On Friday 21st October 2005 I went to the Playhouse Theatre in Cheltenham to see a new musical comedy written by a former colleague and good friend BILL CRONSHAW.

written by BILL CRONSHAW

DIRECTOR - SHEILA MANDER
MUSICAL DIRECTOR - RICHARD WATSON
LIGHTING DESIGNER - ALEX LEWER
SOUND DESIGNER - ADAM ELLIOTT
CHOREOGRAPHER - JULIE HENDERSON
STAGE MANAGER - CHRIS DAVIS
ASSISTED BY - XANTHE PARKER AND LOUIS MANNDER

The play was set in a Northern Pub and tells the story of how a ruthless and horrible business man tries to get the pub closed down but fails due to the locals entering into a national competition and winning. The show featured Bill as the Barman, Sheila Mander as the Wife, and two people I knew through the University productions, Ben Clark and Jenny Brocklehurst.

THE CAST

ERIC DOBBINS - BILL CRONSHAW
TRACY DOBBINS - KATE MANDER
DRUMMER - SAM GERARD
BASS / ELECTRIC GUITAR - SEAN McGOWAN
THE PIANIST - RICHARD WATSON
SHARON BOOTH - JENNY BROCKLEHURST
VANESSA SPINKS - CAROLINE MANDER
LONNIE LENNOX - BEN CLARK
KEV SUTCLIFFE - ROBBIE GARDNER
STEVE 'SWITCH' MULLEN - ANDY HARVEY
IRIS DOBBINS - SHEILA MANDER
RON STONE - RICHARD WATSON

The songs that were sung came from the 50's and 60's and were performed to the same high standard that I had come to expect when Bill, Sheila and Jenny are involved.

THE SONGS

ACT ONE
BOBBY'S GIRL - VANESSA AND SHARON
BYE BYE LOVE - KEV AND SWITCH
DOWN TOWN - SHARON
GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY - LONNIE
WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE - VANESSA LONNIE AND COMPANY
CRY ME A RIVER - VANESSA
ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK - COMPANY

ACT TWO
CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE - KEV
BOOTS - TRACY, VANESSA AND SHARON
WHEN I FALL IN LOVE - TRACY AND SWITCH
DEDICATED FOLLOWER OF FASHION - COMPANY
WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW - COMPANY
MEDLEY: I'M A BELIEVER
CALIFORNIA DREAMING
DA DOO RON RON - COMPANY