Brighton had been a popular seaside resort since the 1820s. This painting appears to celebrate its continuing popularity. However, the scene has a pervasive atmosphere of strangeness and melancholy.

This may reflect the fact that it was painted during the early part of the first world war. A party of vaudeville entertainers perform on the Brighton seafront under the setting sun. Many of the deckchairs are empty, perhaps hinting at the absence of so many men during the war. Gunfire from the Western Front could sometimes be heard along the south coast of England.