Summer Holiday

The Octagon

Until June 23

AS feel-good shows go, the Octagon’s Summer Holiday is going to take some beating.

The production — the last to be staged at the theatre before it shuts for a multi-million pound transformation — had people dancing in the aisles as they joined a delightful, energetic and hugely enthusiastic cast for a trip around Europe.

Summer Holiday is based on Cliff Richard’s hit 1963 film in which a group of mechanics —in this case working on Bolton buses — find they have only enough money to escape the miserable Bolton weather to get to Rhyl — which in light of the recent glorious weather created laughs setting the mood for what would be a fabulous evening of pure entertainment from start to finish.

So being practical Bolton lads, they decide to fix up a bus and go for a trip around Europe, taking a singing and dancing trio with them — and discovering a stowaway boy/girl on board.

In an effective creative twist and giving audiences a taste of what is come to as the Octagon stages its shows across Bolton in the coming months, the toe-tapping production starts in the new Bolton Interchange, much to the delight of commuters and those who have got their ticket to get onboard the bus with the stars of the show.

The cast entertain with songs and act as tour guides as the bus travels into Victoria Square, where three performers are stranded, before heading to the Octagon.

One of the theatre’s many strengths and why it so special is its ability to make the audience feel part of the production, whether it be Shakespeare’s Hamlet or a light-hearted musical like Summer Holiday.

And it this interaction between the cast and the audience which makes this lively production such a winner — I’m sure it was all people could do to stop themselves from joining the cast on stage.

Against a backdrop of picture postcard scenes and simple, effective and funny landmarks indicating which country the bus has travelled to, hit songs such as Summer Holiday and Bachelor Boy are performed.

The cast are highly talented actors, singers and musicians, with Octagon favourite Michael Peavoy taking on the role of Don, played in the film by Cliff Richard, who has undoubtedly won a few more fans judging by their reaction.

Barbara Hockaday as Stella and her interaction with Jerry played by Greg Last provide pure moments of old fashioned laugh out loud comedy.

Together all the cast deliver a superb show — and at times it is hard to know who is having more fun – them or the audience!

So grab your ticket, pack your bags and get onboard to enjoy more than two hours of holiday fun courtesy of the Octagon.

And like any holiday, you really don’t want this production to end!

Saiqa Chaudhari