Resembling an extended episode of The Inbetweeners, The Festival is full of cringe-worthy moments, witty one-liners and relatable characters. But, most of all, it’s a grimly realistic representation of what it’s like to spend a weekend in a muddy music-filed field with your mates.
Filmed at last year’s Reading Festival, there are plenty of crowd shots interspersed throughout the story - meaning there’s no shortage of sludgy mud, questionable toilet facilities and a whole host of live performances.
Though at times it feels like a spin-off from the endlessly popular Channel 4 series - largely because Joe Thomas’ uncool protagonist Nick shares similar traits with Simon - it’s a well-crafted 98 minutes of silly yet satisfying fun.
Like the infamous testicle slip during a fashion show in The Inbetweeners, there’s a succession of face-covering moments; watching Nick’s unwanted nipple piercing get stuck on the fence whilst he tries to climb over is an excruciating moment.
It’s a similar set-up to The Inbetweeners, though this time rather than failed relationships at sixth form it’s a post-uni break-up that starts with a humiliating mid-graduation dumping: painful stuff.
Believing the best way to get over someone is by going to a festival and forgetting all about them - until they turn up in the same camping field, unexpectedly - Nick’s aspiring DJ mate and former uni neighbour Shane (Hammed Animashaun) drags him out of bed, having spent weeks moping about eating chicken…
Where The Festival shines is the relatable stereotype characters at the centre of the field action. There’s certified Aussie oddball Amy (played brilliantly by Emmy Award nominee Claudia O’Doherty), flying solo for her ninth festival in a row - hanging by the portaloos or medical tent to try and make friends.
Then you’ve got drug-loving Gordy (Theo Barklem-Biggs, who you’ll remember from The Inbetweeners Movie and Kingsman) who spends the majority of the film lying on the floor. The most relatable in the group though is yah-yah posho Lucy (Lizzy Connolly is a perfect fit for the role, having starred in Channel 4’s royal satire The Windsors) who reintroduces herself upon every meeting and wants to find the nearest vegan food stall (we all know the type).
The unexpected cameos are great too; Noel Fielding shows up as a shark-mask-wearing superstar DJ named Hammerhead – an obvious parody real life EDM DJ Marshmello; while Nick Frost makes a brief appearance as a gruff-looking tattooist…
If you enjoyed The Inbetweeners then a ticket for this festival is essential.
The Festival is now showing at The Light Cinema in Wisbech. For screening times, dates and tickets visit www.wisbech.lightcinemas.co.uk/the-festival
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here