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Review: Cromer Pier Show 2, Pavilion Theatre
This year's Cromer Pier Show cast. Picture: ANTONY KELLY - Credit: Archant
So many sequins and set changes, leg kicks and laughs, sleight of hand and high notes.
This year's Cromer Pier Show cast. Picture: ANTONY KELLY - Credit: Archant
It's difficult to imagine how the cast of the Cromer Pier Show manage to cram so many costume changes, songs, dance routines and comedy sketches into one performance, but they somehow make it look effortless.
This was the premier of the second incarnation of this year's Seaside Special - known as the only end-of-pier show in the world.
Each summer, the same cast - this time 'round including compere Steve Terry, singers Emily Yarrow and James Harvey as well as a motley crew of impressionists, magicians and dancers - put on two different versions of the show before bringing together the best bits into an 'ultimate pier show' at the end of the run.
Having not seen the first version I can't compare, but Show 2 as brilliant.
The crowd favourite seemed to be G, the long-haired zanily dressed impersonator who used his voice box to conjure up every kind of character from Kermit the Frog to Ringo Starr.
He also proved his vocal talents singing his way through numbers including Louis Armstrong's We Have All The Time In The World and Bee Gees Stayin' Alive.
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A skit where he and Mr Terry played a couple of bird-watchers almost brought the house down, punctured with well-timed exclamations like cockatoo, swift, thrush, and well, you get the idea.
Another highlight was the full-cast act that came just before the interval - a medley of George Michael/Wham classics done on an '50s Americana set. Youngsters from Marlene's School of Dance joined in to add a sprinkling of cuteness while the professional dancers whirled about in their stunning costumes.
After the break Ms Yarrow - now a Seaside Special favourite having featured for a couple of years - showed her vocal prowess with classics from Madame Butterfly and Phantom of the Opera.
The duo Zooka and Suzie Q put on a couple of punchy scenes featuring bird magic and escape which kept me guessing and left the audience in awe.
The finale - which had the entire theatre clapping along to the timeless classics of the Village People on a nautical-themed set - was the perfect way to end the show.
The show runs until September 5, visit www.cromerpier.co.uk to book.STUART ANDERSON
