Salisbury Playhouse – until 9 October 2021
Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock
4****
September in the Rain, starring Ian Kelsey and Nicola Sloane as Jack and Liz, depicts a wedded couple from Yorkshire as they they travel to Blackpool every year for their ounce of sunshine.
For the last 30 or so years they have never missed a September holiday in Blackpool and they take us through their various holidays as they reminisce their marriage. Ian and Nicola have such an incredible rapport on stage, it was really like we were watching a married couple!! Amongst the world of deckchairs, ice creams and donkey rides, the couple goes through their ups and downs-the arrival of children and various arguments along the way really make this a piece to be related to on all levels. Ian Kelsey as Jack, a middle aged grumpy character who really has a heart of gold, is a real treat of casting and is able to steal your heart and break it within seconds following a fight between the two. His long suffering wife Liz, played by Nicola Sloane, is pure comedic genius. She shows such command to the stage and truly transported us into the story through her excellent portrayal. Her fast paced performance complimented John Godber’s excellent script writing perfectly. Nicola transformed with the flashbacks through the years, a real chameleon of the stage.
Listening to the arguments had by the couple, the affection shared and the wants and wishes of life makes this such a familiar show, even if you have never seen it. It is enough to make you laugh and think about your own life and at one point, I was nearly in tears through laughing! A true masterpiece, this is definitely not a show to be missed!