Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick

The gauze curtains opened on a stunning set which almost caused gasps from the audience. This play is set entirely around Sid James’ caravan – the occasional moments outside, but predominantly inside, which was beautifully realised in exceptional detail, looking as if the outside of the caravan had been shaved off for us to see inside. It truly looked like a caravan interior in every respect, from the fixed seats to the detailed door trims, to the fixed shelves and the towing A frame / drawbar outside resting on bricks. There was even a wheel on the outside, and the window looked like a caravan window, and the brown wood-like finishes made it super realistic. The caravan was suitably elevated as well, which was needed, as it required one scene where Kenneth kicked the bricks out from under the drawbar causing the caravan to tilt and three different women fall out of the three different doors: bedroom, bathroom, toilet. It was in every way brilliant. Congratulations to Noel Boswijk for the set design and to the whole set construction team including Sue Netley, Helen Dear, Sue Chaplin, Tim Westcott and Judith Berrill. 

Scene changes were also really well done, with the use of gauze curtains at the front and a projection of the movie poster for the set that they were on. It started with Carry On Cleo and ended with Carry On Emmanuelle, each time slightly different things occurred in the caravan, most notably in that last one, where Sid has already died and the caravan has been left to ruin, including a tree branch, and a mouldy window. The scene changes were covered by appropriate music and were not too long so it worked well. Every effort had been made on the caravan for realism, but there was no change in the surrounding areas, they were just black curtains outside – this contrast wouldn’t have mattered if all of the action had taken place inside the caravan, but setting parts of some scenes outside the caravan meant that this bareness and non-realism didn’t quite land contrasting with the realism of the caravan. 

Tech with this production was also given such attention to detail. The different lighting states emphasised and held the moods of each scene, including a wash of appropriate colours at certain moments. The sounds of Sid’s portable TV actually coming from the TV and not outside speakers was a lovely touch. The projections of the posters as a small square on the gauze curtains was super, however when the rain projections were used it didn’t quite land as it was a small square of projection and not the whole stage, despite the rain being impressive. The props were super, including an of-the-time dial telephone, although the third passion fruit in the opening scene looked remarkably like a pear not a passion fruit which caused a little murmuring in the audience during a very unfortunate scene where Sid tries to seduce the three different women each with a passion fruit. 

Costumes were incredible, all 60s or 70s appropriate and also costumes from the show such as Sid as a gladiator and togas worn by others. The costumes when they were themselves also suited the personalities of the characters wearing them. Maggi Pierce and Lindsay Midali on Wardrobe should be congratulated, as should Chris Horlock for the incredible makeup and wigs to turn the actors into suggestions of the real people they were playing. Barbara Windsor’s hair changed with each scene as years had passed in between, which was a lovely attention to detail. Sid’s way of dressing when not on set was not dissimilar to the way he appeared in some Carry On movies with less elaborate costumes, even down to the underpants, which were bravely on show in one scene. 

Mark Best played Sid James with such authenticity, driving the energy of the play and becoming the infamous star with seeming ease and authority. The layers of Sid’s personality showed through: the addictions, the lasciviousness, and the way he chased any women he met; to also glimpse the sad man underneath. He had such great presence on stage, he drew all eyes to him when he was there, moving with naturalness through the play so you couldn’t see the blocking. A really super job. Caroline Marchant played Sally the Dresser with layers of character behind her, from awe and crushing on Sid James to being very wise to what he’s like. The scene with the letter was particularly lovely and so poignant, taking the letter from her bag and putting it back there clearly implying that the person mentioned in it was actually her mother, and she was Sid’s estranged daughter, emphasised in the end scene as well where she seemed the most upset one of all of them that Sid had died. These plot points were subtle so the audience could make up their minds what they thought, and to leave it ambiguous was beautifully done. 

Giles Newlyn-Bowmer played Kenneth Williams intoning Kenneth’s famous nasal voice, and here written as incredibly bitchy and bitter which Giles portrayed well, adding an arrogance undercut with self-doubt, which was so well done. Laura Witham played Barbara Windsor with a cheeky relish, really conveying her on screen persona well, giving her a full character not just a film star two dimension. It’s tricky to play very famous characters but these three infamous Carry On stars were played with sympathy and authenticity which was very welcome. The dynamics between Mark and Giles as Sid and Kenneth, plus Laura and Mark as Barbara and Sid really crackled with energy, one where familiarity breeds contempt, and the other where it breeds obsession. The scene where Barbara finally leaves Sid was done with such poignancy and truth it was gorgeous: “’I love you’ isn’t a lightship, it’s a distress signal” was such a lovely line and delivered with such underlying sadness and acceptance by Laura it was devastating. Ben Pritchard made a very funny ‘heavy’ as Eddie the Bodyguard and was a joy to watch, happy to be the object of laughter. Tiffany Murphy certainly made a beautiful and stylish Imogen Hassall who Sid felt compelled to pursue.  

There are issues with this play however, which is an almost 30 year old play talking about characters starting in 1964: over 60 years ago. This is a play of two halves: the first half trying to be Carry On in some elements, which is jarring to modern audiences: to present the bad treatment, objectification and sexualisation of women and homophobic slurs as funny for the audience to laugh at, rather than as an allegory or something we have learned from and now know better, is uncomfortable for many; however true to life it might have been at the time. The second act is more drama, showing us the relationship between Sid and Barbara which has nuance and depth and is a welcome watch for any decade: this was clearly the focus of the story, Kenneth playing a side character with very little of his own life put into the play. The production does very well, as do the actors and all the crew, but there were noticeably fewer audience in the second act, which is a shame for the actors and crew who have done a brilliant job with the material. Congratulations to everyone on a well-produced show. 

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