken in and impress their fellow workers, particularly Lennie who’s physical prowess means he can carry far greater loads and perform physical tasks much more easily than any other man they have seen. Their dream of owning their own piece of landappears to be edging closer as the eldest member of the ranch, “swamper” Candy, offers to pitch in his savings to help buy their own place in return for them allowing him to live there too. But dissaster strikes as the promiscuous wife of the ranch owners son, Curly, begins to get her claws into Lennie which leads to the big friendly giant killing her in a panic after a mix up while he was stroking her hair. With the staff of the ranch out in a mob and screaming for Lennie’s blood, George faces a moral dilemma that will change his life forever.

Independant Review
Bonkers Theatrical production of John Steinbeck’s classic 1937 play, based on a novel by the same author, was brought to the stage superbly by Director Mark Walker. The simple, but effective, stage set was complemented well by a concise lighting plot, both of which enhanced a very well thought out production. The clarity of each set helped the audience know exactly where the action was taking place.
I particularly liked the brave direction in the bunk room where the necessary pauses were used to great effect in many places (something that a lot of directors would have fought shy of, such is the demand for pace in general these days.) Also the horseshoe game played off set was cleverly done.
The production stayed true to the play’s core needs and benefitted from some fine acting. The opening scene between George (Alan Galway) and Lennie (Mark Walker) established the characters very well indeed and these characters were consistent to the end. The characterisations for the slow lumbering Lennie and for the caring but direct George came over in abundance and I felt a great sympathy for both characters. Mark gave an inspiring performance which immediately had the audience on his side. Alan’s George was crammed with emotion in every scene, whether bemoaning his life because of his need to care and look after Lennie’s interests or in the poignant passages of dialogue as he tended Lennie’s needs to hear about their dream of having a place of their own. Lester Cooke, as Slim, gave an excellent performance with bundles of charisma. His manner and delivery was superb and he managed to hold the necessary gravity to show that he was in control of the variance of emotion required for the role. David Wicks (Candy) kept his physicality very well and I always saw the frail, frightened man whose future looked bleak. Leisa Cooke yet again excelled, she managed to bring to the part of Curley’s Wife (any guesses to why she was never named in the novel?) a tremendous amount of inner turmoil. From disliking her character as she used her sexuality to intimidate the labourers to feeling sympathy for her lonely plight Leisa brought every ounce of emotion to the audience and the scene with Lennie prior to the ‘unwise discussion’ on Lennie’s need to be tactile that culminated in her death, was beautifully portrayed by both actors. During this scene Leisa’s timing and delivery regarding the missed Hollywood opportunities and the need for her Mother to approve of her life choices were brilliant. Jon Baish gave a fine performance as Whit, his accent and demeanour was wonderfully consistent and vibrant, particularly when he was describing his forthcoming night out at the parlour. I very much believed Greg Ottley as Crooks, he mastered the ‘continually defensive and contemptuous nature’ of the character which gave more impact to his eventual invitation to Lennie of sitting with him in his room. Greg also mastered the ‘back injury’ stance consistently. Other supporting roles including Sam Holbird as Curley, Steve Hough as Carlson and Andre Anthony as The Boss helped this production towards being successful in its staging.
Overall the piece was collectively performed very well and congratulations to Mark for managing to direct as well as perform, in both capacities I feel he excelled.
Staging a classic is always risky but, in my opinion, Bonkers pulled it off with aplomb.

Jonathan Reynolds

The Cast
Dave – Gaby Baciu.  Maureen – Louise Hough.  Roadie – Jon Baish.  Billy – Steve Hough.  Bernadette – Leisa Cooke.  Linda – Caroline Jenkins.  Robbie – Lester Cooke.  Peter – Neil Richardson.  Frances – Pam Dee.  Kav – Roy Taylor.  Eddy – Alan Galway.  Carol – Jenny Tymon.

The Story
The play focuses on a group of girls and local lads who venture out for a night of pre-marriage stag and hen party celebrations. The action takes place in the Gents and Ladies loos of a tacky night club, where Linda and Dave (bride and groom-to-be) have decided, unbeknownst to each other, to hold their stag and hen parties. Linda runs into her old boyfriend, Peter, a musician with a single climbing up the pop charts, but who is back in town on this particular night – playing a gig at the club. Whilst entering the club, Dave, in a drunken stupor, becomes ill from the indian curry he ate (washed down with a copious mix of Asti Spumante and Southern Comfort) and spends the remainder of the evening (and the play) in the Gents, with his head down the lavatory bowl! His mates, including Kas, and gang leader Eddy decide to take the law into their own hands when they suspect that Linda has developed a crush on Peter and may be having second thoughts about marrying Dave. Chaos ensues in this very coarse evening of fun.

NODA Review
Thank you for your invitation to Kevin to review Stags and Hens and for the warm hospitality extended to myself on the night as I deputised for him. This was, as many audience members commented, an enjoyable performance of a brilliant and very funny script which drew many laughs from the audience throughout the performance. The Direction (Mark Walker) showed strong ideas for the contrasting characters in both teams of Stags and Hens who interacted well. The setting of the piece was fairly simplistic with effective use of lights to highlight the relevant performance space within the toilets and the corridor outside, although there were several dark patches in the corridor which meant some loss of facial expression and which could have been solved by raising the FoH lights slightly to enable the light to fall on the faces of the actors. I was surprised to find it had not been set in Liverpool as my understanding of the piece is that the action takes place in a Liverpool Nightclub and I did feel that the references to Peter moving away to London were somewhat lost as the cast were all using southern/cockney accents. Willy Russell tends to script the text of his pieces using colloquialisms and language choices which lend themselves to the Scouse accent and I did feel at a couple of times that some of the humour was lost by displacing the piece. However I do fully understand in amateur performances that accents can be testing and it may well have been that as director you felt using a more familiar accent would enable the cast to deliver the lines more effectively. It was set in effectively designed toilets which were well constructed and whose décor were distressed in a very believable fashion and which immediately set the scene. A couple of small issues with the set were the sink and (a personal issue!) the symmetry of the cubicles. I know (or rather I understand) that in male toilets there are less cubicles however I did feel the off-centre setting of the cubicles leaving the males with less stage space than the girls made positioning in the male side more awkward than it need have been. The sink, although well thought out in terms of half-and-half paintwork was set at such an angle that actors on both sides were having to approach the sink from the side which looked unnatural and, particularly on the ladies side, were using a mirror apparently set sideways on to the sink. The toilets were extremely effective, however please remind Maureen to lift the lid when she is going to heave her guts! Costumes for the majority of the characters were well-conceived, particularly for the girls who transported me back to my pre-teenage (oh alright!) and teenage years of the 80s with crimped hair, bright eye-shadow and rah-rah skirts and the costumes of the males highlighted the different characters in evidence. The costume and wig for Peter was somewhat comedic, reflected in the audience’s reaction on his first entrance which rather detracted from the idea that his character is that of an up-and-coming and ‘cool’ pop star, really the straight male character of the show. There were a number of strong performances from a cast that contained several strong performers in their own right however I must single out for mention Lester Cooke for his outstanding performance demonstrating great pace, wide range of tonal inflections and a strong and utterly believable characterisation. Leisa Cooke also gave an extremely strong performance in the role of Bernie with a hard-edge that contrasted beautifully with the other girls and an excellent range of light and shade throughout. Mark, I am sure you are very proud of what you achieved with your production of this funny play and the praise I have no doubt you received from your audiences. Please be so kind as to pass on my gratitude to all those involved in the production and thank them on my behalf for a very enjoyable night out.

Anita Walker, deputising for Kevin Sheen – Regional Representative NODA East Midlands – District 7

The Cast
R P McMurphy -Alan Galway.  Nurse Ratched- Julie Futcher.  Billy Bibbit – Jon Baish.  Dale Harding – David Wicks.  Chief Bromden – Mark Walker.  Martini – Neil Richardson.  Cheswick – Paul Whiteman.  Scanlon – Lester Cooke.  Ruckley – Steve Hough.  Dr Spivey – Andre Anthony.  Aide Williams – Gaby Baciu.  Aide Warren – Leisa Cooke.  Nurse Flinn – Anita Walker.  Candy Starr – Jane Walker.  Sandra – Suzanne Lewis.  Aide Turkle – Sam Holbird.

The Story
Tyrannical Nurse Ratched rules her ward in an Oregon State mental hospital with a strict and unbending routine, unopposed by her patients, who remain cowed by mind numbing medication and the threat of electric shock therapy. But her regime is disrupted by the arrival of McMurphy, the swaggering, fun loving trickster with a devilish grin who resolves to oppose her rules on behalf of his fellow inmates. His struggle is seen through the eyes of Chief Bromden, a seemingly mute half Indian patient who understands McMurphy’s heroic attempt to do battle with the powers that keep them all imprisoned.
‘One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’ is a powerful piece of theatre that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next.

NODA Review
Firstly may I thank you for your invitation to come and review your production of ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest’. This was an absolute treat and the second time this year I have had the priviledge of witnessing a very professional performance from a Drama Group in my District. A very strong core cast kept their focus and character throughout and gave a performance befitting a bigger audience. Extremely well directed by Mark Walker, the show took the audience on a journey of highs and lows and, at times, made them feel guilty for laughing out loud. Very well done! The set was simple but effective, the lighting more so. The sound and voice-overs were clearly audible which i have found is not always the case in this venue. I can not, within the constraints of the normal NODA Report, pay tribute to each individual performer so I will comment on those who impressed that little bit more. Performers like Julie Futcher (Nurse Ratched) who was ‘caringly vindictive’ from start to finish but managed to portray her own mental frailties. Superb! Alan Galway (R. P. McMurphy) was excellent as the dominating but loveable, cocksure lead. Very well played. Paul Whiteman (Cheswick) was also worthy of mention for his portrayal though I think he tended to deliver his lines directly to the audience a little too often. David Wicks (Dale Harding), Neil Richardson (Martini) and Lester Cooke (Scanlon) all deserve praise for their focus and characterisation. Again, very well done to all. But, for me, it was Jon Baish (Billy Bibbit), Steve Hough (Ruckley) and Mark Walker (Cheif Bromden) who made the show that bit special. Jon’s performance as the stuttering Billy grew more impressive by the minute and was professional throughout. The same can be said for Steve’s portrayal of Ruckley. He only had four lines in the entire show but he very nearly stole it. Superb. Mark Walker gave a performance to be proud of. He engaged the audience in his early silence and endeared them to him when he ‘awoke’. Professional. What more can i say? I thoroughly enjoyed the show and would ask that you be so kind as to pass on my gratitude and genuine admiration to all those involed in the production and also say that I very much look forward to your next.

Kevin Sheen – Regional Representative NODA East Midlands – District 7

The Cast
Narrator – Mark Walker.  Mrs Johnston – Julie Futcher.  Mrs Lyons – Pam Dee.  Mickey – Alan Galway.  Eddie – Neil Richardson.  Linda – Jane Walker.  Swing – Jon Baish.

The Story
The story revolves around two boys, Mickey Johnston and Eddie Lyons, both from different backgrounds. One from a well off family, The Lyons’, and one from quite a poor family, The Johnston’s. The two boys become friends at the age of seven and we watch them grow into adults. But there is a secret that Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons hold. Eddie is the twin brother of Mickey, who was given away at birth to an infertile Mrs Lyons. As the two grow up they become very close and are even in love with the same girl, Linda. As they all grow older Mickey and Linda are married but, due to recession, Mickey becomes chronically depressed. He also believes Linda is having an affair with Eddie. He then sets out on a mission to find his ‘friend’. Mrs Johnston and Linda hurry after him in a last ditch attempt to stop him killing his twin. Mrs Johnston finally tells the brothers the truth, but with tragic consequences.

NODA Review
Superb, absolutely superb. From start to finish this emotion charged performance exuded professionalism. It was extremely well directed, extremely well performed and built methodically to a climax which left many of the audience in tears; and if you create that sense of belief in your audiences’ mind you know you have a good show on your hands. Though accents tended to waiver in some scenes it would be churlish to view this in any negative way. The show was a joy to watch. The lighting plan, setting and direction worked extremely well together and created moods that expertly matched the plot unfolding on stage. It is not unusual to view a show and see one or two of the performers stand out above the others. This show was not like that. From the brooding, but not overly sinister, portrayal of The Narrator (Mark Walker) to the increasingly neurotic, eventually psychotic portrayal of Mrs Lyons (Pam Dee) the actors took their characters, made them their own and delivered each one in turn to a very appreciative audience.
It is probably easier to sum it up like this:
Eddie – Neil Richardson; Excellent
Linda – Jane Walker; Excellent
Mickey – Alan Galway; Excellent
Mrs Johnston – Julie Futcher; Excellent
Mrs Lyons – Pam Dee; Excellent
Narrator – Mark Walker; Excellent
Swing – Jon Baish; Excellent
You have set yourselves a benchmark that may be difficult to maintain, however, it will be an absolute delight to see you try. In closing may I ask you to please pass on my thanks to the entire company for a thoroughly entertaining afternoon and I very much look forward to your next production.

Kevin Sheen – Regional Representative NODA East Midlands District 7

Evening Telegraph Review
Congratulations to Director Mark Walker, who also gave a beautifully underplayed, yet powerful performance as Narrator, moving in and out of the shadows, bringing a palpable sense of doom as the story unfolded to the most tragic of consequences. An unholy deal struck between desperate Mrs Johnston, played to absolute beleivable perfection by Julie Futcher and the neurotic and childless Mrs Lyons, played with a real sense of anguish by Pam Dee, wreaks havoc with the lives of the twins. Mickey (a lovable rogue) is beautifully characterised by Alan Galway, and Eddie, (the sensitive and refined brother) played with wide eyed admiration by Neil Richardson gave a contrast between the twins’ charcters which worked exceptionally well. The catalyst for the ulimate disaster of the piece is their love for the lovely Linda, saucily played by Jane Walker. Each actor was challenged to portray the aging process, from the exuberance, optimism and physical portrayal of childhood to adulthood, and succeeded. Mickey’s anguish at realising his dysfunctional life could easily have had the privileged ease of Eddie’s, was heart wrenching as was each mother’s portrayal of the burden of their guilty secret which defined each person’s life. The cast was completed by Jon Baish, playing a variety of characters to complete what was truly an ensemble piece of theatre. Funny, moving, thought provoking and enhanced with the simplest of sets, props, atmospheric lighting and authentic costumes, this is a thoroughly enjoyable production that deserves full houses at each performance.

Karen Coles & Jonathan Reynolds.

Audience Feedback
Myself and my family came to see your show yesterday evening at The Castle. This was my 14th time watching Blood Brothers be it the musical or the play either in the West End or as far away as Germany. Hand on heart, your show has to have been the best performance I have seen. It was outstanding. So a big well done to all of you, thank you for a fantastic evening out.
Kind regards, Claire Phillips (Wellingborough)