The Redcoat, as one character in Nick Ahad’s new play observes, takes the part of the fool. Like the Shakespearean mechanicals from whom Billy Butlin pinched his resort’s tagline (“Our true intent is all for your delight”), the Butlin’s hosts are there to entertain the punters – no matter how silly they look.
Mikron’s song-studded ode to the holiday park empire embraces this spirit. The company’s DIY charm and broad comedy make a good match for the Butlin’s brand of family fun, while their open-air performance is equally at the mercy of the unpredictable British weather.
In another nod to the mechanicals, Redcoats is structured as a play within a play. As she prepares to hang up her scarlet jacket, long-serving Redcoat Lynne (Rachel Benson) rehearses one final show about the history of her beloved Butlin’s – with the help of some interfering but well-meaning colleagues. Cue goofy dance routines and musical storytelling.
But it’s not just silly songs and knobbly knee contests. Ahad casts Butlin’s as a place of innovation, escape and temporary classlessness. Its history is the changing makeup of British society in microcosm, underlined by the generational conflict between traditionalist Lynne and social-media-savvy Destiny (Elizabeth Robin), who wants to update the resort’s image.
The script is scattered with fascinating nuggets about Butlin’s past, from wartime deals to celebrity appearances, but self-confessed Butlin’s devotee Ahad crams in too much. The show could be a good half-hour shorter and the framing narrative allows for some self-aware gags yet becomes increasingly laboured. There is clearly more to Butlin’s than meets the eye, but Ahad risks over-elaborating his case.
