Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Marking the 1st of several site-specific productions as part of the Octagon’s Out and About Season while the theatre undergoes an exciting redevelopment, Summer Holiday based on the 1963 film starring Cliff Richard and The Shadows is a joyful, uplifting and enormously inventive production.
Telling the familiar story of Don (Michael Peavoy) his buddies and their exciting escapades on a double-decker bus round Europe, Summer Holiday is brought to life on the streets of Bolton in the most imaginative and innovative of ways as audiences are taken on an immersive journey filled with an infectious soundtrack delivered by a cast who literally burst with talent.
The ambitions and brilliantly executed production directed by Elizabeth Newman and Ben Occhipinti starts with an opening scene in Bolton’s new bus interchange, as the crowd gathers the action begins. Audiences are then invited to join the cast on a fine fleet of big blue buses for a sing-a-long journey through the streets of Bolton over to Victoria Square where we find musical trio Do-Re-Mi, who soon decide to ditch their clapped out Mini and come along for the ride as together both cast and audience make their way towards the Octagon theatre for the remainder of the performance. The ambitious multi-site staging works wonderfully, it really does feel like an exciting adventure we’re all invited on and flows beautifully.
As the cast leave England behind there are scrapes and shenanigans, hilarious highs and luckily limited lows as this feel-good musical delivers fun with a capita F. One final addition on the adventure is American stowaway Barbara (Eleanor Brown), a highly talented pop star who simply can’t take any more of her pushy mother’s melodrama, inexperienced at life she soon finds her feet and the glorious gang is complete.
Summer Holiday is undeniably an ensemble production with many of the songs sung by Cliff in the film delivered as group numbers allowing for the most sublime of harmonies as the actor-musicians work their way effortlessly through a jaw-dropping array of instruments. Classic and catchy, the show is chock full of hits including The Young Ones, Bachelor Boy, Living Doll and of course title track, Summer Holiday, each and every one delivered to perfection by the hard-working, multi-talented cast who stay in character from start to finish, singing, dancing and playing musical instruments throughout the entirety of the show.
Michael Peavoy and Eleanor Brown as Don and Barbara make for a fine pairing as cupid comes calling, but the ensemble feel of this piece doesn’t stop with just the soundtrack as love strikes all over the Bolton bus in the most wonderful and heart-warming of ways.
Special mention must go to Barbara Hockaday as ever-demanding Stella, Barbara’s pushy mother and Greg Last as Jerry, agent to Barbara and eternally at the beck and call of the force of nature that is Stella. The pair are outrageously funny and bounce off each other brilliantly, as for their Latino inspired busking scene, well it’s worth the ticket price alone!
Summer Holiday is a feel-good theatre at its absolute finest, bursting with life and boundless energy it is a joyful journey through the beautiful heart of Bolton that will thrill young and old alike. Artistic Director Elizabeth Newman wanted to inspire audiences to join the Octagon theatre on the road as the redevelopment begins, if this is a taste of things to come then sign me up for a season ticket!
On until Saturday 23rd June, tickets available here.
Opening Night 