Pods’ take on tragi-comedy at the Key

Coming soon to the Key Theatre is Peterborough’s awardwinning Musical Theatre company, PODS, with their production of Ji m Cartwright’s musical play, ‘The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’.

‘Little Voice’ is silenced by her loud, drunken mother. She finds her voice mimickingthedivasofherlatefather’s record collectionfeaturing singing greats such as Shirley Bassey and Judy Garland.

Her mother’s new boyfriend, talent scout Ray Say, sees Little Voice as his opportunity to hit the big time, but with terrible consequences.

See ‘The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’ at the Key Theatre Studio, September 6-10, at 7.45pm (plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee.) All tickets cost only £10, from the box office on 01733 207239 or at www. vivacity-peterborough.com’. Theatregoers will have the chance to spend an evening with former New Romantic and TV soap heartthrob Martin Kemp.

The Spandau Ballet star is bringing his two-hour oneman show to Stamford’s Corn Exchange Theatre on October 21 and it includes footage of his days with the chart-topping bandinthe1980s andhis time in EastEnders.

The 54-year-old Londoner was a child actor, but rose to prominence in 1979 whenhe formed Spandau Ballet, playing bass guitar. The group went on to tour the world and had a number of Top 20 hits in the 80s. The single ‘True’ made the American Top 10.

By the late 80s Martin had married Shirlie, one of the backing singers from Wham, and had started a family.

He starred alongside his brother Gary in the film ‘The Krays’ which was a huge success, promptingamovetoHollywoodwherehemadeseveral films including: Sugar Town opposite Rosanna Arquette, Monk Dawson, Vampires Embrace and Sailor’s Tattoo before returning to Britain.

In 1998 he was offered the role of SteveOwenintheBBC’s Bafta Award winning drama series EastEnders, a role he played for four years. During that time Martin won numerous awards including Best Male Actor at the National TV Awards in 2001.

Martin’s first two- hour drama for ITV, Daddy’s Girl was screened in September 2002 to great acclaim, and he followed that with leading roles in anumberofTVseries.

Hisbook‘True– AnAutobiography of Martin Kemp’ was published in 2000 and spent several months in the Sunday Times best sellers list.

In 2009 the band confirmed the rumours that they were reuniting and began a world tour that October.

The group released a new album, OnceMore, whichfeatured reworked versions of previous songs plus two new songs, including the single of the same name. The album reached the UK Top 10.

The band came together again in 2014 to promote a documentary about themselves and 1980s culture more broadly, Soul Boys of the Western World, which premiered at the Royal Albert Hall. It was directed by longtime Julien Templeproducer, George Hencken.

Thebandembarkedonanother world tour in 2015.

You can see An Audience with Martin Kemp on Friday, October 21, at the Stamford Corn Exchange. Tickets are now on sale from the theatre box office on 01780 766455 or online at www.Seetickets. com.