End of the pier - Review

By Samuel

A sunny Brighton Palace Pier set the perfect scene for the Press Show of The End of the Pier Show, staged inside Horatio’s Bar at, unsurprisingly, the pier’s very end. Conceived and produced by award-winning choreographer Jack Pallister and BBC Radio presenter Allison Ferns, this sparkling new production is a joyous, nostalgic, and refreshingly inventive family musical.

I brought my nephew along, and the greatest delight was how much we both laughed. The humour lands for all ages as there are sharp, hysterical jokes for adults, alongside heartwarming moments that resonate universally. The moment you step inside Horatio’s Bar, you are met with a red velvet draped stage setting that instantly transports you to a theatre space. Vintage postcard boards invite you to pose for a snap, and golden spoons, mysteriously on sale, turn out to be part of the show itself. In a brilliant interactive moment, the cast teach the audience how to play the spoons, just as entertainers did in the 19th century. It’s clever, funny, and classically traditional.

Ferns and Pallister, it turns out, have had a fair few collaborations in the past, and they have crafted a truly charming script and staged the piece with wit and warmth, weaving movement and choreography that capture both the pulse of the moment and the charm of bygone eras. The story follows two present day ‘Palace Pier Performers’ who, while testing out a new time machine ride, are catapulted back to 1900. There they meet two teenagers from the turn of the century and whisk them forward towards 2025 for a glimpse of the future. Ultimately, each realises they belong in their own time, having learned from their shared adventure.

What unfolds is a vibrant journey through Brighton’s rich history: From the Mods and Rockers of the 1960s, to ABBA’s triumphant Eurovision win with Waterloo, which I didn't actually know happened in Brighton, we even get to visit a moment when the Spice Girls performed right on the pier. Along the way, classic pantomime routines like a perfectly timed and very funny  ‘It’s behind you!’ sequence, prove this creative team know exactly how to craft family entertainment that engages children and adults alike. The music choices leap joyfully from music hall classics to modern day hits like APT and Pink Pony Club. On paper, it sounds like an impossible mix, but on stage, it works brilliantly.

The cast: Neith Alexandra, Ted Brickley, Alex Kail, Louise Newington, and Evie Newman, are utterly engaging, with powerhouse vocals and physicality that would shine in any West End show. You want to follow their journey from start to finish and here’s the magic: despite being staged in a bar at the end of a pier, this show sweeps you away. You laugh, you feel, you play your spoons along with the cast, and you’re transported alongside the characters. It’s a five-star feat of creativity, and at just £5 a ticket (including pier entry), The End of the Pier Show is unquestionably one of the best family shows you’ll see this year.