Happy Days musical wows crowds in Nottingham

THERE was a trip back in time to Arnold’s diner for the UK premiere tour of Happy Days. All the iconic characters from the hit American TV sitcom are in this fast-paced musical at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham.

Richie Cunningham, Potsie Weber and Ralph Malph are about to graduate from high school but hear some devastating news — Arnold’s diner is about to close to make way for a shopping mall unless he can raise the money to save it.

The whole community comes up with ideas including a wrestling match, pie bake, dance contest and picnic.

The Fonz, meanwhile bumps into his former girlfriend, Pinky, and is unsure whether to get back together with her, while Joanie Cunningham and Chachi don’t know how to ask each other out.

Heidi Range, from The Sugababes, smoulders as Pinky in some rather sexy outfits and has a great voice especially in Pink’s In Town, Message In The Music and Legend In Leather.

Cheryl Baker is a wonderful Marion Cunningham, who always seems to be stuck in the kitchen baking. She comes into her own in What I Dreamed Last Night with several references to Bucks Fizz and that infamous skirt reveal.

James Paterson almost steals the show as hardware store owner Howard Cunningham. His scenes involving the secret Leopard Gang are hilarious.

Ben Freeman has The Fonz’s moves off to a tee but he reminded me more of a young David Hasselfhoff rather than Henry Winkler.

Emma Harrold is almost the spitting image of Joanie Cunningham and has a powerful singing voice.

Comedy is provided by Andrew Waldron as the bumbling Ralph Malph and duo Henry Davis and Sam Robinson as Count and Jumpy Malachi, Leopard Mac Gates and Manny Moon, and James Dean and Elvis.

The cast gives 100% energy in the dance numbers and the scene changes are really slick. An entertaining production on until Saturday that is part musical and part pantomime. The audience loved it on Monday night — DAB.