The twice-yearly return of David Graham’s beloved character Eric to the stage of Newcastle-Under-Lyme’s friendly New Vic Theatre has long since replaced the Stoke v. Port Vale derby match as the most eagerly-awaited fixture in the North Staffordshire cultural calendar. It is nine long months since we laughed at and sang along with Eric and friends in Eric’s Christmas Turkey and the crowds in the bar before the show were clearly ready for their latest fix.
As any railway enthusiast will tell you, the night of August 8th, 1963, was a dark one for the driver and staff aboard a mail train from Glasgow to London which was hijacked by a gang of 17 criminals who stole over £2 million. It was also – by one of those dreadfully unfortunate coincidences – the night on which Eric got the first booking for his mobile disco. In, of all places, Leighton Buzzard, the nearest major town to the robbery site. When his van breaks down on the way home, Eric sees the train stopped with its lights on and goes to see if he can get a lift, encountering two of the robbers on the way. Back home Eric’s good-hearted but daft friend Gordon Bennett (David Lonsdale) persuades Eric to tell the Police what he knows about the robbery. This leads to the pompous and incompetent Detective Chief Superintendent Slapper (Stephen Chapman), aka Slapper Of The Yard, recruiting Eric to work undercover with him in Italy, posing as a notorious old lag known as “Scarface” in the hope of catching the robbers. What could possibly go wrong?
And so, the mayhem unfolds, interspersed as ever with some superb '60's music performed by the cast. Alan Howell as the villains’ leader Bertie is clearly channelling Michael Caine as they plot the robbery – it’s due to take place at a fancy-dress party too, which gives them all the opportunity to dress up and look ridiculous. Their performance of “Hey Hey, We’re The Monkees” dressed as gorillas is both brilliant comedy and a great technical achievement given the difficulty of playing musical instruments whilst wearing ape hands!
The music is an integral part of the Eric experience and it is performed with great gusto and joy with cast members taking turns to sing the lead vocals. Georgia Gagen who plays Julia gives a particularly good rendition of The Foundations’ 1968 hit “Build Me Up Buttercup” and I really enjoyed the four villains in their boiler suits singing The Beatles’ “Money (That’s What I Want)” from 1963. There were some songs I hadn’t heard before, and a song list would have been useful.
Back on stage, chaos reigns as the robbery is hilariously botched and a chase ensues. There are no Minis in this Italian Job, but pedal tricycles do the job just as well with the breathless Slapper in hot pursuit. Somehow it all ends happily – of course it does, this is an Eric show! – and order is restored in time for everybody to get up on their feet and clap, dance and sing along with a final selection of '60's greats including the crowd-pleasing finale, Jeff Beck’s “Hi Ho Silver Lining”. One thing about getting the audience up on their feet for the last songs is that it pretty much guarantees you a standing ovation at the end, but it was well deserved.
This is entertainment at its best, a touch of joy in troubled times. The cast obviously love every minute of it which brings an extra feelgood factor to the show, and many of the audience were clearly regulars who come back, time after time, to enjoy Eric’s antics. Next year it will be 25 years since Eric first graced the stage of the New Vic, and we look forward to many more happy times with our hero.
Reviewer - Ian Simpson
on - 21.8.23
on - 21.8.23
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