Our Day Out - Willy Russell

Thursday 21st - Saturday 23rd July 2011

The Crescent Theatre Main House

The ‘progress’ class were off on a school trip! They visited a cafe, a zoo, a castle, a beach, a fairground with varying degrees of delight and success, before heading home on the coach reflecting on the day’s ‘events’. As the kids ‘copped off’ and the teachers ‘told off’ we saw perceptions change as characters colluded and collided outside the classroom. Stage2’s young cast brought this play bang up to date with mobile phones, the latest pop tunes, references to Facebook and lots of LOLs!!

Stage2 does not do musicals very often so this modern twist on the original was a big summer production and had a great uplifting spirit. The original score, played by musical director Charlie Reilly was accompanied by current pop songs bringing life to the 70’s play. A huge structure in the centre of the stage became the bus, the waltzers and a bear pit.

‘At times, it is chaos – but it is disciplined chaos. Director Lucy Bailey has mustered a cast of thousands – well, 80, but what a pleasure it is to be overwhelmed by them! – and each one of its components clearly knows what he or she has to do. Crowd scenes? Ask Stage2: its young members – oldest, aged 21; youngest, 9 – come fully primed and agog to go. And every small portion of the crowd, every individual youngster, is involved, aware, a vital part of the whole. Stage2 carries no passengers. It’s a joy….And sometimes, when the chaos of free spirits is at its height, there is a freeze – and everyone becomes a marvel of immobility. Again, it’s the discipline, no question.... There’s a chorus of 34, singing their hearts out to stirring effect. There is an unseen legion behind the scenes. There are even more looking after front-of-house. This is Stage2, grasping the nettle that is live theatre and releasing the butterflies of talented imagination. This is Stage2, and Stage2 never lets you down.’ John Slim, behindthearras.com