Reviewed by Jayne Wiggins
“I guess you have to be a fan” were the first words I uttered to my husband as this show broke for the interval and we made our way to the bar! I had mentioned to our host earlier in the evening that I had never seen this and that sometimes that is a good thing. To review a show without any preconceived ideas can be exhilarating, but this was certainly not the case! In fact, had we not been reviewing this show we would have gone home at the interval and missed the second act. That, however, would have been a mistake as the show redeemed itself for me in the second act.
It is quite unfair of me to open a review with such negativity as the rest of the audience certainly did appreciate the show. The standing ovation at the end proved that this simply was not my cup of tea. I have to admit to only ever seeing part of an episode of the TV series and deciding it was not my thing back then! However, that said, for fans, this live show certainly seemed to have the same ‘charm’ the tv series has!
The scene was set on the iconic Solana hotel of the TV series, with out of proportion snippets of other hotels genuinely capturing the spirit of the TV show. The use of the set was clever and I hope the fans were able to picture their favourite characters in those scenes. Costumes were fun, and they themselves managed to make me laugh at times.
I did laugh throughout this show. The humour was on my level at times, though cringy at others. I did feel I had joined a well established group of friends on an 18 – 30 holiday cruise when I was more used to a quiet Cotswold cottage! There was not a scene I didn’t laugh at, and the risks taken with jokes are far funnier on stage than can be accepted for TV. Sherrie Hewson played her role with her usual sass and flamboyance. Jake Canuso really did play the ‘greasy’ Mateo to perfection and I would want to lock away my teenage daughters!
Having not seen the end of series 10 where the threat of losing the Solana had been left hanging, the story line in the first half was too bitty and choppy for my understanding. The different scenes – pool side, salon, reception etc, were executed fantastically given the relatively simply set design. Tony Maudsley playing Kenneth, was probably my favourite. His camp ‘only gay in the village’ character made me smile each time he performed, with a favourite being his drag flamenco!
I am glad we stuck it out to the second act as that is where my personal preferences were more performed. I love musicals, comedies and straight drama, but a sitcom on stage hadn’t done it for me up until this point. The second act worked well in setting the scene of such a holiday destination on karaoke night, with the argumentative couple in the back ground and the drunk trying to get everyone up to dance. It felt more authentic and started to work for me. The singing was great and Asa Elliott certainly made it more palatable for me! Unfortunately I had not grown to love the characters in the first act so the heartfelt singing and working together of the second act didn’t have the impact on me I am sure it had for fans of the show.
It is true that the theatre should appeal to everyone with differing shows and styles catered for all needs and preferences. What might appeal to a Shakespeare fan might not appeal to a Sister Act fan! This certainly didn’t appeal to me but it is a must see for fans of the TV series. Only they can really make up their minds about how well this sitcom has been transformed for the stage. From the standing ovation in the theatre last night and the positive comments as fans poured out, I am sure fans of the show would love to see how the Solana is to fair.
For my taste, a 1/5, for the rest of the audience and the vibe, seems a 4/5 is in order.
Tickets cost from £16 to £56 (plus £3.65 transaction fee).
Benidorm is at Milton Keynes Theatre from 15-20 October 2018, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes or call the box office on 0844 8717652.
Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK9 3NZ