By Claire Brooks
Avid theatre-goers will be extremely familiar with the internal buzz of excitement that the words ‘the auditorium is now open’ are followed by. That feeling of knowing you’re about to immerse yourself in another world and park the real one on the side for a couple of hours can’t be compared with anything else. And, as an avid theatre-goer myself, I felt this – and then some. Knowing I was about to see a brand new musical with an all-star cast on its world premiere tour made it almost impossible for me to stay calm and collected (and behave like the 29-year-old that I am rather than a young child).
And, if the atmosphere within the auditorium was anything to go by, the rest of the audience were on my wavelength.
Classic 80s hits pour out of the speakers as people take to their seats, and the scene is definitely set by the pastel-aqua-blue-verging-on-turquoise lino floor. As the lights go down and the band starts playing, we all know we’re in for a ridiculously good night. People are already clapping along and dancing in their seats like they’re about to hit the revolving dancefloor in Popworld. And none of the actors have even come on yet!
As the show begins we meet Lorraine (Karina Hind) and her friends on one side of the stage, and Olly (Cellen Chugg Jones) and his friends and family on the other. Lorraine’s sat in half her bridal gear with mascara tears down her face, and Olly’s in the church, waiting for her. Before you can utter the words ‘Frankie Says Relax’, they’ve already broken into song. The Look of Love. This is a show that doesn’t deny its cheesiness.
The story follows the newly-separated couple as they unintentionally check in to the same hotel, Club Tropicana in Spain, following the break up on their wedding day. And while we’re wondering if they’ll spot each other and realise that they’re still in love, the hotel staff are in turmoil over a troublesome guest and an unplanned inspection.
It’s like getting in the car and enjoying your guilty pleasure 80s playlist and singing at the top of your voice because no one can see you – but with hundreds of people around you doing the exact same thing.
Then there’s Joe McElderry. This man should not be best-known for his X Factor win. He is exceptional as an actor, singer, and all-round performer. He’s better than X Factor. From the second he sets foot onto the stage, he has the entire audience in the palm of his hand. Playing Garry, the camper-than-a-row-of-tents holiday rep, McElderry channels his inner panto dame as he breaks the fourth wall and warms us all up.
When he says ‘stand up’, you do it. And he does. And we do. He then proceeds to teach us a kind of Macarena-meets-Saturday-Night routine to the classic I Just Can’t Get Enough, before making some risqué innuendos and sitting us back down. It’s fair to say the audience are well and truly buzzing for the rest of the show after that. Some even have a sweat on.
And it doesn’t stop there. The entire cast are channelling some kind of superhuman energy that never falters and keeps our undivided attention on every single song and dance move.
While McElderry’s comic timing and unashamedly-camp exits from the stage have me struggling to write my notes because they’re making me cry with laughter, it’s frumpy Spanish cleaner Consuela (Kate Robbins) that steals the show. The ex-Spitting Image impressionist creates a real caricature-of-a-character that everyone immediately falls in love with.
The second half is even more nonsensical as we’re treated to a rubber glove-inspired song and dance routine (to Dennis Waterman’s I Could Be So Good For You, no less), and the audience are howling to a raunchy rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight. The dad jokes continue to pepper the script as well, with some absolute belters such as ‘can I be frank?’ followed by ‘can I still be Robert?’ – comedy gold.
I defy anyone, and I mean anyone, to go to this show and not leave feeling good. It’s like eating the highest-quality piece of cheese on the cheeseboard. It’s like getting in the car and enjoying your guilty pleasure 80s playlist and singing at the top of your voice because no one can see you – but with hundreds of people around you doing the exact same thing. Don’t pass up the opportunity for a brilliantly fun, colourful, upbeat and downright catchy night out.
Club Tropicana runs until 23rd March at the Grand Opera House York, with performances at 7.30pm every day, and 2.30pm on Wednesday and Saturday. Click here to buy tickets.
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