‘the cast’s energetic performances create a real festival feel’
It’s the summer of 1969 and music fills the air. Change is coming and Harry (Lucas Button) has the decision of a lifetime to make, should he choose the life he knows or take a leap into the future he can see in the distance.
Harry lives in a small village and works in Bottomley’s, the family greengrocers, alongside his parents Arthur (David Ahmad) and Veronica (Rebecca Bainbridge). Arthur is very traditional and dominates the family life but Harry is wanting to break out and follow his own dreams. Veronica can see how Harry wants to break free but also sees Arthur’s struggles to let Harry become his own person. One of their customers, Joan (Kate Milner-Evans) has lost both her son and her husband and is struggling between traditions and moving on in life.
The comic timing between Veronica (Rebecca Bainbridge), Harry (Lucas Button) and Joan (Kate Milner-Evans) is perfect.
As is traditional there is a memorial service due to take place for Joan’s son, Jack, but Joan is not sure she wants this tradition to carry on.
We then meet Cloud (Annabelle Aquino) who has organised a Sunshine Festival to save Hill Top Farm for reasons which we later discover and she invites both Joan and Harry. Despite some locals wanting to close the festival down, both Harry and Joan manage to attend the festival and realise the changes they want to make in their lives.
At the festival we meet the mysterious Puck (Abigail Middleton) who adds mischief to the proceedings creating dreams and helping others realise the path they want to follow. Sonny (Perry Moore) and Claire (Sorrel Jordan) bring the festival vibes with Sonny channelling his inner John Lennon.
We also meet Viper (Zoe Lambert) and her son Bobby (Lawrence Hodgson-Mullings) who are also struggling to find their own paths in life.
Will the festival save the farm from being taken over? will Harry follow his dreams and find love? Will Arthur, Veronica and Joan find new paths to follow away from their traditional roles?
The theme of family threads through the performance showing different generations navigating their way through the changes in their lives and parents realising they need to let their children find their own path in life.
Costumes were colourful and fitted the era exactly. The use of flowers around the stage added to the 60’s vibe and once the evening started to become darker the lighting came into its own, adding a warm glow to the stage and performers.
Audience participation is actively encouraged, this and the cast’s energetic performances create a real festival feel to the production and creates a real feel-good atmosphere to the evening.
There is a live band and there are some powerful singers in the cast, Cloud (Annabelle Aquino) especially and the familiar songs allow the audience to fully participate.
There was a slight technical hitch just before the interval but after a slight pause in the performance the cast recovered well and the performance continued.
A joyful piece of theatre that captures the spirit and heart of the 60’s.
Running from 23rd July – 23rd August
All performances captioned
BSL Performance 16th August at 5pm
Review Date: 23rd July 2026
Star Rating: FOUR