I am not one for the 80s revival craze. I find the musical and cultural scenes of the 70s and 90s more complex and interesting. If nothing else, the sheer glut of 80s nostalgia in recent years must surely be wearing even wholehearted enthusiasts out? Apparently not. Club Tropicana is a love letter to cheesy 80s pop music and the craze for hormonal sun, sea and sand holidays. It is loud, brash and gaudy, and was lapped up by a hungry crowd.
Just because Club Tropicana does not gel with my own tastes is not to say it does not have an audience or is without merit. The show has no pretensions to being something it is not. I don’t think anyone involved would dispute my assessment that it is a frivolous escapade, largely made as an excuse to belt out karaoke hits and indulge an inexcusable affection for leg warmers. The show knows who it is pitching to and makes no apologies for its existence.
Around the musical numbers, Club Tropicana most resembles a farcical sitcom – Fawlty Towers with a dash of Are You Being Served? The love story that frames the plot is simply a context to hang the hotel-based antics and songs on. Not unlike a pantomime, the best elements are the daft characters. The story does its job in guaranteeing an excuse go out with a bang. The focus is squarely on the comedic elements and these firmly succeed. The show is consistently funny and the actors know how to work the audience.
The musical numbers certainly got the crowd worked up, and in so doing achieved their goal. I will note that the sound levels could do with checking as the odd ballad was acutely drowned out by the accompanying synth and bubbly instrumentation. The deployment of the songs can be entirely contrived but that is, fundamentally, part of the joke.
My attention was carried through by the comedic chops of Club Tropicana, not altogether dissimilar from a period episode of Benidorm. Even if I am not enthused by the music, that does not stop a large section of the country who grew up with these hits and who buy into their iconic status from revelling in the fun. I suspect you will know if this is your sort of thing from the poster. ★★★☆☆ Fenton Coulthurst 9th April 2019
