You know what to expect when you take your seat in front of the Royal Court stage. As ever, this production was overtly scouse, laugh-a-minute and easy watching. If you weren’t looking closely at the show poster, you would be surprised to learn that the entire production is a duologue. A hefty feat for any actor, but a challenge Cath Rice and Andrew Schofield executed with ease and maturity.
No matter what character he played, and various he did, Schofield always exudes charm and professionalism on stage. His versatility in this production was as hilarious as impressive as he had to juggle a mixture accents, costume changes and exuberant stage entrances. But I’d expect nothing less from him.
Due to the two-hand nature of this production, it was at times extremely dialogue heavy, almost too much so in Act One. This meant some scenes dragged and fell into the dangerous territory of causing wandering steps around the stage as the speaker got through the material, Rice especially.
However, I enjoyed this production for what it was. A pleasant night at the theatre having welcomed 90 minutes of escapism. The partnership onstage allowed the performance to shine in its best moments, the jokes were corny (but so were the outfits), the characters were likeable, and the story was easy to follow.
A special mention has to go to Katie Scott for the set design. The rotational backdrop was a clever way to package this story and allowed the actors to move between scenes and locations seamlessly.
As most attendees to this theatre will already know, audience participation in this production like all others is encouraged, but the soundtrack will have you singing along by the end.
Filled with Liverpudlian wit and charm, this is a must-see for light-hearted theatre fans.
Making It! Is running at the Royal Court until 17th May. You can find out more of reserve tickets via: https://liverpoolsroyalcourt.com/main_stage/making-it/
Reviewer: Hannah Esnouf
Reviewed: 7th May 2025
North West End UK Rating:
I am not an opera regular, so I arrived at this double bill with a…
Baffo! Baffo! Baffo! You’ll be chanting and cheering, oohing and ahing, laughing, crying, and crying…
There’s no doubt that working conditions and employee power have slowly eroded in the past…
John Webber’s Fire Fire brings Paige, a middle-class queer climate activist of Nigerian heritage, and…
A murder mystery by Agatha Christie welcomes Miss Marple played by the wonderful Liza Goddard…
A setting of white picket fences (?) backed by a row of seemingly terraced houses…