Summer spectacular 2008

Published Thursday 3 July 2008 at 14:50 by Mark Ritchie

I recently read a newspaper review in which the writer spoke of approaching the job of reviewing a summer season show with some trepidation.

Perhaps this particular reviewer should leave her preconceptions at the door and come to Scarborough to see this production.

It seems to me that the secret of maintaining the appeal of what is left of the British summer season theatre show is to keep the production values as modern as possible.

This fast-moving confection of comedy and song contains a Neil Diamond music section, an extremely camp selection from the musical Hairspray, a winsome medley from Lionel Bart’s Oliver and some superbly staged circus.

Children from a Scarborough stage school add dressing and well-choreographed movement to Laura Clinton’s movingly sung version of Sondheim’s Send In The Clowns, sung with a nod towards the Bing Crosby mode of delivering this classic.

Of the four vocalists, Clinton is the pick of the bunch, but this tuneful quartet - comprising Clinton, Babette Bell, Jamie Steen and Hambi Pappas - look both well-drilled and thoughtfully directed.

The Scarborough shows always feature a guest comedian and, on this particular performance it was the turn of Lancastrian funnyman Chris Britten. Some great lines came from this cuddly, giggle-inducing, comfy settee of a comedian. He would perhaps benefit from working more regularly with a company like this one, so that he could make his routine fit a little more tightly around the rest of the show.