It’s the 1980s and the traditional seaside holiday camp getaway is in decline. You can pick up cheap package holidays to Spain or Malta on Teletext for £150, so why wouldn’t you swap the bad weather and bingo for sun and sangria.
Archers Holiday camps are feeling the effects of holiday makers deserting them for the Costa Brava, and they need new ideas to get the punters back in. That’s when the Suffolk branch of Archers is chosen to host their first ever ‘ Widowers Weekend’, complete with big name draw, ‘ Physic Cheryl’ off the telly, and a coach load of grieving singletons. The staff have been told to get behind it 100%, but the camp host and resident comic, Barry, thinks, quite frankly, it’s a ‘shite’ idea!
Set in a world of shabby chalets and petty fiddles, with all the backstabbing, unrequited romances, and simmering tensions between the entertainers going on behind the scenes, things are set up perfectly for comedy chaos.
This comedy/drama has been written by Wayne Burns and it’s a very clever script that makes you really care about the characters. They are all failures in their way, either clinging onto fading careers in showbusiness or starting out as young hopefuls in an industry dying around them. Wayne captures this perfectly in the first scene, set in the run down staff room, with Radio Orwell on the stereo, worn out chairs that have seen better days, and milk going off by the sink. It sets the scene perfectly and you get an instant feel for the 80s era.
Wayne plays Barry Blue, the resident comic, who tells racy gags and tall tails of having worked with all the big names in showbiz. The scenes comes alive when Barry is on stage and the characterisation of the ‘ could have been’ comedian is pitch perfect. He’s responsible for quite a lot of the fruity language in the play and you can’t help but laugh when he exclaims ‘ arseholes’ at every opportunity.
His arch nemisis is singer Marion Monroe, played by Noleen Skudder, a diva in high heels, sequins and 1980s day-glo leggings, she is every inch the stuck-up madam who thinks she still has what it takes. Look out for her Shirley Bassey routine in the second act, which will have you weeping with laughter.
There’s great support too from the whole cast; Toby Young as starry-eyed Wayne, eager to help and hanging off Barry’s every showbiz yarn, Malcolm the children’s entertainer played by Patrick Norman with a wonderful tick and world weary attitude to life in the camp, and Mark Skudder, who plays Bob, the entertainment manager, with a quiet but steely edge when the staff learn not to underestimate him.
Kelly Eagle as Daisy, Grace Clutterbuck as Tammy and Sky Henson as Lexi as the Green Coat entertainers give good performances and Lexi particularly has a strong sub-plot running through the show, that really reminds you of the hedonistic yet dangerous times the 1980s were. Mandy Baskett as cleaner Doris quietly potters around hoovering and cleaning whilst telling young Wayne about her upcoming get away to Spain, also perfectly reflecting the decade.
I have to mention a particuarly hilarious cameo from Marcus Ward as Keyboard Kenny. I won’t spoilt it for you, but I was in tears laughing, and if you’ve ever seen holiday camp entertainment or been for a night out to a working mens club it will resononate straight away.
It’s always a delight to see new writing and plays being put on and so well supported by the local community. It’s a risk, artisically and financially for a theatre group to try something new, but in this case it’s a risk definitely worth taking. I’d love to see Team B do more like this in the future.
Mourning Campers plays tonight, 26th September at 7.30pm and tomorrow Sunday 27th September at 3pm – book tickets online at the Leiston Film Theatre Website or call the Box Office on 01728 830549
