Launton Village Players Summer Show "Heroes and Villains" - a review

"Heroes and Villains” | “Capes, Chaos and a Cast ‘cooking on gas’ – almost literally!”

I imagine when the Launton Village Players (LVP) were dreaming up ideas for their 2025 summer variety show, before settling on the playful theme of ‘Goodies and Baddies’, they had no idea that their fiercest ‘baddie’ would be a silent one: a 30+ degree heatwave.But they’re a tough lot, this LVP crew, and the show must go on. So, at 6pmon Saturday 12 July, they rose to the challenge. Battle commenced against the elements, one act at a time.

The whole company hit the ground running (before, no doubt, rushing to water and ice buckets offstage) with opening number Holding Out for a Hero, beaming, bright-rouged faces, with a simple, effective, on-beat armography.Everyone dug deep into their heat reserves to kick off a musical and dramatic marathon of sweat, spirit and show stopping stamina: the real drama was the temperature.

Our host with the most, Miles Penhallow, brought just enough sizzle to rival the sun, serving up banter hotter than the weather forecast. He triggered theatrical groans from the audience, surely the highest form of ‘pun’-ishment, guiding us through a vibrant mix of musical, comedic, and dramatic numbers. These were, as ever, beautifully produced and directed by Celia Evans and Julia West, stoking the flames when needed, and offering shade when the scorch set in.

One such cooler moment came with Simon Turner’s rendition of Reviewing the Situation, a witty political parody, masterfully delivered with a lovely rhythm, and the quiet, natural confidence of a seasoned performer. Then the figurative thermostat was turned up some more via Berlin’s Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better), sweetly performed by husband and wife duo Andy and Nicky Roberts. The heat peaked with Marlow and Moss’s pop concert-style version of Six, led by the six Queens: Beth Heale, Georgina Gilmore, Steph Poulsen, Nicky Roberts, Tina Foster and Jackie Webber, supported by an all-female ensemble with a particularly rousing chorus of “We’re six…”.

Jailhouse Rock lit up the stage like a midsummer blaze. Miles, fresh from introducing himself: “I give you, me!” jumped on stage. With a trademark leg wobble that would have made Elvis nod in approval, Miles’ legs channelled full Shakin’ Stevens energy to the sweltering stage, supported by eight of his fellow cast members. Panting like a pro, he jokingly confessed he may be too old for this, prompting respectful laughter, though the audience clearly disagreed. It was a brilliant performance greeted with the first loud whoops of the evening, as the show officially shifted into a higher gear.

LVP had raided the dressing-up box for this show - with gusto! While chorus numbers made stylish use of black trousers, white T-shirts and bold, primary coloured accessories, these simple looks were interspersed with full-on get-ups, like the cowboys in I Fought The Law. The number produced an astonishingly mellow, beautiful sound in the Big Shed Theatre thanks to Ash Foster, joined by John Nelson, Andy Roberts, Michael Burns, Steve Webber, Simon and Sarah Turner and Martin Evans. Thoughtful, minimal staging helped sell the setting, with Martin seated at a lone table, tin cup in hand, evoking the illusion of a wild west saloon. It was an evocative and surprisingly affecting moment.

Costumes across the show added a blaze of colour, with many superheroes and villains delighting the audience; from Wonder Woman and Darth Vader to Superman, James Bond, and Wednesday Addams to name just a few.

John Nelson’s Folsom Prison Blues had the audience relaxing beneath their proverbial sunshades. Clad in unmistakable stateside prison orange, he delivered an outstanding performance. Every tap of his right knee kept the rhythm alive and it was impossible not to follow suit. Confident, relaxed and vocally rich, with just the right amount of country gravel, it was quite stunning.

After an interval of ice baths and waters for cast and audience respectively, Act 2 opened like a summer breeze through a heatwave, with a poignant and powerful moment of remembrance. One Call Away, led by John Nelson and Ash Foster with the company, accompanied by Steve Webber, was dedicated to our local heroes lost in the recent tragedy at Bicester Heritage. Sung largely in striking unison, as if one voice carries us all, it drew the audience to stillness. Heads bowed. A moving tribute, sensitively delivered.

Continuing the reflective tone, 96-year-oldJohn Stephens was guided to the stage by his daughter and granddaughter before taking his place on a solitary wooden chair, centre downstage. There, with quiet dignity, he recited a moving rendition of Laurence Binyon’s For the Fallen. Just ten years old at the outset of the Second World War, John brought a lived resonance to the words, his presence alone deepening the hush that fell across the barn. For a moment, the heat was forgotten, replaced by something timeless and still.

Thoughtfully, we were brought back from the shade with a lively 1940s and ’50s bluesy-style Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy and a World War Two Medley. Nostalgic classics like Bless ‘em all, We’re Going to Hang Out the Washing on the Siegfried Line were accompanied by laundry baskets and all manner of garments, waved and folded by the company, with small Union Jack flags, swaying gently to the lilting rhythm of the music. The medley finished with a rousing Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant Major, complete with larger Union flags and plenty of audience toetapping and clapping.

And the slow crescendo continued from there. John Nelson’s sensitive version of Imagine was perfectly accompanied by Steve Webber and Simon Turner, who never once dropped their gaze from John to ensure flawless timing. Next came an impressive original arrangement of the complex Heroes and Villains by The Beach Boys, competently performed by Ash Foster, Beth Heale, Nicky Roberts, John Nelson and Simon Turner.

A highlight was a sharply delivered, ‘on fire’ and beautifully off-book short play, The Ineffective Bank Robber performed by Simon Turner (the robber) and Daisy Richards(the bank teller), supported by Georgina Gilmore and Edwina Ralston as The Police.

The fun continued with a heroes and villains sing-off as the company divided into teams: blue topped, yellow ‘H’d’, and red-caped, eye-masked heroes versus green topped, orange ‘V'd’, and purple-caped, eye-masked villains. They delivered an innovative mash-up of Survivor/I Will Survive before the penultimate number - the manic Superheroes in 60 Seconds.

True to form, the costume changes were like scene stealers in a sauna, especially for Beth and Daisy: dramatic tension met heat exhaustion. Scenes (not in order - and I may have missed a few!) included: Superman; Batman and Penguin; Red Riding Hood and the Wolf; Titanic (complete with fabulous props of a ship and two dolls, perhaps giving Beth and Daisy a well-earned breather!); Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker with green lightsabre; Jaws (Daisy appeared suitably nervous before a furry shark emerged, sending her running with “We’re gonna need a bigger boat!”); Spider-Man and the Green Goblin; Bond and Blofeld (with cat); Harry Potter and Voldemort; and finally, the Jurassic Park theme tune, featuring a 10-foot inflatable dinosaur racing across the front of the stage. I told you the dressing-up box had been thoroughly raided!

The company came back firing on all cylinders for an uplifting 1980s Finale Medley, featuring a stunning collection of ’80s classics. Pink-netted tutu skirts, hot pink leg warmers, multi-coloured leggings, hairbands and jumpsuits filled the stage as the cast performed hits like The Winner Takes It All, I’m Still Standing and Flashdance (What a Feelin’).

Though the new, bigger stage didn’t quite allow for a full Fame dance display, we were treated to some nice turns to the side, sways, timed steps and classic disco spins and claps. The audience eagerly joined in, clapping with infectious enthusiasm. Everything was glowing - especially the cast!

Set against a simple black backdrop with minimal props, the entire crew rose to the occasion and the heat index. From the car parking attendants, one refusing a bottle of water despite battling cramp in their foot, such is their mettle, to the front-of-house team selling cakes, drinks and raffle tickets with literal warm smiles and the technical crew working tirelessly behind the scenes, the LVP team displayed West-End-worthy resilience under outback conditions.

To sum up Heroes and Villains: a heroic performance from cast and crew in quite villainous heat. Yet they emerged victorious, proving that even the fiercest heatwave can’t extinguish their spirit. Here’s to them: a well-earned champagne on ice, raised high and chilled to perfection!

Reviewed by Allison Ford-Langstaff