Provided By: Bill Elms Productions
A Scouse comedy show which first took to the stage in Liverpool almost 20 years ago is set to return for Christmas 2016.
Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors will run for four weeks this festive season at The Dome at Grand Central, and is being brought back to entertain audiences by Lantern Theatre Productions.
The show opens on Thursday November 17 and runs through to Thursday December 15, offering the perfect choice as an alternative show this Christmas.
Keen theatregoers will remember the comedy first time round when it was first performed at the Everyman Theatre in 1997. Its original cast list read like a who’s who of the city’s thriving acting and creative talent and the line-up featured Paul Broughton, Andrew Schofield and Vince Pellegrino.
The cast consists of native Liverpool based actors and the supporting crew all have links to the city. The play features 30 characters played by just 10 actors.
The cast for 2016 features Peter Washington as Tom; Jackie Jones as Kath; Katie King as Susan; James Ledsham as Ben; Curtis Watt as Clive; Reg Edwards as Macka; James McMartin (who played Macka in the original in 1997) as Big Frank; Nicola Ferguson as Lisa; Louise Garcia as Tracey and Michael Hawkins as Darren.
The play is directed by Margaret Connell and the creative team is headed by Jocelyn Meall as set designer.
Lantern Theatre Productions was created following the closure of the city’s Lantern Theatre in July 2016 after the site was sold to developers. In the five years it was open, the Lantern Theatre developed into a genuine fringe venue that supported new writing and emerging artists both locally and nationally. Four plays from its writers group – which were developed through its regular scratch nights – will be staged at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre this Autumn.
The production company was formed by family trio Margaret Connell, son Daniel Noble and daughter Siobhan Noble, who felt the next natural step for them after the theatre’s closure was to concentrate their efforts in the area of theatre they love the most, the production side.
Margaret Connell, director and producer, commented: “When we were first looking for our next project the whole Brexit debate was ongoing and after the vote it was clear Liverpool once again disagreed with the UK as a whole. We just felt considering the current political climate this play is as relevant now as it was 20 years ago.
“Theatregoers will most definitely remember Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors. It was one of the very first strong Liverpool theatre comedy productions, which went on to pave the way and inspire the many of the excellent shows we see today at the vast choice of theatres our city is proud to play home to.
“When Scouse premiered at the Everyman Theatre almost 20 years ago, it was a sensational success with audiences and critics alike, with all performances selling out. We feel now is the right time to bring the play back and introduce it to new audiences and welcome back the show’s old friends.
“With such a fantastic script and cast, we have an impressive array of visual, sound and movement creative team, which means Scouse is set to become one of the most exciting, funny and emotional pieces of immersive theatre the city has seen.”
Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors tells the story of the Liverpool People’s Party and its calls for Liverpool to be recognised as an independent republic by the UN, the EU, NATO and UEFA. But the UK Government objects and sends in the army. The play follows Tom, Kath and their children Susan and Ben through the bid for independence and the battle and tragedy that follows.
"The people of Liverpool, and the Liverpool People’s Party, invite the Prime Minister to mind his own business. Here in Liverpool, we’re nearer to space than we are to London. London is 200 miles away; space is only 100 miles away. People here pay as much heed to the Prime Minister as we do to the man in the moon."
Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors was written by Andrew Cullen, who has since gone on to critical acclaim for his writing talent. His short story, The Six Day War, won the London Writers Award, while his article on Anglo-Japanese relations won the Japan Prize.
Cullen’s credits also include the play Self Catering (A Short History of the World), which won several awards and was filmed by Channel 4 and published by Josef Weinburger plays; Pig’s Ear, a tale of family life during four general elections, won the Peggy Ramsay Award; his first non-fiction book was From Here To Paternity. He has also screenplays for film and television. Andrew Cullen now lives in London with his family.
For more information, visit www.lanterntheatreliverpool.co.uk.
No comments:
Post a Comment