FREE and Easy, a rarelyperformed, unusual comicdrama (set in a northern English pub in the 1960s) is a combination of monologues and scenes interspersed with songs evocative of the era – essentially, it’s open mic at a karaoke night!

The cast broadly had really solid northern accents and there were good characterizations, particularly Lynda Parker (redoubtable landlady Iris), Anna Johnston (feisty daughter Tracy), Lesley Wilson (resourceful barmaid Vanessa), Roger Minors (sleazy brewery consultant ‘Dodgy’ Ron) and Mike Clay (as landlord Eric, less Cliff Richard and more Reggie Perrin on hallucinogenics!).

Musical numbers seemed somewhat awkwardly dropped into the show but this is an issue with the script itself rather than SADS, who performed them with good musicality and harmonies; the audience certainly enjoyed them as they sang and clapped along and the excellent trio of musicians (led by MD Peter Fellows) would have been perfectly at home in any good pub band!