Summer Holiday

Summer Holiday the movie was a hit at cinemas up and down the country with fans clambering to see their icon Cliff Richard; it was an opportunity to showcase the hit songs from the iconic ‘Cliff’ and the Shadows’. In the mid 90’s it was brought to the stage, trying to replicate the film’s success. The film visually had atmospheric scenery in many locations, but on stage trying to replicate this was an uphill task. The rather thin story line held together by the music meanders from location to location with misunderstandings and confusion along the way.

The CLOC Juniors production team did their very best with this show, but having seen most of the past 9 years of productions from this group, it failed to produce the excitement that others have generated. The cast worked very hard to present a polished show, but this year I could not join the standing ovation from some of the audience.

It must have been difficult to come up with scenery that would fit so many locations and although the hills and dales did work, they just became a little monotonous after 2 hours. The big red London bus built to stage left was excellent in build and painting but the design led to difficulties when ‘the trusty band of travellers‘ were all on the bus jostling for positions during the songs. I liked the small bus travelling up hill and down dale, fun, entertaining and inventive!

Lighting on the whole was average, but the plot ‘played safe’...opportunities to enhance the staging rather than just light it, were missed. The sound was adequate apart from some nasty feedback at times. The costumes were good with many of cast the wearing modern day clothes. When character costumes were required these were excellent.

The music from the small band was well played on the whole with sound timing and control from the MD. Considering there were few scenery changes was all the scene change music necessary when nothing was happening on stage?

Some of the enthusiastic cast appeared inexperienced and this showed very much in the opening number when it was difficult to understand any of the words of the song that set the scene. But the club was fortunate to find a line up of attractive teenage boys (all talented to differing degrees) prepared to perform and I sympathise with their nervousness and inexperience.

The principals worked hard, becoming stronger as the show progressed. In Act 2 everyone came to life and presented energetic and accomplished singing and dancing and the full company ‘Bows Sequence’ was excellent.

There were very good portrayals of character in both singing and acting from Don and  Barbara, very well timed and performed comedy from Stella and Jerry, good timing and a great ‘I’m the lonely one’ from Angie, Alma and Mimsie and a terrific and very popular performance from young Cyril. The remaining principals and cast showed late developing promise and I’m certain this experience will have spurred them all on to perform in future shows. The camaraderie between them all was enjoyable and obvious to see. Well done CLOC Juniors...not an easy show to perform and for all of you lovely young people the music was positively ancient (it was from my era and teenage years). Your experienced director Lynda brought out the very best she could from your ‘Summer Holiday’.

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