Theatres up and down the country have been closed for over a year now, and we miss our beloved stages immensely. Directed by Ashley Luke Lloyd and starring stage stars such as Jodie Prenger and Tom Lister, West End in Blackpool is a music and dance packed love letter to the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, the entertainment capital of the north. 

From Jodie Prenger’s heartfelt performance of ‘Send in the Clowns’ through to a high energy dance number led by Lloyd to ‘There’s No Business-Like Showbusiness’, this 30-minute tribute is a homage not only to theatre and the arts but to the venue itself as we see the action move throughout the venue with all areas shown in their full glory. 

Laura Wilson impresses greatly with her rendition of ‘The Winner Takes It All’ from Mamma Mia, and we are swept back to the golden age of Hollywood with a dance performance from Top Hat stars Alan Burkitt and Charlotte Gooch. Kelsey Beth Crossley also impresses throughout. You can feel the passion from the performers even through then screen, and it is clear that they have a love both for the arts and the venue. 

In between each performance, we are gifted snippets of information about The Winter Gardens, giving you a taste of the building’s great history. It would have been nice to have a little bit more of this actually, as the history is fascinating and it’s something we don’t hear about very often. If only buildings like this could talk, can you imagine the stories they would be able to tell? 

Over the years, the Blackpool Winter Gardens has played host to many big productions such as Cats and Mamma Mia, which broke box office records at the venue, along with performances from legendary comedians and music acts. After a year of darkness, this beautiful venue is simply shouting out for the lights to come back on, and for the music and the dancing to return. 

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Rebecca Wallis

West End in Blackpool is available to stream until 9 July here.