Royal Court Studio Archives - North West End UK

Two Cities…Half the World Away – Liverpool’s Royal Court

7Sep

By Anna Ní DhúillNo Comments

North West

Two Cities…Half the World Away – Liverpool’s Royal Court

“Two Cities…Half the World Away” by Beyond The Line Theatre Company at The Royal Court Studio was a joyful production that had the audience hooked from the first moment. Callum O’Brien, the director of both the company and the production, staged Nicky Allt’s newer play – you might know him from his better-known “One Night in Istanbul” or “Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels”. Allt’s aptitude for inciting football pride, along with the actor’s abundance of energy left the audience smiling from start to finish. The story follows two men – meant to be somewhere in their early thirties but looking freshly graduated from college – on their way to an important football match before getting thrown into a police cell until their unpaid fines are paid up. Liam (played by Joseph Stanley), a scouser who c...

12Jul

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

The Giant Killers – Royal Court Studio

Leaving behind them a trail of raving reviews as they travel around the country, it is no surprise that Long Lane Theatre keeps impressing. The story is simple enough, but it is brought to us in a way that is both remarkably efficient, funny and educational. Though it is set in the 1800s, something that may put theatregoers off, may they be assured that this production feels as present as the day itself. Each performance has tenacity, complexity and human value and will keep audiences, whether they’re football fans or not, entertained throughout. The studio at Liverpool Royal Court is not a massive space, and noticing the compact nature of The Giant Killers set, neither were any of the touring show’s previous venues. It is testament to the quality of the cast of four per...

12Oct

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

The Incident Room – Royal Court Studio

A dynamic and engaging fresh insight behind the scenes at the Millgarth incident room during Britain’s largest and most expensive manhunt. A catalogue of failures, did nothing but promote the macabre mystic of its elusive killer, the Yorkshire Ripper. Sadly, its lasting legacy is the many women it let down. Old Fruit Jar Productions return with The Incident Room following its sell out run at The Black – E. Written by Olivia Hirst and David Byrne, it depicts the gripping search for the notorious serial killer, Peter Sutcliffe, commonly known as the Yorkshire Ripper. The play is set between 1975 and 1980, when Sutcliffe murdered 13 women and is known to have attacked another 8. The multiple failures and missed opportunities to catch Sutcliffe by West Yorkshire Police is well documented. ...

2Oct

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Storm in a Teacup – Royal Court Studio

Laugh out loud comedy and quick one liners together with a generous dash of music from ‘back in the day’; brings life to Esther Wilson’s replication of a working-class scouse family. Brought together by a funeral, they start to reminisce, unpicking some old familiar wounds and dropping some major bombshells with slithers of drama seeped throughout. The small talk and awkward silences typical of a wake don’t last long as we’re introduced to the different personalities of the O’Brien family, all of whom we can relate to. From fondly poking fun to pure annoyance and rage, leaving room for some hurtful home truths, Wilson’s writing provides a nice balance of emotions and pace as we watch the family work through their grief. Produced by Free Monkey Mind, a relaxed informal, co...

Twice Nightly – Royal Court Studio Liverpool

30Apr

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Twice Nightly – Royal Court Studio Liverpool

‘We do it twice nightly, it’s exhausting quite frankly.’ With a name like Twice Nightly, this was a show that needed to live up to the double entendre suggested from the title and it sure didn’t let us down! Showing us Liverpool’s variety theatre scene in 1931, Don and Madge, a comedy song and dance double act are loving their lives, until things suddenly take a drastic turn. They need to remember, and alcohol fueled evening to allow them to get to the theatre in time for their second show of the night, but that is proving more difficult than it sounds. Will they make it in time? Written by and starring Michael Alan Bailey and Maria Lovelady as Don and Madge, it is clear that these two really get on, as the best friend energy coming from the characters is obviously evident. They’ve w...

11Mar

By Andrew LeeNo Comments

North West

Drowning – Royal Court Studio

Oldham Coliseum Theatre Associate Artists Dare to Know Theatre revive their sell out debut play, Drowning. The play centres around Josh, a teenager as British as they come, who starts the play by telling us how selfish suicide is and giving the audience a description of his teenage life. Sex, alcohol, bullies and multiple girlfriends are all par for the course in Josh’s life, but this starts to unravel for Josh, whose world views are challenged rather quickly. Jake Talbot writes and stars, and the key concepts and moments of the story are poignant, clear and relatable. The teenager on the stage this evening was one that we all recognise. The story was gritty, real world and told with clarity - the audience were hooked into it from lights up. Talbot delivered high energy, clari...

Stocking Fillers – Liverpool’s Royal Court Studio

21Dec

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Stocking Fillers – Liverpool’s Royal Court Studio

Stocking Fillers – Liverpool’s Royal Court Studio December 2022 If you need something to make you feel Christmassy, look no further. Amongst the wholesome decoration of the studio, Emma Bird has allowed these short plays to shine. With a drunken Santa, a police investigation, and a church flasher, laughs were not running short. As a collection of short plays provided by the new writer's scheme at the theatre, it was a fantastic collection of tales. Rachel Hunter’s Derby Day Domestic was a lovely way to open. Pip was a highlight and the comedy timing was sharp. Tendency was had to verge on playing for a laugh, but it was minor and didn’t distract from the story. White Christmas Lies by Wallace Charles was a highlight for me. Performed with conviction and warmth, this monologu...

27Jun

By Tracy RyanNo Comments

North West

Offered Up – Royal Court Studio

How do you look anew at the issues thrown up by the now overwrought and at times morally exhausting #MeToo movement? Well, why not in a play set in the English Civil War? This first full-length work by local writer Joe Matthew-Morris not only deals with a huge variety of weighty issues - including sexual politics, abuse, trauma, the independence of women, class and politics, the weight of parental expectation, war and poverty - but is impressively almost uncategorizable genre-wise. (A fellow writer said it was a cross between Sleuth and Tarantino). It’s also well-nigh impossible to flesh out the plot without bringing major spoilers and story twists into play - but, here goes… It’s 1645 and inn keeper Willmas is grieving the loss of his wife, while trying to raise his teenage daughter Ro...

ADHD The Musical – Royal Court, Liverpool

11Mar

By Clare ChandlerNo Comments

North West

ADHD The Musical – Royal Court, Liverpool

ADHD The Musical is an enjoyable and informative show that explores the realities of life when your brain is ‘differently made’. Written and performed by Dora Colquhoun the show is part musical parody, part stand-up and part ADHD infomercial. Colquhoun is an incredibly engaging performer who is ably supported by the excellent Karl LLorca (who provides BSL interpretation). Indeed, Llorca was gifted a show stealing moment when Colquhoun’s mic pack malfunctioned, and he and musical director Luke Thomas, were required to entertain the sold-out Royal Court studio. Given the huge diagnosis gap between men and women with ADHD, with men almost three times more likely to be diagnosed, this is an important topic and one that Colquhoun, with collaborator Izzie Major, str...

Boss New Plays (Saturday) – Royal Court Studio

8Nov

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Boss New Plays (Saturday) – Royal Court Studio

Liverpool Lanterns’ annual showcase of up-and-coming writing and acting talent in Merseyside came to a close with five new pieces from some of Lanterns’ veteran writers. As these are short pieces and in varying stages of development, it’s unfair to ‘rate’ them but there is still plenty for us to get our teeth into as an audience. There’s no easing into tonight’s showcase with our first piece, Banter, written by Darren Anglesea. The moment the lights go down there is an explosion of swearing and scuffling, as we are introduced to Tony, an angry young man accused of assault, which he swears is just ‘banter’ that got out of hand. When he sees that his duty solicitor Martin is black, he makes it plain this is an issue and it’s up to Martin to help his client understand how much trouble h...