Theatre Review: Beryl’’s Day Out. Axbridge Town Hall. It’s 1962. We can be sure of that as Barry Walsh who introduced the Ministry of Entertainment’s play Beryl’s Day Out in Axbridge Town Hall emphasised the year now lost to post war history. The year before The Beatles and the Swinging Sixties, the year when hijackers demanded to be flown to Cuba, and the year when the USA and the Soviet Union squared up for a nuclear war over the Cuban Missile Crisis. Meanwhile in sunny Bristol Beryl takes a day off from her hair salon in Weston-super-Mare for a trip to Bristol Zoo in an era when there were chimpanzee tea parties and elephant rides for the zoo’s visitors.
A full house enjoyed Kate McNab and Kim Hicks’ series of anecdotes, sketches and jokes from that year which many in the audience like me could remember while others simply lapped up the nostalgia. Written by Kate McNab and Paul Crossthwaite the two hander takes real memories and stories from the time as its basis with Beryl’s circular tour of the Zoological Gardens in Clifton as the narrative structure. We hear from a variety of characters including Sister O’Blimey with her lavatorial notes, the zookeeper mucking out the animals, the Great Mephlsto (I think that was his name) and Scarlet O’Mara vying for a slot on TV’s Animal Magic, and the urban myth about the dodgy carpark attendant on the Downs who wasn’t employed by anyone but pocketed all those florins as visitors parked their Zephyr Zodiacs and Austin A30s.
Kate McNab played the titular role of Beryl complete with an unfeasibly lavish black beehive wig while Kim Hicks filled in most of the supporting cast with quick costume changes. There was so many stories and jokes, but the highlights were the songs – The Sunny Side of the Street, Never Smile at a Crocodile, I Only Have Eyes for You and What A Difference A Day Makes. With Kate’s rich dark vocals like a coffee desert from a box of Good News chocolates, her sense of timing and movement on stage, she remains a class act with a string of theatrical hits behind her with Bristol’s Ministry of Entertainment company. Versatile is the best word to describe Kim as at times I thought there was a third actor as her commitment to each new character created such contrast to the last.
For those who visited the zoo in the past the decision to close it and sell the site for re-development is a tragedy. Perhaps not so for the animals some of whom were inadequately housed but for families and school parties it gave an insight into some of the world’s most exotic creatures since it opened in 1836. Many like Beryl would make regular visits becoming familiar with all the animals from Rosie the elephant, Alfred the gorilla and Betty the camel in an age when zoo animals were presented for our entertainment. And on that note Beryl’s Day Out was certainly that.
Harry Mottram
The event was produced by Barry Walsh to raise money for Axbridge Carnival with full support from the carnival committee. The next carnival is on Saturday 21st September 2024 in the afternoon. To take part or for more information visit https://www.blackberrycarnival.com/
For more on The Ministry of Entertainment and their productions see: http://www.ministryofentertainment.co.uk/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEURLpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHcijTlLdT3mjeawE0JlNInBKpRRgcxppRfcnGy0-bb79f3De-4Av8XQ_dQ_aem_j-qVT_XR1NXHD982Lw4C1A
Kim Hicks has a long running one woman show about Jane Austen. See http://kimhicks.co.uk/Kim_Hicks/Jane_Austen.html
Barry Walsh promotes Music River Cruises with the next one on Sunday 22nd September with a Beatles Tribute cruise on the Tower Belle along the River Avon. For tickets and information see Barry’s FaceBook page and visit https://www.wegottickets.com/BarrywalshUk