Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue at theSpace @ Niddry Street Review
Having not been alive for Baywatch, there are only three things I know about it: David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson and slow-motion running, so when walking into Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue I didn’t really know what to expect.
Beginning in Santa Monica, a lifeguard gets fired after cellulite is discovered on her leg, making her unbearable to look at for the other lifeguards, and she decides to prove herself by heading to the beach at the bottom of the Authority of Shoreline Standards (ASS) list, Spray. The piece thrives through its comedy, but does have this almost false plastic appeal to it, feeling a little too polished to truly be appreciated, but I will say that I very much enjoyed the inclusion of the Murder She Wrote subplot.
When it comes to the technical aspects of the show, my main issue was the volume of the music, for not even sitting near the speakers (I checked many times), it was to the point I left with a faint ringing sound in my ears like you do after going to a concert. I noticed that the cast were mic'd, but even just turning both of these down slightly would have made it a much more pleasant experience. Besides this, the set and props felt incredibly innovative, using a windbreak not only as a backdrop but also a clever way to hide lights until needed and the bottom of deckchairs being painted to help distinguish locations, weather or even objects.
Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue is very much a too professionally made fringe piece that struggles to find the balance between emotional weight of characters and polished musical numbers but with the right volume levels is an easy brain switch off show.
★★★
Written by Kerry for Theatre and Tonic, August 2026.