When Bristol Old Vic announced the first season with new artistic director Nancy Medina, Starter for Ten was one of the shows we were particularly excited about
Based on the best selling book by David Nicholls, who also wrote One Day, it’s the story of Brian Jackson, a Southend boy who loves TV show University Challenge.
His dreams to be on the show come true when he ends up studying at the University of Bristol and applies to be on the team battling to appear on the programme.
Set in the 1980s, the musical show is a mega nostalgic throwback. Brightly coloured wallpaper (“raspberry fizz”, says Brian’s mum Irene), TV aerials you need to fiddle with to get a good picture and Bamber Gascoigne, the legendary original presenter of University Challenge.
The music oozes the 80s too. They are all new tracks but they capture perfectly the sounds of the New Romantics and synth-pop.
The cast are absolutely superb. Adam Bregman shines as Brian Jackson, Will Jennings is super funny as the University Challenge obsessed TV captain Patrick, and Emily Lane as fellow student Alice is brilliant. A scene involving her telling the story of her adventures through song and dance with waiters becoming characters is fantastic.
Robert Portal is fab as Bamber Gascogne and the rest of cast are outstanding too.
Finally on the cast, we have to mention Mel Giedroyc, comedian and former co-host of the Great British Bake Off. Playing several characters and sporting some impressive retro wigs, Mel is laugh out loud funny. She can also play it serious too as in a scene with Brian on a visit home from university when she is great.
A stand out moment is after the interval when Mel appears looking like Margaret Thatcher as the boss of the TV studios. It’s an hilarious scene as she sings the questions and interacts with the audience to test our knowledge of Bristol facts. One chap was “clearly from South Kensington” Mel said as he failed to know Bristol born David Prowse played Darth Vader in Star Wars.
To capture the period, the set is fantastic with desks moved around to create college furniture, the University Challenge studio and a Christmas family meal.
In conclusion, the long wait to see Starter for Ten was well worth it. We absolutely loved going back to the 80s and it was great to toast the show with a Babycham and a Snowball in the bar afterwards!
Starter for Ten is joyous, silly and hilarious. Just the show we need right now. Go see it!
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Starter for Ten is at Bristol Old Vic until 30 March 2024.
Images by Marc Brenner
