Reviews

‘brisk, literate, beautifully staged, perfectly performed play' ★★★★ Sometimes you wonder what it is that makes people want to be monarch. Look at Richard III, say – 30 years of decent enough life as a Duke, lots of land, plenty of money, then just over two years as King, every month of them spent fighting to hold on to the throne rather than achieving very much. Or, as Shakespeare’s version of Richard II, would have it, all Kings deposed, slain, haunted by the ghosts of those they deposed, poisoned by their wives – all murdered. Anyhow, let’s sit upon a theatre seat and watch sad stories of the death of Queens – in this case Lady Jane Grey, she of the nine days in 1553, executed by her successor Queen Mary who would herself be dead about four years later and succeeded by her sister Elizabeth. Rosamund Gravelle’s brisk, literate, beautifully staged, perfectly performed play posits a final night for Lady Jane (Martha Crow) while Mary, Elizabeth and the Eminence Rouge Cardinal Reginald Pole try to cajole, tempt or persuade her to recant her Protestantism to save her life, if not, as Lady Jane believes, her soul. There are stylistic echoes here of Schiller’s imagined meeting between Elizabeth of England and Mary Queen of Scots before another execution of a dangerous rival. The dark cavern at the basement of the Barons Court Theatre provides a perfect setting for the play – broodingly claustrophobic, an effect perfectly added to by a stage-smoky opening of Tudor song and Elizabeth (Eliza Shea) revealed playing chess (of course, the game where the Queen’s are all-powerful) with her lover Sir Robert Dudley (Sushant Shekhar). Elizabeth and Cardinal Pole, played by Les Kenny-Green, are the subtle politicians, manoeuvring for position and their own safety, Dudley a man-on-the-make who will convert to Catholicism at the drop of his feathered hat since Mary has restored the old faith and the priests to England after the death of her father, Henry VIII and brother Edward VI. No such moral flexibility for Queen Mary (Becky Black) and Lady Jane, however – the staunch Catholic facing the young usurper who briefly held her throne for Protestantism and, even with the headman’s axe above her head holds to her faith, her God. Both actors excel in the play’s key scene – the ultimate showdown between them as Mary seeks a way to spare her rival’s life without risk to herself while Jane is tempted to bolt for life but, a Woman for All Seasons, chooses conscience. It can be hard for the modern mind fully to comprehend the kind of faith that would embrace such a death (hard enough even then: a bare 40 years or so later the Huguenot Henri de Navarre would think Paris, and the French crown, ‘worth a Mass’.) Lavishly costumed, the production makes remarkable use of a tiny playing area that comfortably contains a sizeable cast and is filled for much of the running time with impressive trays of Catholic votive candles. The choreography’s perfect, the pacing ideal. As can be the case with historical drama, the story itself, gripping as it is, perhaps obscures any theme beyond the bravery of its heroine. But it’s a story very well and elegantly told, particularly in not foregrounding Elizabeth too strongly, the ultimate winner, but here a more watchful presence, reading the room, keeping herself safe at a time when the stakes couldn’t be higher, and indeed something someone less royal would be burned against. THREE QUEENS by Rosamund Gravelle at Barons Court Theatre 23 April – 11 May 2024 Director: Sharon Willems Box Office: https://www.baronscourttheatre.com/threequeensrosamundgravelle Cast: Becky Black - Mary I Martha Crow - Lady Jane Grey Eliza Shea- Elizabeth I Les Kenny-Green - Reginald Pope Sally Sharp - Kat Ashley Sushant Shekhar - Sir Robert Dudley Creatives Directed by Sharon Willems Music by Dimitri Kennaway Lighting design by Leo Bacica Produced by Kibo Productions & Rosamund Gravelle Reviewer: David Weir’s plays include Confessional (Oran Mor, Glasgow), Better Together (Jack Studio, London). Those and others performed across Scotland, Wales and England, and in Australia, Canada, South Korea, Switzerland and Belgium. Awards include Write Now Festival prize, Constance Cox award, SCDA best depiction of Scottish life, and twice Bruntwood longlisted.

“Cleverly combines monologue, physical theatre and painfully realistic dialogue between two people that just can’t seem to do ‘real talk’” ★★★ ½ ‘If you don’t laugh, you’ll cry’. That certainly seems to be the motto for Liam (Conor Rawlett), a northern Irish aspiring stand-up comic who tends to use jokes as deflection. It’s a tried and tested method to keep things light and surface level rather than, god forbid…letting things get a bit too deep under the skin. He shares a flat and a part-time friendship with Billy (Ben Borthwick) an aspiring video game streamer. They bond conveniently over beer, jokes and Mario Kart, meanwhile saving the more brooding moments of self-reflection and authenticity for their respective avenues of limelight. Billy manages to speak candidly and openly to his online viewers whilst Liam favours his heart to hearts on stage rather than in conversation. These moments of transparency function as direct address to the audience, allowing us into the inner worlds of these two characters. Liam serves as the protagonist of this tale and a likeable, all too familiar tragic figure. His heart, though wounded, is in the right place. If only he could quit his various vices - and maybe pay for therapy - he’d be alright. The reality they occupy however is one of rising costs of living in a city of spiralling rent - you’ve got that right, it’s London. Cleverly combining monologue, physical theatre - which at times seems superfluous - and painfully realistic dialogue between two people that just can’t seem to do ‘real talk’, this play tells a story of masculinity, jealousy, heart break and a lacking friendship. It also tells the story of a modern, digital world. A story of fast-growing capitalism and young men struggling to find their feet. Unfortunately, this play does not offer answers and nor does it provide a happy ending - that perhaps, is yet to be written by its audiences who certainly will come away with food for thought and maybe some conversations to have. It’s a big topic which has been tackled head on by a small and ambitious theatre company. Like every ‘big’ topic however there are elements that are destined to remain underexplored and underdeveloped within the constraints of time. Nonetheless, ‘Hard Reset’ are a company to watch and perhaps, to talk about. THICK SKIN by Lion and Unicorn Theatre 23 – 27 April 2024 Company: Hard Reset Theatre Reviewed by Phoebe Moore

‘An entertaining show with audience participation’ ★★★ The show is a busker’s tale of what it’s like to make an entrance onto the music scene via this precarious opportunity. It is also, we are told in the programme, playwright Brett Snelgrove’s tribute to his father, a means of processing the loss of his dad, a theme which is woven into the show. Jamie (Ollie West) is dealing with the loss of his father, who was a busker and decides the best way to grieve is to become a busker himself. It’s not as easy as he imagines with competition coming from seasoned regular Charlie (Evie Joy Wright). Charlie already has her ‘hook’, drumming on anything and everything, to draw the audience in and she doesn’t care to share her pitch. However, she reluctantly begins to warm to Jamie and to mentor him. Just as, it seems that the pair are making an original sound together which would enable them to get pub bookings, Jamie has a change of heart. The play hinges on whether they really want the same things or Jamie is just processing his bereavement. It is a very entertaining show, with audience participation. We’re instructed to give coins to the newbie guitarist and notes to the experienced drummer. If anyone should wonder why they should go and listen to a tale of two buskers in a theatre, the actor’s do harmonize very beautifully, and the music is pleasant enough. The actors play their roles well and have a certain rapport. Evie Joy Wright has the hardest job which she pulls off convincingly as the street wise entertainer who has determination and ambition to make it as a professional musician. Ollie West playing Jamie, has less to work with, as he’s given a lot of backstory which he narrates to the audience. It’s a pity and perhaps a failing of the piece, because this feels rather static and makes it harder for the audience to empathise with the character’s loss. Would it have worked better if the circumstances of his dad’s passing had come out in dialogue between the two buskers? It might have given an opportunity for more depth of feeling, conflict and a reveal, taking the audience along with him on his journey. Square Jaw Productions Presents Street Songs: A Busker’s Tale Directed by Lawrence Carmichael Written by Brett Snelgrove Tues 16th - Sat 27th April

"a daisy-chain of erotic encounters: sharp, funny and absorbing." ★★★★ Originally written in 2008, F***ing Men by Tony award winner, Joe DiPietro, a play about the world of queer male hook-ups and relationships, has been updated for this current production with a limited six week run at Waterloo East Theatre. With bang on references to dating apps, the Cloud, a plethora of pronouns and ever-evolving labels, this fast-paced, entertaining and absorbing one act play infuses the universal themes of connection and the push/pull tensions of monogamy and sexual freedom, with new relevance. Inspired by Arthur Schnitzel’s La Ronde, written in 1897 but not performed until 1920 due to its scandalous content, the format involves a series of interlocking two-handers; a daisy chain of erotic encounters that finishes with the person who kicks off the sequence. It’s a format that works particularly well with the subject matter, allowing audiences to focus wholly on each of the characters across the social and sexual spectrum. All are at different states of ease with their queerness: some are fully closeted, some easing their way out while others cutting a swathe across the scene, brandishing their desire like a loaded gun. While the script is sharp and witty, the staging is simple and effective; a plexi- glass screen separates private and public lives both physically and narratively. Back lit, the screen becomes a soft-focus sauna, a nocturnal night club, or shadowy corner. Front of stage, the action becomes a more intimate space; bedrooms into which we are invited to hear frank or (not so frank) discussions. There’s lots of physical cruising, coupling and climaxing in this “dark emptiness of…urban existence”. but what stays with you is the craving, caring and connecting. While there are thrusting buttocks and toned pecs a plenty, what is most exposed is the vulnerability from the men whose hearts are revealed alongside their bodies. Four performers all multi-role slipping in and out of different characters and accents. There’s the brattish college boy seducing his tutor, the military man in denial, the successful but closeted action hero who might be blackmailed and the porn star with a romantic soul. The performances are all excellent with not a single cut-out between them. It’s the sex workers; rent boys and escorts who present the greatest sensitivity and depth, challenging audiences to look beyond stereotypes, biases and prejudices to this parade of human souls united by their desire to not be alone. This is a gem of a play and shouldn’t be missed. Photography credit - Michaela Walshe F***ing Men by Joe DiPietro at Waterloo East 16 April - 26 May Box Office https://waterlooeast.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873639019 Presented by Adam Roebuck 18+ Cast: Joe Bishop Rory Connolly Jason Eddy David Michaels ​ Creative team: Director Steve Kunis Set and Costume Designer Cara Evans Lighting Designer Alex Lewer Sound Design Julian Starr Movement & Intimacy Director Lee Crowley Production Manager Carrie Croft Casting Director Anne Vosser Reviewed by Nilgin Yusuf

"There is only one word for this production: exceptional." ★★★★★ Make no mistake, Shakespeare is hard. He gives you a gift – but very few people can unwrap it. Finding one great Shakespearean performance is rare, let alone fourteen great Shakespearean performances. So let me just say, this vast cast blows it out of the water: they not only unwrap it, but they unpack it, wrap it up again, and give it back to you. Delivered by Burnt Orange Theatre, this thunderous and lean interpretation of The Tempest teases out its most magical and enigmatic qualities magnificently, without trying too hard. Burnt Orange Theatre is a company of 16-21 year-olds, though I didn't want to patronise them by taking their age into account. As it turns out, it kind of is worth taking their age into account, as there is only one word for this production: exceptional. This company's command of the stage and the language of Shakespeare is extraordinary – for any age. Indeed I've seen bigger, more mature performances of these masterworks that have fallen far short of this one. In this neatly abridged version of The Tempest, we dive headfirst into the eponymous storm, blowing up the small stage into the endless ocean through a stunning use of physical theatre, light, and sound. Absolute credit here to movement director Amy Rushent, Sarah Carvalho as movement captain (and playing the drunk Stephano), and technical manager Mason Dilworth; as well as, of course, to Anna Blackburn's breathtaking direction. The professionalism here is second-to-none. And this goes for all the movement, in all its often grotesque glory, throughout the whole play. Same for the light and sound, which is clean, creative, flawless, and dramatic. You're there on that shipwreck. Hell is empty and all the devils are here. When we arrive on that middle-of-nowhere, mysterious land, Ioan Oosthuizen's booming voice and lyrical tone lends itself very well to the marooned sorcerer-Duke, Prospero, who throughout the piece seems somehow tortured by his own powers, physically ravaged, which, whether intentional or not, is a really nice touch. Speaking of which, the nautical set and scruffy costumes in muted tones are terrific. You can almost smell the sea salt in the thick ropes and tatty rags, and it gives it a timelessness that adds to the overall disquiet: it's an island of liminal space, stranded in time just as much as at sea. There are a few other stand-outs: Lauren McIntyre's Shakespearean voice as the slave Caliban is utterly fluid and fearless, with an ease that makes the text natural. She throws herself into it completely. But the same can be said for the cast as a whole. As Prospero orchestrates everything around him – his daughter's romance, his enemy's shipwreck – the production hits every beat of action, with a perfect sense of drama. The uneasy colonialist inference is a whisper throughout and as relevant as ever. The pace and general tone is professional and precise, riding the waves of the story, perfectly balancing humour, tension, and beautifully subtle menace. Director Anna Blackburn has shaped a very skilled interpretation. Now, full disclaimer, The Tempest is one of my favourites, but I don't think that has clouded my judgement: if anything, this performance had a lot more at stake because of the fact. But, either way, whether Shakespeare is for you or not, you can't deny that every element of this production is spot on, and it's been crafted in such a way that even a first-timer can enjoy it. It's fresh without messing around with the material and epic without being over-the-top. You could lift this production exactly as it is and play it in a theatre ten times the size, and it would fill it no problem. It's made for it. Indeed when the rapturous, but naturally small-scale, applause came, I was almost struck by where we were, that I hadn't been sat in a full-scale West End theatre, so immersed had I been on that mysterious island, in this operatic performance. I found myself suddenly all at sea, sad to come ashore; like Prospero, our revels now were ended. The Tempest by William Shakespeare Presented by Burnt Orange Theatre Directed by Anna Blackburn The Drayton Arms Theatre  Burnt Orange Theatre Company | Youth theatre | Hammersmith, London, UK Reviewed by Alix Owen

‘This rites-of-passage story offers a gory, feminist call-to-arms’ ★★★ ½ Nine Moons offers a gothic twist on a modern coming-of-age story following three teenage girls learning to embrace puberty, feminism, and the differences between them. With a strong ensemble, simple set and shocking plot twists, Nine Moons is sure to leave a lasting impression. Rarely does a three-hander offer each character a unique arc, yet in Nine Moons, writer Nilgün Yusuf skilfully presents three complicated, well-rounded teenage girls. Portrayed by Selma Alkaff, the centric character Sage offers comic relief, earnestness, and an unashamed desire to be educated. Sophie Andrea plays both new girl Loukia and mythical Bearded Iris – offering a vampire like presence on stage: alluring, intriguing, hell-raising. Ella McCallum plays the insecure yet bullyish Danni, who offers a grounding presence to the descent into absurdity. Danäe Cambrook’s direction shows off the characters well, utilising the performance space to allow for slick ensemble and individual performances. The characters’ chemistry is brilliantly believable, inviting the audience into a false sense of security. Cambrook’s outlandish use of gore and horror was impressive, entertainingly shocking the audience and the characters both. This elevated the script well, and ironically humanised the characters, making them more relatable to the audience as their stories became more disturbing. Tackling the supernatural and the realism is often tricky to balance, yet this production manages it successfully. Often, the repetitive transitions between scenes, combined with the lack of set change, left the new scene location reliant on the actors to introduce. Whilst the use of other theatrical devices was cleverly subtle, perhaps more could be done to bring the audience straight into the scene, particularly in the second half when the intensity and stakes start dramatically rising. This could extend further to portray the passing of time: the play is set over nine lunar cycles, hence the title Nine Moons, yet this unfortunately was not clear. Given this is so imperative to the story, outside of dialogue there is no other acknowledgement that time passes more than a few months. Overall, Nine Moons is a shocking, thought-provoking, entertaining production – portraying relatable themes through a gothic lens. Placed well into the 13+ bracket, this rites-of-passage story offers a gory, feminist call-to-arms. Images by: Jasmine de Silva REVIEW: NINE MOONS by Nilgin Yusuf at Bridge House Theatre 23 - 27 April 2024 Box Office: https://thebridgehousetheatre.co.uk/shows/nine-moons/ Cast SELMA ALKAFF Sage ELLA MCCALLUM Danni SOPHIE ANDREA Loukia & Bearded Iris Artistic Team Director DANÄE CAMBROOK Writer NILGÜN YUSUF, SPECIALIST CONSULTANT: DR. JAZMINA CININAS Lighting Designer ALEX TEIXIDÓ BLOUNA Sound Designer VANESSA GARBER Reviewed by Anna Rastelli

‘A one woman tale of football’s forgotten past’ ★★★ During World War 1, while a generation of men from all over Europe were fighting and dying in the fields of France and Belgium, the women of Britain stepped up to take on the social and economic roles that had been left behind, breaking numerous social barriers along the way. With work came money, and with money came a short window of greater freedom and autonomy. Bella Reay (played here by Catherine Dryden) was one of these women, who embraced her newfound liberty by becoming a star footballer for her hometown Blyth Spartans Ladies team, scoring 133 goals over the course of 30 matches, competing in a women’s league organized during the war. If you’ve never heard of her before then that’s the proof of the Football Association’s success in discouraging and even outright banning women’s football for decades shortly after Bella’s heyday. Unearthing this forgotten history is the play’s core, and Bella walks us through both her personal journey with her team as well as educating us about the larger historical context along the way. Emphasis on ‘educating’ – often the play can feel like something of a museum piece, with strong and constant referencing of facts throughout. This was enjoyable in so far as it made the work feel informative and enlightening, but less enjoyable when it lent a sterilised air to proceedings, feeling more like a recitation of facts than a compelling narrative. A large part of this is due to the overall lack of tension since, as Bella enthusiastically gushes to us, Blyth Spartans Ladies never lost a single game. We’re not offered any insight as to why this is or how it was achieved – they simply just won all the time. True, at times a player or two is lost to pregnancies or the inevitable social pressures of the time, but these difficulties are resolved effortlessly and often feel as if the play has shied away from going deeper into the darker sides of the period. Bringing the period to life however is handily achieved, with the show being well-served by its lighting and video work (including a Match of The Day cameo from Alan Shearer) while the sound is exceptional, evoking the roar of artillery shells as well as crowds of cheering fans to great effect. And that’s ultimately what makes this one woman show about football’s forgotten past work – a dedication to bringing history to life. Fingers crossed a future version can retain this magic but deliver it with a bit more excitement. Wor Bella at The Bread & Roses Theatre 22nd - 24th April & Newcastle Theatre Royal 27th - 28th April 2024 Website: https://www.worbella.co.uk/ Written by Ed Waugh Directed by Russell Floy Produced by Wisecrack Productions Reviewed by Harry Conway

‘Karp is a natural superstar, with his trade-mark vulnerability, quirky delivery and his impeccable comic timing’ ★★★★★ Linus Karp is something of an icon in some circles. He’s been carving out a career with his trade-mark vulnerability and quirky delivery (and he has impeccable comic timing). In this production his portrayal of Princess Diana, people’s hero is devoted to honouring her memory whilst taking a humorous pop at the rest of the Royals. Diana’s work with aids victims and her acceptance of them being a huge part of that grateful admiration, a fact commented upon a couple of times during the show. The show has a dream like quality (or nightmare, depending on your politics). It starts with a film screening of divine clouds and which part with the announcement: “It is I, Princess Di”. The hilarity begins. Karp arrives on stage in the familiar persona of the Princess and continues to show the development of her relationship with Charles and other Royals. There is a hefty amount of audience participation, as they are called upon to play the peripheral roles, which they do with various degrees of success or failure, causing more laughter. Some might call it tasteless trash, but it is side splittingly funny tasteless trash and it’s even fair to say that it’s cleverly done, with many snidely ironic comments, and imagery familiar to us all via popular culture. If it’s hard to imagine how a Smurf, the horror film The Exorcist, or a metatheatre Queen is woven into the piece, you have to see it, to believe it. The use of props, puppetry and film are paramount. In this version, the audience of the night demand that Diana doesn’t die but on other nights there might be another outcome. This moment is perhaps the denouement of the show and in the final scenes, we see an imagined account of what Diana might have achieved had she survived. It’s all rounded off beautifully, with an ecstatic response from the audience. It's also rather appropriate to note that the show doesn’t end at the end. Everyone is invited to meet Diana post show, to chat, take selfies and buy merchandise (of course). It works really well as Karp is a natural superstar and already has a cult following. Next up is ‘Gwyneth Goes Skiing’. Awkward Production present DIANA: The untold and untrue Story King’s Head Theatre 17 April – 5 May 2024 Wednesday 17th April – Sunday 5th May 2024 Kings Head Theatre, 116 Upper Street, London N1 1QN Box Office https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/diana-the-untold-and-untrue-story CAST Diana | Linus Karp Charles, Camilla and Others | Joseph Martin The Queen | Geri Allen God | Zina Badran CREW Writer, Director, Producer | Linus Karp Co-Director, Producer, Additional Material, Stage Manager | Joseph Martin Original Music | Wez Maddocks Designer | Amy Pitt Choreography | Sam Carlyle LX Design | Ebbe Rodtborg Additional LX Design | James Appleby Associate Producers | Karim-Pasha Ladbon, Ryan Ludick Video Design and Editing | Daniel Boylett Puppetry Consultant | Tara Boland Make Up Artist | Carrot Photography, Videography | Dave Bird

'It’s not a bad strike rate for new writing.' Going to see a programme of unknown plays is always a gamble – there may be a dramatic jewel, there may be humdrum, there may be raw promise. There may be toe-curling awfulness. Almost certainly, however, there will be the opportunity to witness new writers at the beginning of their careers, and that is an exciting and valuable thing. The British Theatre Challenge 2024, produced by Sky Blue Theatre Company and hosted, as has become traditional, by the Jack Studio, is a generous and vital project, and both organisations deserve praise and respect. There are five short plays presented in the evening, whittled down from several hundred entries. Starting with the last performance, we had an animated Norman Rockwell painting called The Magic in Christopher, which was like being force-fed packets of Splenda while listening to dodgy American accents. Respect is due to Hannah Tudge for her breezy inhabiting of the part of Christopher, a shiny scrubbed schoolboy from the 1950’s. The Injured Party is a four-hander in a venerable sketch tradition, two couples stuck in a car in a traffic jam, bickering, revealing underlying familial tensions, arriving at a twist ending. It was well enough done but a long way from being fresh. Emily Carmichael’s Each Fallen Robin began the evening, with two well judged performances from Tracy Garcia and Marlon Kameka, and a tight, well-crafted piece about lonely people edging into a relationship. Convincing dialogue, good jokes, and a gently ramped-up emotional climax. It’s a promising early play and merits the showcase Sky Blue Theatre provides. The two most interesting pieces of the evening were the two that dealt with serious subjects. Can There Be Justice for TJ? by Evonne Fields-Gould explored the personal tragedies behind Black Lives Matter, with a stellar performance by Samantha Russell as a mother mourning her murdered son. The intentions were honourable, the central performance was stunning, and the writing felt like a first draft. Over-written, overly expositional, too many words. Samantha Russell needed to fight with the script to drive home the emotional truth, and it’s to her considerable credit that she managed it. The highlight of the evening was Steve Eddison's You Butterfly, dealing sensitively and powerfully with the emotional legacy of her abuse as a small child in an elderly woman, brilliantly played by Mary Tillett with sensitive support from the rest of the cast. Kamal Boulema, as her louche but sympathetic son-in-law, deserves particular mention, but the laurels go to Mary Tillett. She manages a very difficult, very well-characterised role as an elderly woman reliving childhood trauma, and she nailed it. The script was convincing and measured, and nuanced. Having the son-in-law character being strong contrast to the fussy concern of the other characters gave variety to the tone of the piece, which was very welcome. It’s not an easy watch, but worthwhile. Five plays, one excellent, one interesting and worthy if flawed, one a good workmanlike early work, one old-fashioned and forgettable, and one cringe-inducing. It’s not a bad strike rate for new writing. For context, I have never managed to get through all of It’s a Wonderful Life despite a fondness for James Stewart. And some people like Splenda. Photographer credit is Kat Forsyth. Five New Short Plays – The British Theatre Challenge presented by Sky Blue Theatre Tuesday 16th – Saturday 20th April 2024 This year’s selected plays are: Each Fallen Robin by Emily Carmichael The Injured Party by Scott Gibson Can There Be Justice For TJ by Evonne Fields-Gould You Butterfly by Steve Eddison The Magic in Christopher by Lee Brodie Creative Team Directed by John Mitton Company Manager: Nat Brimson Stage Manager: Nithila Prabakar Deputy SM and Lighting: Zhiying Zhang Assistant SM: Siyi Li Assistant SM: Jiewei Huang Assistant SM: Zhu Meng CAST LIST Each Fallen Robin Will – Marlon Kameka Fran – Tracy Garcia The Injured Party Monica – Darrie Gardner Derek – Michael Tuffnell Roni – Rosalind Adler Eddie – David Kerr Can There Be Justice for TJ Vivian – Samantha Russell Officer Jackson – Kamal Boulema TJ – Marlon Kameka Voice Actors TJ: Kyrone Newell Little Man: Terrelle Leverette Officer Smith: Chris Lane Carla: Louise Lee You Butterfly Betty – Mary Tillett Frank – Tim Heath June – Tracy Garcia Ray – Kamal Boulema The Magic in Christopher Mr. Anderson – Tim Heath Christopher Finchley – Hannah Tudge Frank Finchley – Michael Tuffnell Caroline Finchley – Darrie Gardner Sue Finchley – Amy Hunnable Mrs. Follensbee- Mary Tillet Mr. Jenson- David Kerr Brian- Kamal Boulema Reviewed by Chris Lilly