By Willy Russell.
I was particularly interested to see this production as I remember studying Our Day Out at school. It’s one of those plays that many people know, but you don’t often get the chance to see performed on stage, so I was looking forward to seeing how Aldridge Youth would bring it to life.
Set in the 1970s, Willy Russell’s Our Day Out follows a school trip to Conway taken by the underprivileged ‘Progress Class’ and their long-suffering teachers. Over the course of one chaotic day, the audience joins them on a coach journey that includes a visit to a sweet shop, the zoo, Conway Castle, the beach and, to everyone’s delight, an unexpected stop at the funfair. While the play is packed with humour and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, it also quietly shines a light on social deprivation and the limited opportunities many of these children face, giving the comedy a real sense of purpose.
A large proportion of the play takes place on the coach, which presents a real staging challenge. Simply placing rows of chairs on stage would have hidden many of the performers, particularly the children on the back seats who are responsible for some of the funniest moments in the show. Aldridge Youth solved this brilliantly by using stage blocks at different heights to represent the coach seats. It was a simple but very effective idea that ensured every actor remained visible and allowed all the jokes and interactions to land with the audience. I also liked the use of the old-fashioned easel signs, which were changed throughout the performance to show each new location on the journey. It was a lovely touch that kept the production moving smoothly.
One thought I did have, which perhaps could have added even more comedy, concerned the scene where the children smuggle animals away from the zoo. Rather than using small puppets, I wondered if it might have been fun to have actors dressed as some of the animals, sneaking onto the coach alongside the children. I had a mischievous monkey in mind, which I think would have raised plenty of laughs from the audience. It’s certainly not a criticism, just an idea that crossed my mind and perhaps something to consider if the show is ever revived.
The costumes and wigs immediately established the 1970s setting, and the teachers’ long macs worked particularly well. They gave the staff a recognisable group identity and made it easy to distinguish them amongst the lively crowd of pupils.
The touching scene on the cliff edge between Briggs and Carol brings a sudden and welcome shift in tone. It reminds us that beneath all the chaos and comedy there are genuine emotions and difficult realities. Chad Bayliss, as Briggs, and Rowan Field, as Carol, handled this scene with real sensitivity, allowing the quieter moments to breathe. The only thing I wondered was whether the staging of the cliff edge could have been angled slightly differently. At times Briggs was partially masked behind Carol, meaning some audience members may not have been able to see his reactions as clearly as they deserved.
Across the whole company there was a real sense of energy and commitment. With such a large cast, everyone had moments to shine, and the ensemble work helped create the feeling of an authentic school trip where something was always happening, wherever you looked. The Liverpool accents were convincing, and the cast captured both the excitement and unpredictability of a group of children let loose for the day.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Our Day Out and genuinely felt as though I’d been on the trip myself — albeit as the very quiet person sitting two rows from the back of the coach! Aldridge Youth captured both the humour and the heart of Willy Russell’s play, delivering a funny, nostalgic and ultimately moving production. Thank you for taking me along for such an entertaining and chaotic day out to Conway. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to fall asleep on the back seat for the journey home.
Reviewed By – Emma T.
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