Review: Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue

Review: Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue

26-10-25 Kings Arms, Salford by Jamie Griffiths

Low Fat Productions’ Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue makes a perfect splash at The Kings Arms. Written, composed, and directed by Hywel Evans, this new musical is set between the sun-soaked promise of Santa Monica and a rain-drenched Northern seaside town, and it’s every bit as funny, heartfelt, and gloriously odd as that sounds.

Evans and co-writer Abbie Ashall have created a show that’s bright, brisk, and full of surprises. There’s a sincerity here that’s rare in musical comedy, a non-preachy, enlightened piece that touches on insecurity, empowerment, friendship, depression, and the fundamental truth that crabs are, indeed, bastards.

Izabella Webb is a standout as The Lifeguard, a peppy, bronzed 90s icon whose energy never grates. You can see why some have compared her to Elle Woods, she balances charm and sincerity beautifully. Meanwhile, the chemistry between Fred and Rose (Kit Rodgers and Abbie Ashall) provides an unexpected emotional anchor. Their troubled, bickering dynamic is compelling, and you genuinely find yourself rooting for them.

The staging is minimal but inventive, using foldable beach chairs to conjure a surprising variety of locations. It’s the sort of intimate, resourceful theatre that The Kings Arms does best. Natalie Hayes deserves special mention for both her comic timing and her powerful delivery of Murder They Don’t, a soaring, funny, and oddly touching homage to her heroine, Jennifer Fletcher.

The second half dives deeper, offering more exposition and genuine emotional payoff. The songs are consistently strong, proof of Evans’s remarkable knack for melody. You’ll leave humming several numbers (though the hysterical You Can F** Off* might need some heavy editing before it hits the airwaves).

With its sharp wit, strong ensemble, and fearless originality, Spraywatch is a heartwarming, genuinely entertaining triumph, and exactly the sort of grassroots musical discovery The Kings Arms exists to champion.

If there’s any justice, this won’t be the last we see of Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue. I know i wasn’t the only audience member who is happy they saw it before it made waves on a bigger stage.

Get more information about Low Fat Productions from the official page HERE