Friday 29 May is the second performance of Shoreline Productions' Scarlet Pimpernel at Shanklin Theatre, and Friday nights tend to bring out the audience that comes prepared to enjoy themselves rather than to assess. The Wildhorn and Knighton score, the French Revolution setting, and the double identity at the heart of the story give the show a momentum that builds well across the first act.
The cast will have found their feet from the opening night, and the production values at Shanklin Theatre are consistent enough that the staging holds up across the run. "When I Look At You" is the show's most exposed moment vocally; if the leads can deliver it, the second act lands well. Friday night audiences at Shanklin are typically a mix of locals and visitors staying on the island for the weekend.
Tickets around £23; book through Shanklin Theatre. The run closes on 31 May. More arts and music events on the Isle of Wight this spring.