Scarcroft Allotments York, Tuesday 28th May 2019.
Reviewed by Michelle Richardson
5*****
Mikron Theatre are on the road, canal and river again. Four actors performing two plays around the country, as they have done for years. This is the groups 48th year of touring. They perform in the unlikeliest of places, I watched this one outside in the cold at Scarcroft Allotments in York, though it was cold the rain just about stayed away. I have previously seen shows in a Youth Hostel and an RNLI lifeboat station.
Written by Nick Ahad, Redocats is the story about “Auntie Lynne” (Rachel Benson), a Redcoat who is retiring after 50 years, and her final swan song. She has performed the same end of season show for years, telling the story of Billy Butlin and the history of her beloved Butlins. Her friends and colleagues surprise her by changing the script and including themselves in the performance, much to her shock, especially with Destiny (Elizabeth Robin), from the Ents team wanting to film everything and put it all out there on social media. They have such different ideas, tradition against what’s current now, the instant hit, and can’t agree on anything. Barry (Christopher Arkeston) is Lynne’s right hand man, he lives and breathes Butlins. He has loved Butlins since he first visited as a child, with Lynne giving him his first badge. He just wants to give Auntie Lynne the send off she deserves, as does Terence (Joshua Considine), the old Butlin’s technician who has a huge soft spot for Lynne.
As the history of Butlins is told, the four actors take on differing roles, Arkeston playing Billy Butlin, Robin as Marlene Dietrich and more. We hear the Butlin story from the 1930’s until the 1980’s, warts and all. All four take on different roles, with new accents and looks, using various props, musical instruments and costumes to tell the story. They are all very versatile with their musical abilities, playing violins, guitars, ukuleles, and the cello, as well as acting and singing. It always amazes me how much talent there is around and how well Mikron Theatre taps into it.
The Butlin story did resonate with me, I have visited several of their holiday parks over the years, it was a treat when I was a child. I have also taken my children there, but not for quite a few years. Afterwards I couldn’t help but want to go back, even my, soon to be 21-year-old son remarked that the show made him want to holiday there again. Who knows, might take a trip down memory lane.
This was a small intimate production, as all their shows are, full of comedy and also reflection. I really do have a soft spot for Mikron Theatre, I always look forward to their shows and this did not disappoint, it is more than glamorous grannies and knobbly knees, even on a cold damp evening.
I look forward to, hopefully, getting the chance to see their other show, All Hands on Deck.