END OF THE PIER SHOW

Photos: Graham Franks

Seaside entertainment is a part of the rich legacy of British and American entertainment. From the very beginning of people holidaying by the sea all manner of performance grew, from pierrot shows to Punch and Judy and with the advent of piers and end of the pier theatres, that rich thread of variety entertainers developed and spread. With it some of the great names too, Laurel and Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, Max Miller, they all made their names on piers and they all performed on Brighton’s iconic Palace Pier. And to this day top acts have made their way down to Brighton Palace Pier, Ronnie Corbet to Stormzy and many in between.

This year’s vibrant End Of The Pier Show is a fitting tribute to this legacy, a rip-roaring romp of a show. The format is a time travelling journey of two couples of friends, two young women from 1901 and a young lad and girl from 2026 who are thrown together in an unlikely but totally convincing twist of science. Together they travel in time and sing and dance their way through a history of seaside entertainment.

It could so easily be just that, a casual confection littered with familiar vintage songs for those of us old enough to remember them and a smattering of more recent pop to engage a younger audience. But creators Allison Ferns and Jack Pallister take things a whole step further, filling the fun with interesting social context, the amazement that women could have jobs and even end up as CEO of a business like the pier, a lovely tribute to the current CEO indeed. And the contemporary kids are so very right on and representative of the pier’s commitment to inclusivity. We get the power of social media, TikTok and so much more…

There’s an element of camp for sure, Dylan’s i360 gag is hilarious but subtley so and would hardly offend if indeed get noticed. And mentioning that player by name leads me to comment on the extraordinary talent on stage in Horatio’s Show Bar which is suitably and delightfully decked out with plush red velvet drapes. Four young performers who give their all in a full on hour of song dance and comedy, four great dancers, four great voices and a show full of commitment and joy. There’s plenty of opportunity to join in, sing along and even learn how to play the spoons! Some of the lyrics and gags have strong local themes but not so many that visitors will be left bewildered and at an hour in length it will be the perfect respite too from the thrill of rides and the sugar rush of candy floss.

The show’s format is well conceived and delivered but perhaps with a little more tech and lighting would reach real heights. That said the projections and animations are excellent. This team deliver a great tribute to seaside entertainment.

Shows run twice daily until 28 August

Andrew Kay

20 August

Horation’s Show Bar, Brighton Palace Pier

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