fbpx

Review – Sandgrown Tales by Th’ESPs

Sandgrown Tales

As soon as the audience stepped through the doors of the Attic at Blackpool Pleasure Beach on the first night of Sandgrown Tales, they were bombarded by a myriad of sights and sounds, a rainbow of colour and vibrant chatter. The cast of 16 community actors, in character from the outset, were there to greet us noisily and cheerfully, creating that same hustle and bustle that is the essence of Blackpool.  Brightly costumed characters were everywhere we looked and the waitress was a mermaid. We soon learned to expect the unexpected.

The show, made up of a collection of several familiar stories retold in unfamiliar ways, some fictional, some fact, cleverly reflected the whacky, multilayered town that is Blackpool.  Each tale is set in a different part of the venue so that the audience is on the move after each scene, following the action and wondering where they will end up next.

The show, conceived, devised, written, adapted and performed by the cast, uses music, songs, choral speaking and puppetry to tell their tales and each story requires the actors to utilise all their skills to bring the narratives to life.

Clever use of movement, props and costumes create a fascinating visual impact and all add to the unique quality of this, the first full length production by local community theatre company, Th’esps.

The Moroccan theme of the venue reflected the One Thousand and One Nights (pleasingly Ali Baba is featured in the show) and this in turn echoed the vibrancy and hurly-burly of our much loved seaside town. The show’s aim was to take a sideways look its central character, Blackpool itself, and it certainly succeeded, mirroring the effervescent nature and exotic qualities of our matchless town.

The ensemble group of performers worked tirelessly throughout and kept the energy levels up to the end of the show with a passionate and heartfelt finale, with voices strong and confidence high. It would be hard to highlight individual performances as all are vigorous and lively, with every player giving their all.

Go and see the show this weekend. It’s full of fun, bravery, comedy, colour, ingenious use of setting, people following their dream, and an uncompromising desire to entertain.

Book now as tickets are limited.

This is a roving show told in different locations within the venue. Expect to move around. All areas are accessible.

 Performances take place at The Attic, Pleasure Beach, Ocean Boulevard, Blackpool, FY4 1EZ (enter by main entrance to the Pleasure Beach)

Friday 3rd August at 6pm,

Saturday 4th August 3pm and 7.30pm 

Sunday 5th August at 2pm and 5pm.

Tickets £5 (maximum of 50 tickets available for each performance)

Tickets available online at 

 www.electricsunshineproject.co.uk/product/sandgrowntails

 For further information please contact [email protected] (Phone – 07940 502450).

Reclaim Blackpool - Mapping Sexual Harrasment
  • Show Comments (0)

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

comment *

  • name *

  • email *

  • website *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You May Also Like