All the Fun of the Fair – Orchard Theatre, Dartford, 26th November 2008

Us 'oldies' get a concession on our freedom passes from South Eastern which allows us free travel as far as Dartford.  And the Orchard is right beside the station.  So I was for going by train.  But the companion was relieved of her motorbike for this trip, and fancied travelling in style.  So it was driving down the A2.  Which was a mistake.  There was a lot of traffic; and it took a long time.  We scampered in with seconds to spare.  Then the companion noticed a sign about the car park closing at eight, so I had to go back out and move the car.  And got back after the show had started.  The usher was very helpful and guided me in during the applause after the first song.  But everybody had to stand up as I struggled along the row.  I do so hate people who do that.

         All of which will help to explain my little confusion about what was going on on stage.  When I got the invite, I knew it was a musical built round David Essex songs.  I was up for that.  I could even name one or two of them.  But after a few songs, I began to think that one of the cast was doing just too-good an impression of David Essex, and the penny finally dropped: this was David Essex.  Which explained why some of the audience were a little too enthusiastic.

 

This was a good story, with fitting songs, some of them recognisable remembered hits.  I imagine they are touring it to shake it into a West End Show.  The setting are very lavish.  The scene changing is slick, and the cast performed very well.  And the star was, well, a star.  But it doesn't have a happy ending.  In fact, it has quite an unhappy ending, despite all the hooks in the story to which at least three happy endings could be attached.  That won't work up west, will it?

 

Coming back up the A2 was a dream, and even though the show was quite long, we were home and parked and in the boozer in no time.  And the companion got a job offer.  Not a lot of those going around at the moment.  So we had a happy ending, even if the show didn't.