After a couple of days spent down at the wrong end of the M62 in Liverpool, it was a joy to be back reviewing in the 0161, and the pleasure was doubly sweet as the subject was the 26th iteration of the ever-reliable JB Shorts under the 53Two arches at Watson Street.
The format is the same as ever; original, fifteen-minute short plays on any subject matter, showcasing some of the best in northern writing and acting talent. Number 26 features only five, rather than the usual six pieces and as ever the result is an eclectic mix of humour and thought-provoking work.
Meeting Morag
Writer Ben Tagoe wowed this reviewer a couple of years ago with ‘Better Days’ his one-man exploration of football hooliganism and rave culture and his latest offering gets the evening off to a great start. Paul (Matt Lanigan) brings his new girlfriend Danielle (Sonia Morris) home for a slow cooker meal of lamb and chorizo stew and to allow her to meet his difficult 15-year-old daughter Morag (Libby Hall), still grieving the loss of her mother. The ensuing domestic squabbles, as each tries to make the others understand their point of view, had both humour and heart and you genuinely felt sympathy for all the character’s plights. As this story relates to my own lived experience, I felt the petulance of Morag was overdone but in the context of a dramatic short story, it had resonance and a believable conclusion.
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Ministry of Me
With the district whiff of a devised A-level drama piece,’ Ministry of Me’ was loud and energetic without ever settling on either a central message or a distinctive performance style. The three central actors were given a difficult brief, moving jerkily from discussions of the difficulty of young actors gaining work into a commentary on the hypocrisy of televised religion. Whether this was meant to be caustic satire or social realism I was still unsure by the conclusion, but it failed to hit the mark on either count. Fantastic relief was provided at the conclusion with the video projection of the wonderful Joan Kempston as a female deity striking down Milo (Oscar Jones).
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Dogsbody
Lindsay Williams offers an old-fashioned farce wrapped up in modern-day Mancunian clothing. Jay (Liam Scholes) finds himself at the centre of a tug-of-war between his girlfriend (Hope Yolanda) and his gangster boss (Ryan Clayton) when he collects a new puppy for the latter daughter’s birthday. Elements of this piece were very funny but the improvisational elements involving the audience were poorly executed and some of the comedic timing was missing. Performances were mostly strong, Clayton taking the acting laurels and the inclusion of a real (very well-behaved) puppy in proceedings ensured a sympathetic audience reaction.
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Mirror Mirror
Offering the most original premise of the night, writer Diane Whitley presents Joyce (Jenny Gregson) an eighty-something pensioner living out her days in a nursing home with her memories and regrets. Visited by the spirit (or memory) of her young self (Jessica Forrest) she ruminates on her life as she is offered the opportunity to remember her past. With elements of Lewis Carroll, Dahl’s ‘Tales of the Unexpected’ and ‘Black Mirror’ this piece was chock full of ideas, some of which would work well developed into a longer format. Both Gregson and Forrest filled the parts admirably, even the odd line stumble convincing in the display of dementia from Joyce.
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Daddy’s Home
Our finale came from the pen of Phil Mealey, BAFTA winner and co-writer of ‘Early Doors’ one of the funniest situation comedies of the last two decades, no pressure then!
Mealey plays the role of Gary who comes home to find his dad Bill (Steve Royston Brown) and girlfriend Sandra (Lynn Roden) have taken up residence in his spare room following expulsion from their nursing home. Generational mayhem ensues as roles are reversed; Gary tries to exert control before admitting defeat whilst Bill and Sandra behave like teenagers in love.
Although the premises is dated somewhere in the 1980’s this is undoubtedly funny and heartwarming stuff, chiefly due to the acting performances of the three principals. Mealey recreates his boastful, world-weary persona from’ Early Doors’ whilst Brown and Roden spark beautifully and authentically. It feels like an ITV sitcom, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it pop up on our schedules in due course.
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Reviewer: Paul Wilcox
Reviewed: 3rd April 2025