Cromer Pier Summer Show

The end-of-the-pier show was once a national institution.  A regular gig for variety acts, its popularity only really began to suffer as the British seaside lost its allure as an annual holiday destination. The Pavilion at the end of Cromer pier boasts the last seasonal show of its kind and while it remains true to the spirit of family entertainment, its format, tone and tempo seem a little tired.

Creator and choreographer Di Cooke takes the old TV seaside specials as inspiration but the fizz has gone and the format is surely now a fading memory. There are genuine pockets of talent in the small company, not least the affable host Phil Butler, who fuses his comedy with a selection of diverse magic tricks. Local talent Marea Smithson provides some decent impersonations, notably a pitch perfect Miranda Hart, but the artist is let down by the corny script.

Scenes from Cats and Oliver! and a Gatsby routine give the dancers a chance to flex their muscles, but the real energy of this show is provided by Australian juggler James Bustar, who blows through the bill like a breath of fresh air. His quirky delivery and record-breaking routines lift the show while his rapport with Butler provides much of the humour. The Cromer Pier Summer Show may not be the place for innovation, but neither should it be where variety goes to die either. It doesn’t need to be sophisticated to survive but it might try breaking out of this 1970s rut.