To mark the 40th anniversary of The Blockheads, the stage show inspired by their music tours again, stopping in the Quarry Theatre where LEO OWEN caught the show

Liz Ascroft’s design simply transports us to 1979 with a digital timer literally turning back the years. Abracadabra in neon and a Fulham Broadway tube sign geographically locate The Red Lion Pub where the story takes place. Breaking the fourth wall, our narrator Vinnie (Stephen Lloyd) introduces a full cast, including those playing multiple character parts.

Writer and performer, Paul Sirett favours the play inside a play construct to celebrate the influence of The Blockheads. Sirett uses Vinnie’s character eulogising a deceased Blockhead’s fan to tell the story of one crazy night spent attempting to source tickets to a sold-out Hammersmith Odeon gig.

Inside The Lion, Ascroft creates a pub atmosphere with a pool table and old-style payphone as cast wearing period punk rock dress mingle with the audience, swigging pints and offering up twiglets. In true tribute to Dury, theatre company Graeae’s style is inclusive with an eclectic cast, BSL signing throughout and the script/lyrics displayed on a back screen.

This all works to their advantage while also highlighting some of the play’s many flaws. Loyal Dury followers are sure to love watching like-minded fans honouring their work with lively performances of big hits, such as Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll, Sweet Gene Vincent, Spasticus Autisticus and Hit Me with your Rhythm Stick. The showcasing of new 2017 track, If It Can’t Be Right Then It Must Be Wrong, written by Blockheads Chaz Jankel, Derek Hussey and John Kelly, is an added bonus for avid devotees.

Meanwhile, those more interested in Dury as an inspirational figure will be left disappointed as there’s little to learn about his life from this show. Sirett admitted steering clear of a biographical piece, acknowledging that a musical and film of this kind already existed. Reasons to be Cheerful may well produce nostalgic memories of teenage gigging days but in terms of narrative, it lacks. Displaying song lyrics clearly aims to cater for deaf audience members and possibly tries to encourage a kind of karaoke sing-along but also unfortunately makes it easy to read ahead, highlighting some pretty pedestrian lyrics.

Criticisms aside, the show does include romance and political commentary, critiquing Theresa May, inheritance tax and benefit cuts but its weak premise is a serious let down. The extremely talented cast alone give the audience our “reasons to be cheerful”, transforming a non-starter into a high-energy romp. They alone deserved the mystifying standing ovation.

Reasons to Be Cheerful showed at The West Yorkshire Playhouse, October 10-14, 2017: http://graeae.org/our-work/rtbc/