RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET

FLUSHED from the success of winning the Curtain Call Production of the Year, Footlights Youth Theatre are back on the Nuffield stage with Return To The Forbidden Planet.

Hold on tight, fasten your safety belts, return your tray tables to the upright position and prepare to blast off from Wednesday.

William Shakespeare meets sixties rock and roll in this science-fiction musical that is guaranteed to have you dancing in the aisles! The ultimate feel good show this show contains such classics as Teenager in Love, The Monster Mash, Robot Man, Shake Rattle and Roll and Good Vibrations!

The youth theatre group, based in Eastleigh, won five awards at last month’s ceremony including the Best Youth Ensemble and the coveted Production of the Year for their production of Miss Saigon staged at The Nuffield last winter.

  • Return to the Forbidden Planet runs until next Saturday. Tickets: 023 8067 1771 or footlightsyouth.org

THE TRAGICAL HISTORY OF THE LIFE AND DEATH OF DOCTOR FAUSTUS

FOOT in the Door Theatre will perform its latest production at Winchester Discovery Centre on Sunday.

When Faustus, a brilliant but arrogant academic, gets the opportunity to learn more about magic and the universe than any of his peers, it seems a chance too good to miss. But the price for such wisdom and riches is a high one – his soul. Faustus sells his soul to Lucifer and in return is given Mephistopheles, the devil’s servant, as his companion. But as the years go by and the adventures of these unlikely friends draw to a close, there is only so much time left before Faustus must pay his debt.

Foot in the Door’s version of Christopher Marlowe’s funny, haunting play will be packed with dancing, singing, and a 1940’s jazz inspired soundtrack.

LOSERVILLE

IT’S 1971. Michael Dork may be a computer geek but he’s invented something that could change the world. He’s also discovered girls – a prospect (almost) as exciting as his love of binary. Holly is the girl. She has looks and brains and wants to be the first woman in space. But will she want Michael? Eddie wants a fast ride to the top and doesn’t care who gets trampled along the way. Leia just wants Eddie.

Or Eddie’s babies – well, she thinks she does. Michael, and his sci-fi obsessed, social-misfit friends, Lucas, Francis and Marvin are all set to change the course of history, fashion and dating.

All new British musical Loserville was written by Elliot Davis and James Bourne, members of the bands Busted and Son of Dork, and is performed by Music Theatre South. Loserville closes at the Hub tonight with two performances.

  • Box office: 023 8071 1818.

GUYS AND DOLLS

DESPERATE for cash for his gambling game, Nathan Detroit bets Sky Masterson a thousand dollars that Sky will not be able to take a local Salvation Army girl, Sarah Brown, to Cuba. While Sky eventually is able to convince Sarah to join him, Nathan battles with his fiancé of 14 years, Adelaide.

Meanwhile in Cuba, Sky falls for Sarah and tries to reform his ways. When he returns back to New York, he bets all the members of his game that if he wins his roll of the dice, they will all have to go to church and repent. If he loses, he will give them each a thousand dollars. He ends up winning and all the gamblers end up visiting the mission and repenting their sins.

Classic musical Guys and Dolls is brought to the stage by SUSU Showstoppers until tomorrow at The Annex Theatre.