Review: Hi-De-Hi at the Paget Rooms

5 Stars - High-energy, British humour with many laugh-out-loud moments. A must-see production.

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending a performance of ‘Hi-de-Hi!’ and what a fantastic evening of entertainment it was! Directed by Alex Wilson and produced by Alexandra Jenkins, this production brings the much-loved world of Maplins Holiday Camp to life with plenty of laughs, nostalgia, energy and brilliant characterisation. The audience are in for a real treat!

Set in the 1950s at the fictional Maplins Holiday Camp, ‘Hi-de-Hi!’ follows the lives of the camp staff as they navigate the highs and lows of entertaining holidaymakers. With its larger-than-life characters, cleverly written script, innuendos, physical comedy and wonderfully British humour, this production captures the spirit of the original beautifully. There is plenty here for fans of the original to love, whilst still feeling fresh and vibrant in this production.

From the moment the audience enters the theatre, the vibrant and colourful set design by Matthew Lee immediately gives you those all-important holiday camp vibes. Cleverly designed to allow for swift scene changes, the set is not only practical but packed with attention to detail which really helps to transport the audience to Maplins. The set changes flow seamlessly, keeping the pace of the production moving and allowing the action to continue without losing any of the energy.

The lighting and technical design by Lightsource work beautifully alongside the set, adding to that unmistakable holiday camp atmosphere. The lighting really helps to create the feeling of being inside a busy, colourful 1950s holiday camp, complementing the vibrant set and bringing each scene to life.

The costumes by Linda Morgan-Groves and Andy Bradshaw were carefully selected and really added to the overall aesthetic of the production. The colour, detail and variety in the costumes help to distinguish each of the characters whilst adding to the vibrancy of the holiday camp. From the yellowcoats to the individual costumes of the staff, everything feels considered and really helps the audience become immersed in the world of Maplins.

The props by Alexandra Jenkins and Gabbie Crick also deserve a mention. There is some fantastic prop humour throughout, with the props being cleverly used as part of the comedy rather than simply being set dressing. Alongside the physical comedy, this creates some fantastic moments which had the audience laughing throughout.

The production has fantastic energy from the cast right from the start, with the ensemble creating the busy and bustling atmosphere of a holiday camp. There is a real sense of camaraderie between the performers and the comedy lands beautifully thanks to some excellent timing and delivery. The comedic timing throughout was a particular highlight for me, with the cast clearly having a great understanding of how to deliver the humour without overplaying it.

The script itself is cleverly written, packed full of innuendos, double meanings and cheeky humour that the audience can enjoy. There are plenty of moments where you can hear the audience collectively realise the meaning behind a line, followed by a ripple of laughter. It is exactly the kind of humour that works so well for ‘Hi-de-Hi!’ and this cast deliver it brilliantly.

There is also plenty of physical comedy throughout, which the cast embrace wholeheartedly. From exaggerated reactions to carefully choreographed moments, the physical comedy adds another layer to the production and keeps the energy high. Combined with the prop humour, there were plenty of moments that had the audience laughing out loud.

Amongst the fantastic cast, there are a few standout performances that deserve particular recognition. Josh Neal as Spike Dixon was a real highlight for me. Josh brings fantastic energy to the stage and completely embraces Spike’s cheeky and mischievous personality. His physical comedy is excellent, with some brilliantly timed moments that had the audience laughing. Josh has a fantastic stage presence and his interactions with the rest of the cast are a real joy to watch. He really throws himself into the role and brings a wonderful sense of fun to every scene he is in.

Gray Hill as Jeffrey Fairbrother brings a wonderful warmth and likeability to the role. Gray captures Jeffrey’s slightly bewildered nature perfectly as he finds himself thrown into the chaotic world of Maplins. His interactions with the other characters are a particular highlight and he provides a lovely contrast to some of the more outrageous personalities around him.

Amy Hill as Gladys Pugh is a real force of nature! Amy completely embraces the character and brings fantastic energy, characterisation and comic timing to the role. Gladys is certainly not someone to mess with and Amy captures that perfectly. Her delivery is excellent, particularly in her interactions with Jeffrey, and she had the audience laughing throughout.

Nigel Crick as Ted Bovis brings plenty of energy and personality to the role. Nigel has strong comic timing and really embraces the larger-than-life character of Ted, delivering the cheeky humour and innuendo of the role with confidence. His performance adds another colourful personality to the Maplins team and he clearly enjoys getting stuck into the comedy.

Emma Dennett as Peggy Ollerenshaw gives a lovely performance, bringing plenty of warmth and humour to the character. Emma’s characterisation is fantastic and she captures Peggy’s optimism and determination beautifully. There is a lovely balance between the comedy and the more heartfelt moments of the character, making Peggy a real audience favourite.

Karen Pearce as Yvonne Stuart-Hargreaves and Richard Griffiths as Barry Stuart-Hargreaves work brilliantly together, with a fantastic contrast between the two characters. Karen brings a wonderful sense of character and comic timing to Yvonne, whilst Richard plays Barry beautifully camp, creating some fantastic comedy between the pair. The contrast between Yvonne and Barry is a particular highlight, and their scenes together provide plenty of laughs. Richard really understands the mannerisms and characterisation needed for Barry, whilst Karen plays the more straight-laced Yvonne perfectly, making them a brilliant double act.

Ian Court as Fred Quilley brings another wonderfully entertaining character to the Maplins team. Ian has great stage presence and really makes the most of the comedy within the role. His character adds another dimension to the already colourful group of holiday camp staff.

Jeremy Lewis as Uncle Benji deserves a special mention too. Jeremy embraces the character brilliantly and brings plenty of humour to the role. His comic timing was fantastic and there were some great moments which had the audience laughing.

Lauren Farnham as Sylvia brings another lovely performance to the production. Lauren gives a confident portrayal and works beautifully alongside the rest of the cast, helping to create the bustling atmosphere of Maplins.

And of course, what would Maplins be without its yellowcoats? Lauren Jenkins, Brianne Williams-Lemaire, Janet Grange and Lauren Farnham bring plenty of energy and enthusiasm to the stage. The four work brilliantly together, creating the vibrant, energetic atmosphere that you would expect from the holiday camp entertainment team. Their presence throughout adds another layer of fun to the production and they really embrace the spirit of Maplins.

Lauren also deserves particular recognition for her choreography. The dance elements throughout the production are beautifully choreographed and fit seamlessly into the world of the holiday camp. The movement adds another burst of energy and vibrancy to the show, whilst the performers execute the choreography with great enthusiasm. The dance sequences really help to capture that classic holiday camp entertainment feel.

The musical elements of the production are another real highlight with credit due to Musical Director Dave Thompson. There are some brilliant vocals throughout, with some lovely harmonies from the cast. The music helps to maintain the energy of the production and gives the performers another opportunity to shine vocally.

The band also deserve a huge mention for their fantastic sound. They provide a brilliant musical backdrop to the action and really help to create the atmosphere of the show. The sound is crisp and balanced, allowing the vocals to shine whilst still giving the production that wonderful live musical energy.

And, of course, we have the classic camp-style call and response that we all know and love! These moments really capture the spirit of ‘Hi-de-Hi!’ and it was fantastic to hear the audience enjoying and recognising these familiar elements. They are exactly the kind of moments that make the production feel like a true celebration of the original.

One of the biggest strengths of this production is the ensemble. Every member of the cast contributes to the world of Maplins and there is a real sense of teamwork throughout. The energy never seems to drop and the cast clearly have a fantastic rapport with one another. Whether they are centre stage or supporting a scene in the background, there is always something happening, which makes the holiday camp feel like a living, breathing place.

What I particularly loved about this production was the way it manages to give you those authentic holiday camp vibes throughout. The combination of the vibrant set, colourful costumes, lighting, music, choreography and energetic performances makes it very easy to forget that you are sitting in a theatre and instead imagine yourself right there at Maplins.

This production is a fantastic example of what amateur dramatics can achieve. It is funny, vibrant, nostalgic, energetic and thoroughly entertaining, with a cast and creative team who have clearly put their heart and soul into bringing ‘Hi-de-Hi!’ to the stage.

We in the Vale of Glamorgan are incredibly lucky to have such talented amateur performers and production teams who continue to bring high-quality theatre to local audiences. This production is packed full of brilliant performances, excellent comedy and so many little details that make it a joy to watch.

‘Hi-de-Hi!’ is a brilliant night of entertainment, with fantastic vocals, beautiful choreography, a great live band, vibrant costumes, clever set design and, most importantly, a cast who clearly love what they are doing.

If you are looking for an evening of laughter, nostalgia and a chance to escape to the holiday camp for a few hours, make sure you get yourself down to Maplins! You certainly won’t be disappointed.

A huge congratulations to Director Alex Wilson, Producer Alexandra Jenkins, Musical Director Dave Thompson, Choreographer Lauren Farnham, the entire cast, band, crew and production team on a fantastic production.

'Hi-de-Hi!' is at the Paget Rooms in Penarth 7th-10th October 2026. Find out more and purchase tickets at https://www.ticketsource.com/pods/hi-de-hi. 

Hi-de-Hi!