"It feels like we're watching Fawlty Towers..." I remarked to my mum, 10 minutes in to watching Club Tropicana.

Slapstick comedy, repetitive jokes and flamboyant acting made for an entertaining Monday night at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury.

Admittedly, during those first ten minutes, I felt sceptical. I wasn't sure I had fully prepared myself for two hours of solid cheese, set in a Benidorm-esque hotel.

But the neon lights, huge wigs and memorable tunes soon distracted me - and I succumbed to the power of the 80s era.

The production, directed by Samuel Holmes and Nick Winston, markets itself as 'the 1980s answer to Love Island' - set at the Club Tropicana Hotel, where the drinks are free ('but only the first one...').

The show, produced by Gavin Kalin with a book by Michael Gyngell, follows what happens when budding bride Lorraine and groom Olly get cold feet and escape with their friends on holiday.

But - as you can probably predict - they check into the same hotel, run by struggling hospitality managers and life-long friends Robert and Serena.

Drama unfolds for both pairs, both in their love lives and at the run down venue.

The choreography, also by Nick Winston, was poppy, punchy and fun. I loved it, and the small troupe of dancers appeared as a tight-knit group when treading the boards.

X Factor and Joseph star Joe McElderry's entrance was certainly a turning point in the show, livening up the entire crowd.

His performance - and smile - glistened. McElderry was made for the role as Garry, the gaudy Geordie holiday rep, and the show is worth seeing for his camp and hilarious performance alone.

His stage presence coupled with his impressive pipes made him a joy to watch.

Other strong performances came from EastEnders actor Neil McDermott as Robert and Emily Tierney - best known for her portrayal of Glinda in Wicked - as Christine, the venomous hotel inspector.

But the stand-out act of the night came from impressionist Kate Robbins as Consuela the maid, taking on a variety of different roles throughout - from Cilla Black to Dolly Parton - to make the hotel appear busier than it actually was.

The classic 80s tunes weaved well into the storyline, and musical highlights were McElderry's cheese-fest dance version of Just Can't Get Enough and Rebecca Mendoza's drunken rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Sadly though, the title song has been omitted from the production - but it didn't stop the scriptwriters heavily alluding to the lyrics.

As ridiculous and silly as the whole production was, it was genuinely refreshing to see a cast thoroughly enjoying themselves on stage, and I couldn't help but consider it 'entertaining' rather than 'unprofessional' when the actors were desperately trying not to burst out laughing.

Is it sad that I actually want to go again?

Details

Club Tropicana is showing at the Marlowe Theatre until Saturday, June 22.

To book tickets, visit marlowetheatre.com or call 01227 787787.

For more ideas on days out and things to do, head to our What’s On section.