Express & Star

Seaside show brought to the Black Country

Elvis is in his caravan – and he's coming to a park near you soon.

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Put on your blue suede sandals for the Life’s a Beach tour, which comes to Bantock House and Museum on July 7, 8 and 9

The lookalike entertained audiences at the Black Country Museum for a holiday-inspired performance project called Life's a Beach.

And the van will be towed to other venues in the region through the summer.

Three specially-converted touring caravans are used in the story-telling project.

Mini theatre performances are drawn from stories taken from holidaymakers, residents and day-trippers in the area..

Each caravan has a different theme, with the first transporting those entering to a seafront arcade, with pulsing neon and filled with sounds of the slots and bingo.

The bingo caller clad in his Elvis outfit, tells stories of moving to the town ‘so every day can be a holiday’.

The ‘caravan from hell’ then features a seagull with a beak like a razor, and a creepy wetsuit.

Finally, visitors can meet a lifeboat crew, with the chance to take their place at the sea’s edge.

The project by Black Country Touring, is in partnership with SO Festival and supported by Creative Black Country and Magna Vitae.

The tour is also visiting Wolverhampton's Bantock House Museum and Park on July 7, 8 and 9 before moving to Lightwood House and Park in Bearwood from July 13 to 16.

Frances Land, co-director, said: “We’ve interviewed a broad range of people from very different backgrounds across the Black Country and Skegness and heard some beautiful, funny, sad and heartwarming stories.

“We have used these to create three short performances lasting up to 20 minutes each which transport our audiences to the wonderful and eccentric world of our British seaside towns.

"The Black Country may be the furthest region from the sea but that doesn't stop thousands packing their picnic baskets as soon as the sun comes out.."