WELFARE Derby Theatre Review a new play

Ivan Stott (Bingo Bob) Welfare play at Derby Theatre, Oct 2024 Photograph by Pamela Raith

🌟🌟🌟🌟 Welfare is a new, full length play by Derby born writer, Abi Zakarian. As one might quite rightly anticipate the subject and topics of the play are down-to-earth and this wonderful, stylised interpretation for stage; directed by Sarah Brigham the CEO and Artistic Director at Derby Theatre, complements Zakarian's script and intention.

Five generations of one family are tracked through almost a century long. Welfare is a history play and presents 'within these walls' stories of life at a holiday camp on the seafront at Winthorpe, Skegness and how the wider political world impacted on this one place and the people who frequented it.

Welfare falls under a within living memory category and as well as a history play is also a memory play. By chance, Bob (Bingo Bob) meets young, Kat, and it is Bob's personal memories and his knowledge of the history of the camp, twinned with the stories Kat had collected, second-hand, from her father, Danny.

This is a jazzy, swingy, rock n' rollin', disco and pop themed pleasure. It's blouses and wide skirts, red jackets and bow ties, deck chairs; swimsuits; knobbly knees, dancin' and Bingo, of course!

Centre actor John Holt Roberts as Jack pictured with members of the cast of Welfare Derby Theatre (2024) Photograph Pamela Raith

A wonderful, community ensemble of creative people bring this play to life, together, and with a young company of four youngsters too. Professionals include Ivan Stott (Bingo Bob) who plays the club host. Stott is also a talented musician and is part of the musical collective who provide foot tapping, seat shuffling responses from a delighted audience. Enjoy the Derwent Brass band and actor, Oraine Johnson's drumming, also the singing solos of individual players which reflect the moods of different scenes so impressively; some are quiet and soulful, others are lively and John Holt-Roberts gives a stirringly impressive, vocal performance.

If you arrive with any preconception that this play concentrates more on deep authenticity at length about being at the holiday camp in the sixties/seventies particularly: pit talk; smoky bars, whining children, dormitory fights, well it is not really about that.

Pictured right Hanna Winter (Zsofia) with members of the young company Welfare play Derby Theatre Photography Pamela Raith

Also Welfare is not an advocate for the miners' plight particularly. The bigger picture is simplified so that the personal stories can unfold and that the interactive fun and light hearted mood of club entertainment (which was popular last century) be maintained throughout. However, Welfare does indeed have a moral message and a big clue to that end is in the title.

ENDS

WELFARE Derby Theatre Review by theatre critic, Debra Hall who attended the evening performance at Derby Theatre on the 9th September 2024, 7.30pm.

REFERENCES

Derby Theatre INVITE REMINDER [...] 09 Sept 2024

Derby Theatre

https://derbytheatre.co.uk/news/welfare-cast-and-company/

Stott, I. Hiccup Theatre

https://hiccuptheatre.co.uk/about-hiccup/

Pamela Raith - Photographer

4BarsRest Derwent looks to increase Welfare profile

https://4barsrest.com/news/61204/derwent-looks-to-increase-welfare-profile