The Rise and Fall of The Hamburger Queen - A Preview

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Through comedic characterisations, dazzling dance routines, and a show-stopping voice (obviously, she can do it all) taking you on a journey through her life: from rags to riches, from Liverpool to London, from Nabzys to Nandos, Ashleigh Owen announces The Rise and Fall of The Hamburger Queen, a brand new one-woman comedy show which makes its debut at The Unity Theatre as part of Homotopia Festival from Thursday November 3-5. You are invited to join her, so bring along your funny bones, your dancing shoes ... and your inhalers.

The Rise and Fall of The Hamburger Queen is a story that may seem like it treads a familiar path. A one-woman show, a performer struggling to make it in the harsh world of showbiz, life lessons, colourful characters, and the most graphic musical number about childbirth you’re likely to find anywhere.

Building on the success of last year’s Scratch and See performance, Homotopia Festival are now bringing you the full shebang. The brainchild of Ashleigh Owen and Paul Burke, the show tells Ashleigh’s real-life journey in trying to make it as a performer and the struggles along the way (the term ‘real-life’ is one to be taken with a huge pinch of salt!).

Ashleigh has expanded upon her solo award-winning cabaret piece “A Fat Girl's History of Dance”, which won her the crown at Scottee & Amy Lamés' acclaimed talent competition/beauty pageant for plus size people: “Hamburger Queen”.

It’s a one-woman show unlike any other. It's a one-woman parody, with original musical numbers, outlandish characters, several dance routines, a killer script, and did we mention the childbirth bit!? (Sorry Mum).

This show explores being an outsider; building on the experiences and the challenges competing for work in commercial theatre brings through their obsession with size, age and ‘beauty’.

But don’t worry too much about the serious stuff, you'll be laughing and tapping your feet too much to notice. You might even learn something..... About yourself!

Ashleigh’s professional performances have included Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the International Shakespeare Festival in Gdansk, Poland. In 2011, Ashleigh set up her own theatre company 'Catfish Theatre' with a fellow graduate from her University (London Met). Their first production was an adaptation of Eugene Ionescco’s The Bald Prima Donna. Ashleigh played Mrs Smith, which was a lead role, and also directed the show. It was well-received with over nine performances, including the Cockpit Theatre in London. This was followed by a Liverpool performance at the Lantern Theatre. Ashleigh looked to expand upon her solo comedy and cabaret work and applied to the much-lauded Hamburger Queen Competition, which was a highlight of London’s alternative live art and cabaret scene. Ashleigh went on to win the competition: £600 prize money, and a slot to perform the winning piece at Bestival. Since 2013, Ashleigh has been collaborating with writer Paul Burke on creating a one-woman show inspired by Ashleigh’s real-life experiences of leaving Liverpool to become a performer in London and the turbulent world of auditions. The ups and downs became a quasi-autobiographical, comedy cabaret show featuring dance, physical theatre and themes that Ashleigh identifies with.

The Rise and Fall of The Hamburger Queen runs in the Unity Theatre until Saturday November 5. For ticket information, click here.

You can learn more about Ashleigh Owen by clicking here.

Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors returns to the stage after almost 20 years since its first run in Liverpool

Written By: Mark Armstrong

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.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Time Warps, Lab Coats and Thongs

Image Source: Ents 24

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Liverpool Empire Theatre

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is back at Liverpool Empire Theatre. Fans of Rocky Horror will know exactly what to expect, but newcomers may soon realise that the term "variety show" is very vague when describing Rocky Horror. There's a bundle of fun and unusual dancing to be had, along with some unforgettable sights amongst the audience themselves. To find out a little more, we spoke to Steve Punt and Paul Cattermole, both of whom have key roles in the latest production of Rocky Horror, and we discussed the story of the show, its most notable tunes, and of course thongs and fishnet stockings ...

First of all, explain what The Rocky Horror Picture Show is all about.

Steve: "That's a very good question. It's about a couple whose car broke down and who go for help, and find that the place where they've gone for help is full of crazy people who turn out to be aliens who are busy building a human in a tank."

Paul: "It's awesome!"

Steve: "It's a very strange, almost B-movie plot, with a lot of songs and a lot of fun and costumes and silliness."

Tell us about your different characters in the show?

Paul: "Well, I play Eddie and Dr Scott. Eddie is a Gollum created by Frank (the lead character), he's sort of a crazy rock 'n' roll star. Dr. Scott is a scientist who is pretending not to be German; it's set in a village in America called Denton. Hopefully this makes sense! (Laughs)"

Steve: "I play the Narrator myself. The story is pretty surreal and odd, but it makes a lot more sense when you hear the songs."

How did you get involved in this production?

Steve: "I was personally asked if I'd be interested in doing the show; my background is in stand-up comedy. And the Narrator role that I play talks directly to the audience, and is responsible for taking the audience through the story, which as I've said is quite weird (laughs). So, I think the idea was that I would do the part but also be able to react to the audience a bit and allow them to join in, which they sometimes do. So, yeah, I actually was asked to do it."

Had you previously seen Rocky Horror before joining the cast?

Steve: "There was a screen filming of a live show in the West End at the Playhouse, so I saw the show then and it was awesome. I actually saw the film as a teenager, and I'd only ever seen the stage show once; I saw a production of it in the mid-90s with Tony Head, "Gold-Blend Man" (laughs), as Frank and it was great. But I think the stage version has slightly evolved over the years; certainly the way that the audience join in has been building every time that it's toured, and it's getting bigger and bigger each time."

What are the key songs and dances that audiences should look out for?

Steve: "Well, there is the classic floor-filler The Time Warp, that's the main song that people will dance to. As for other songs that have escaped from the show ... there's Sweet Transvestite, there's the floor-show sequence at the end. It's funny because some of my friends came to see the show earlier this year, and they all said that they knew The Time Warp, but that they'd forgotten how you remember every song in the show when you hear it. There's a song called There's A Light, which is one of those songs where as soon as you hear it, you think "Oh, it's this one!" The show is full of those moments, like "Oh, it's this one!" "Oh, it's that one!" And there's Hot Patootie which Paul sings at the end of the first half. The music is rock 'n' roll; it's straight-forward, late 50s/early 60s almost pre-Beatles pop, but the story was written in the early 70s by Richard O'Brien, so it's a mix of the two things. When you look at the story, you think "No, the 60s have definitely happened!" (Laughs) It is the timeless music of the early rock 'n' roll era."

Are you looking forward to performing in front of a Liverpool crowd?

Paul: "Oh yeah, massively!"

Steve: "We did a week at the Empire in February which was great, and that's why we're heading back there. It's always nice to go back with a poster saying "By public demand" where it actually is! So, we're really looking forward to it."

What can the audience expect if they are seeing Rocky Horror for the first time?

Steve: "Well, they can expect some of the audience to be dressed up in a series of outfits that will make no sense at all until you see the show! They can expect a lot of singing, dancing, silliness, fun, ray-guns, mad scientists, and strange Frankenstein creatures with half a brain jumping out of fridges! (Laughs) That's what they can expect! It's the kind of show that pulls you in, and it makes you get engaged. It's not the kind of musical theatre show or theatre show of any kind where you can sit back and watch from a distance; it really pulls you in. And people will dance: be advised! (Laughs) At some point, you will be up and dancing, I guarantee you that."

Finally, you mentioned the unusual costumes that the audience will wear. What is the strangest thing that you've seen a theatregoer wear when seeing this show?

Steve: "Ooh! I've said this a few times, but in Nottingham, it had just gone below 0 degrees, it was sleeting, and I saw a guy in a thong with tights and heels, and I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe how he was bearing the elements! There's a choice really: you either get men in fishnets and stiletos who've come as Frank, you get gothy women who have come as Magenta, you get people in lab coats, but my favourite is when people come as Rocky, because Rocky wears nothing except a pair of leopard-skin Speedos, so you really want to come and see the show in the summer if you're gonna come as Rocky, or bring a nice thick coat! (Laughs)"

The Rocky Horror Picture Show runs in the Liverpool Empire Theatre until Saturday October 22. For ticket information, click here.

You can learn more about The Rocky Horror Picture Show by clicking here.

All-star cast prepare to bare all in The Full Monty

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Liverpool Empire Theatre

The 2016/17 UK Tour of Simon Beaufoy’s The Full Monty, which scooped the UK Theatre Award for Best Touring Production, will embark on a second leg this autumn, playing the Liverpool Empire from November 7-12 2016.

The cast will be led by Gary Lucy (Danny Pennant in EastEnders, DS Will Fletcher in The Bill, Kyle Pascoe in Footballer’s Wives, Luke Morgan in Hollyoaks, winner of Dancing on Ice) as Gaz, along with Joe Absolom (Matthew Rose in EastEnders and Al Large in Doc Martin) as Lomper, Andrew Dunn (best known as Tony in Dinnerladies and for his regular appearances playing Alastair Campbell on Bremner, Bird and Fortune) as Gerald, Louis Emerick (Mick Johnson in Brookside and PC Walsh in Last of the Summer Wine) as Horse, Chris Fountain (best known for his roles as Justin Burton in Hollyoaks and Tommy Duckworth in Coronation Street, runner-up of Dancing on Ice) as Guy and Kai Owen (best known for his portrayal of Rhys in Torchwood and recently played Pete in Hollyoaks) as Dave.

In 1997, a British film about six out-of-work Sheffield steelworkers with nothing to lose took the world by storm, becoming one of the most successful British films ever made. The story still resonates today, probably more so now than ever.

Simon Beaufoy, the Oscar- and BAFTA-winning writer of the film, has adapted his own screenplay for this hilarious and heartfelt stage production, which features the iconic songs from the film by Donna Summer, Hot Chocolate and Tom Jones.

The Full Monty is Simon Beaufoy’s first work for the theatre. His screen credits include The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Salmon Fishing in Yemen, 127 Hours and Slumdog Millionaire, as well as The Full Monty movie.

The UK Tour is directed by Jack Ryder. His directing credits include national tours of Calendar Girls and the short film Act of Memory with Claire Skinner, Owen Teale and Anna Massey, which was officially selected for nine international festivals around the world including the Cannes Film Festival.  As an actor, Jack is probably best known as Jamie Mitchell in EastEnders, a role he played for four years. The design is by Robert Jones, choreography by Ian West, lighting by Tim Lutkin and sound by Sarah Weltman, with casting by Marc Frankum.

The 2016/17 UK Tour of Simon Beaufoy’s The Full Monty, based on the Fox Searchlight Pictures motion picture, is presented by David Pugh and Dafydd Rogers and is a Sheffield Theatres production.

For more information, visit www.fullmontytheplay.com.

To book tickets, visit http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-full-monty/liverpool-empire/.

Catherine Tate revives hilarious characters for live UK tour at the Empire in November

Image Source:
The Catherine Tate Show - Live

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Liverpool Empire Theatre

The critically-acclaimed, award-winning comedian and actor Catherine Tate will take 'The Catherine Tate Show - Live' across the country this autumn, with a 21-date UK tour starting on November 1.

The Catherine Tate Show – Live is at the Liverpool Empire on November 22 2016; tickets are now on sale for what promises to be a brilliant night of comedy.

In sketches that have never been seen before, the tour will unite some of Catherine's best-known characters from her hugely successful BBC series 'The Catherine Tate Show'. The cast will include 'Nan' Taylor; Irish nurse Bernie; Geordie Georgie; Essex girl Sam; and the return of a certain argumentative teenager ...

Nan said: "She's going on tour, is she? What a load of old s**t."

To book tickets, visit http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-catherine-tate-show-live/liverpool-empire/.

Avenue Q: A preview of the puppet extravaganza

Paul Jomain
(Image Source: Avenue Q)

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Avenue Q hits the Liverpool Empire on Monday February 22. On the surface, it seems like your typical family-friendly puppet show, but as Paul Jomain, puppet designer for the show, explains in this exclusive interview, Avenue Q is far more unique and a very different production than the puppet shows that your mum and dad might remember ...

First of all, tell us about Avenue Q.

Basically, it's a parody of Sesame Street, and it takes things one step further. You've got the characters who grow up, whereas in Sesame Street a lot of the characters are quite youthful, so this show turns it on its head. It shows you what the characters would be like when they've grown up, gone to university and gone out on the jobs market. There's a mixture of relationships, careers, sexuality and stuff, so it takes things one step further (than Sesame Street).

What is your role with Avenue Q, and what was your background prior to Avenue Q?

Well, I used to look after the puppets in the show when it was in the West End, which is going back ten years now. Then, I took over building puppet characters for the UK West End Macintosh show and the UK tours, so I trained with a Muppet builder; I worked at the Jim Henson company, which was in Camden Town. That was where I learned how to make puppets. So now I deal with the maintenance of the puppets. I've got about 5 different characters in the show, but there are about 35 puppets that you don't see at once (due to costume changes), so we've got quite a lot of characters backstage that are looked after, and actors who are coming on and off with a new puppet after a costume change for the next scene.

How have you found your time working on the Avenue Q team?

It's very enjoyable. It's a bit of a bizarre job; if someone says to you "What do you do for a living?", saying that I work with puppets is very interesting. I've had other jobs involving puppets, for example working on the Monkey for PG Tips. When you go out and you find materials for a character, it's funny that you have no idea who you've got in your bag; you might have a character that becomes quite famous as the Monkey has done. But I really like my job.

How has Avenue Q grown over the years, and how do you see it growing in future?

Well, it's certainly expanded all over the world. We've got so many different production companies that are doing the show. It's so accessible as well, even if it's to a different culture or to a different country, because you can do quite a lot with a puppet character than you can't do with an actor, for example with dialogue. And we sometimes look at some rather racy subject matters, which I think softens the edge on topics that people maybe don't want to talk about, which I think is a good thing. But hopefully the show will just progress and progress, and there'll be more countries around the world doing it because it's such a great show.

It's certainly very uplifting, and I'm 44 myself, so I'm of the generation that used to watch The Muppets Show. But I've noticed when I've worked with clients, or whoever is my workshop, that when I show them puppets, you can't fail to get somebody's face to light up. Sometimes the most hardened people that you meet, including very business-like people, you can actually see them regressing in their faces; they almost turn into children.

Finally, what can the Liverpool audience expect from Avenue Q?

I think they're gonna have a lot of fun. I'm sure there'll be a lot of people there who will have already seen the show before, but it's quite funny seeing new punters that go in to see the show. There was one time where a footballer came, and I can't remember his name, but there were hardly any seats left in the theatre, so the staff put them in one of the boxes at the side of the stage. Now, they hadn't seen the show, so we had great fun watching their body language as they were watching the show. A couple of times, they turned around in laughter and said "Oh my goodness, you can't do that with puppets!" But it's a great laugh; the Liverpool audience will enjoy it, they really will.

Avenue Q plays the Liverpool Empire from Monday February 22 to Saturday February 27. To book your tickets, click here.

For more information about Avenue Q, visit http://avenuequk.com/.

Dirty Dusting

Image Source: Dirty Dusting

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Play
Genre: Comedy
Date: October 14 2015
Location: Epstein Theatre, Liverpool, England

When one sees the name "Dirty Dusting" for a theatre production, one's mind immediately wanders to Dirty Dancing and may consider how the two are related, whether it be the plot, the characters etc. As it turns out, though, there is no connection; Dirty Dusting means something very different.

Indeed, Dirty Dusting tells the story of three cleaners working in a factory: Elsie (Crissy Rock), Gladys (Leah Bell) and Olive (Dolores Porretta), who spend their evenings cleaning up the mess left behind by the employees. The cleaners are middle-aged and not exactly satisfied in their roles, yet they all realise that they have no other option at this point. However, things change when a message left behind by a bossy, rude manager (Lee Brannigan) implies that a new team of cleaners will be brought in, leaving the long-time staff to face termination.

As the three ladies consider their options, a chance phone call which mistakes the company office for an adult phone line gives them the idea to launch their own after-hours sex chat-up lines, based from the very office that they are cleaning. Their theory is that nobody will know that it is them nor that it is being based from the main office, because they are using alternative names and receiving calls on a bounce-back from unused phones in an upstairs part of the building, and if they make a good amount of money over that weekend, it will see them over in the time after they are forced to finish their cleaning roles.

Cue a large amount of sexual innuendo via the conversations held over the phone lines, and via the outfits and props being used by the ladies to motivate them when answering the calls. Mixed in with these are plenty of one-liners which keep the momentum going in each scene (the production as a whole is divided into four main parts, two pre-intermission and two post-intermission), and the fairly swift pace ensures that if you don't find one joke very funny, it won't take long to wait for another one to tickle your funny bone instead.

As for the climax? Well, let's just say that what seems like the impossible suddenly becomes possible, and I should also point out that you will want to stick around until the very end; there are one or two moments at the conclusion which may be something of a surprise.

Although Crissy Rock is the biggest name involved and delivers a suitable amount of laughs, it is Leah Bell who steals the show with a deliberately over-the-top technique to answering the phone calls, and what turns out to be a secretly raunchy personality when disclosing how her phone line experiences have suddenly improved her own sex life with equally middle-aged husband Billy (who we don't see). Dolores Porretta also delivers some laughs, albeit less regularly, and whilst Lee Brannigan comes across as unfunny if not too serious and trying too hard to act at the beginning, by the end you would not recognise his character, such are the sudden changes that we see in his personality towards the end.

Unquestionably, whether you enjoy Dirty Dusting or not depends on your personal tastes and your sense of humour. If sexual innuendo and somewhat adult-orientated visuals are not your thing, then you won't enjoy this show. If, on the other hand, you're more accepting of such elements, then you will probably get a real kick out of Dirty Dusting. To paraphrase a line from the aforementioned Dirty Dancing, you may not have the time of your life watching Dirty Dusting, but if it meets your sense of humour, then you will definitely have a good time.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good

Bunty The Bouncer heading back to Liverpool

Image Source: www.chrisbirchall.com

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: The Epstein Theatre

She's mean, she's tough and she's dog rough!

Liverpool comedy actress Lynn Fitzgerald is returning to Liverpool in one of her favourite one-woman roles.

Bunty The Bouncer is back on the Epstein Theatre stage where it all began over 20 years ago, so you better watch yourself.

Set in a Liverpool nightclub, the comedy tells the story of the toughest, meanest and probably the only female bouncer in town.

It’s single mother Bunty's last night on the door before she jets off on holiday to Butlins, Pwllheli with her daughter and starts a new career as a Beautician. As well as playing Bunty, Lynne plays nine other characters including The Scouse Tart, A Dippy Bride on a Hen Night, A Drug Dealer, Maria the Kebab Assistant and the Drag Artist Shona Snatch. Burn your fluffy bras and leave your hot pants at home - it's smart dress only. And, if you're wearing jeans or trainers, you're not getting past Bunty - at least, not without a very vigorous body search.

Written over twenty years ago by Marc Gee, best known for scripting cult film Al’s Lads which starred Mark Warren, the play is every bit as hilarious as it was twenty years ago, and still has audiences rolling in their seats thanks to its line-up of unforgettable, outrageous characters.

The show went on to to be a huge hit at the Edinburgh Festival and Lynne was also nominated for a Liverpool Echo Comedy Award.

Lynne Fitzgerald s commented: “I am absolutely thrilled to be bringing Bunty back to the Epstein Theatre stage, as the play was first performed there over twenty years ago when it was the Neptune, and thanks to that performance, I went on to sell out shows at the Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh, do a tour of the Northwest and went on to win a best actress award. I always felt that the Epstein space is Bunty’s real home and, as they say, there is no place like home.”

The play is directed by Saul Murphy¸ probably best known for directing The Circus on Lime Street. Look sharp and call the box office now to book your tickets, cos if your names not down you’re NOT coming in!

For more information, visit www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk.

Treat yourself to an evening of pure theatrical Viagra!

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: The Epstein Theatre

Hit comedy Dirty Dusting shines on the Epstein stage

After a sellout UK tour in 2014, the smash hit show Dirty Dusting returns to the stage this year and comes to Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre this October for a strictly limited run.  The play is written by the same team that brought you the hugely popular Waiting For Gateaux, which ran at the theatre earlier this year.

Dirty Dusting stars TV actress and comedian Crissy Rock (Benidorm and I’m A Celebrity), Leah Bell (actress and comedian), Dolores Porretta (Stage and TV actress) and introducing Lee Brannigan.

Gladys, Elsie and Olive are three cleaning ladies who are about to be ‘put out to pasture’ by their overzealous office manager Dave. Feeling they have little chance of gaining employment elsewhere, the ladies have to find a way to make ends meet.

A chance wrong number requiring a Sex Chat Line rings into the office and gives them a great idea… “Why not run a Sex Chat Line?” After all, their age and appearance won’t matter on the telephone and providing they can keep this a secret from their boss, they could be on to a real winner.

Needless to say… things don’t go entirely according to plan.

Dirty Dusting is a heart-warming, laugh-out-loud, feel good comedy that will have you rolling in the aisles and smiling every time you answer the phone.

North East based writers Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood have written eleven successful plays including Dirty Dusting and the popular Waiting For Gateaux, which ran at the theatre earlier this year. The play is also directed by Leah Bell.

Get your glad rags on and your feather dusters at the ready and pick up your sparkling telephone to book your tickets now.

Dirty Dusting runs at the Epstein Theatre from Monday October 12-Thursday October 15. You can book tickets by clicking here.

Tenth Anniversary Revival of Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Royal Court Theatre

One of Liverpool’s most successful ever plays returns to Royal Court Liverpool ten years after it was first performed!

Dave Kirby and Nicky Allt’s Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels has broken box office records in its previous five outings in the city and is back for the first time since 2011.

Having sold more than 150,000 tickets across the five runs so far, the play has been seen by more people than any other Liverpool comedy. Audiences have been calling for the play’s return of this genuine Liverpool classic.

With the majority of the original cast returning to the show (the original Gerard Gardner, Davy Edge, having retired and been replaced by Paul Duckworth) the gang will be back together for the five week run. Roy Brandon, Eithne Browne, Carl Chase, Suzanne Collins, Adam Keast, Andrew Schofield and Francis Tucker all return to their roles. Bob Eaton will direct again, the set design is by Billy Meall and Howard Gray is back as Musical Director.

Dickie Lewis, Nick Walton, and Gerard “Gelegnite” Gardner are three men who have had enough. Fed up with being looked down on and mocked by the self proclaimed upper class from the Wirral peninsula, they decide to take the law into their own hands. The Kingsway Three will not be tolled!

A brilliant comedy with music which has raced to the top of any “must see” list Brick Up guarantees great night out that will have tears of laughter streaming down your cheeks, whichever side of the river you hail from!

Dave Kirby commented: “Since 2006 me and Nicky have enjoyed much success but everything goes back to Brick Up. Over the past 10 years it’s been watched more than Tranmere Rovers and laughed at more than Esther McVey. To have it back at its spiritual home, the Royal Court for its 10th anniversary with the same cast is gonna be extra special.”

Nicky Allt is also looking forward to the show: "Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels has what every successful theatre production needs: Front Stage to Back Stage - a great bunch of people - who all wanted a successful Liverpool comedy. The fact they succeeded by the length of the Kingsway Tunnel itself says everything. Brick Up is coated in The River Mersey - Its pure Liverpool Bread and Butter!!!"

Kevin Fearon, Chief Executive of Royal Court Liverpool, added: “This play has been so important for the theatre and we thought that we should celebrate the tenth anniversary. With so many people calling for it to return we felt that this was the right time. Just reading the script again has put a smile on my face and I’m looking forward to seeing full houses of happy people.”

As with all Royal Court productions, dinner will be available before the show in the stalls, lovingly prepared by head chef Simon Collard.

Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels runs from Friday January 29 to Saturday February 27 2016. Tickets and information are available from www.royalcourtliverpool.com or on 0151 709 4321.

St Helens gets a new local as Regal Entertainments presents The Ale House

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: St Helens Theatre Royal

St Helens has got a brand new local as The Ale House opens its doors at the Theatre Royal this October.

This hilariously rowdy comedy from the writers of Night Collar is brought to audiences by Regal Entertainments from Tuesday October 6 to Saturday October 10.

Every local has its regulars and those who prop up the bar at the Ale House will have audiences laughing in the aisles, or rather their bar stools, as the events unfold at this tavern.

Featuring a stellar cast with some of the region’s finest talent including Lindzi Germain (Sex and the Suburbs and Hitchhikers Guide to Fazakerley) as the brassy landlady who takes no messing, George Wilson (Grange Hill and Brookside) as Kick Off, Philip Olivier (Brookside and Benidorm) as Yogi and Jake Abrahams (Twopence to Cross the Mersey and Council Depot Blues) as Trevor.

After directing the smash-hit sell out show Rita, Sue and Bob Too earlier this year, Theatre Royal favourite Sylvie Gatrill returns to direct the production.

There will be raucous laughs from the first pint pulled, from the WWII pensioner still recovering from shell shock, to the not-so-holy priest on a mission to find who desecrated his garden, to the landlady eyeing up one of the customers.

One wrong move and you’re barred, although that won’t stop the visitors to this watering hole causing all kinds of drunk and disorderly mayhem before the barrels are empty!

Chantelle Nolan, theatre manager, commented: “I am thrilled to be bringing The Ale House to the Theatre Royal, as soon as I read the script I knew our audiences would love it. We have a fantastic cast in the production and I am excited to be welcoming Sylvie back to direct the show. After the huge success we have seen with Rita, Sue and Bob Too and The Last of the Red Hot Lovers this is the perfect production to continue Regal Entertainments long line of hilarious comedies and I am certain that audiences of St Helens will have a barrel of laughs.”

Be sure to catch it before ‘last orders’!

For more information, visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com.

Hilarity ensues as The 39 Steps comes to St Helens Theatre Royal next week

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: St Helens Theatre Royal

Theatre company also announce workshop opportunity

Four actors and fifty characters in 100 hilarious minutes as Northern Comedy Theatre presents this very British, laugh-out loud, Olivier Award-winning comedy The 39 Steps based on the classic Hitchcock film. Murder has never been this funny. Suitable for all ages and coming exclusively to St Helens Theatre Royal on Monday July 27 and Tuesday July 28.

This wonderfully inventive and gripping comedy thriller features four of St Helens’ finest born and bred talent, all of whom are no strangers to performing on the Theatre Royal Stage including Theatre Royal’s very own workshop-trained Benjamin Engelen who starred in Regal Entertainments 2013’s smash hit production of Bouncers: The Remix and in Liverpool Empire’s 2014 Christmas panto Aladdin.

Starring alongside Benjamin is Harry Moore who audiences will recognise from Sky 1’s Little Crackers as well as countless Theatre Royal shows including 2013’s Peter Pan.

Multi-talented actress, dancer and opera singer Kathryn Chambers (Alan Ayckbourn’s Seasons Greetings) will show off her skills as she portrays the three different love interests throughout the show.

The object of Kathryn’s affections will be aimed towards Tom Platt (Cabaret, St Helens Theatre Royal’s production of Ciggie Run, West End production of The Play That Goes Wrong and UK Tour of Peter Pan Goes Wrong) who leads the cast as Richard Hannay and also co-produces the show.

Follow the incredible adventures of the handsome hero Richard Hannay, complete with stiff-upper-lip, British gung-ho and pencil moustache as he encounters dastardly murders, double-crossing secret agents, and, of course, devastatingly beautiful women.

Northern Comedy Theatre are also delighted to announce an exciting opportunity for 13-16 year olds to take part in a workshop from theatre professionals on Tuesday July 28. Budding young thespians will receive first-hand experience in comedy, improvisation, physicality and characterisation in a fun environment. The workshop costs £20, which also includes a ticket to The 39 Steps on either Monday July 27 or Tuesday July 28.

To book a place on the workshop, email your name, age and contact number to 39stepsworkshop@gmail.com.

For more information, visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com.

Four St Helens Stars ‘Step’ Back On To Theatre Royal Stage

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: St Helens Theatre Royal

Northern Comedy Theatre presents a local production of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic spy thriller, The 39 Steps which has been brilliantly and hilariously recreated for the stage.

The smash hit Olivier Award Winning Comedy comes to St Helens Theatre Royal for three performances on Monday July 27 and Tuesday July 28.

This wonderfully inventive and gripping comedy thriller features four of St Helens’ finest born and bred talent, all of whom are no strangers to performing on the Theatre Royal Stage, including Theatre Royal’s very own workshop-trained Benjamin Engelen who starred in Regal Entertainments 2013’s smash hit production of Bouncers: The Remix and in Liverpool Empire’s 2014 Christmas panto Aladdin.

Starring alongside Benjamin is Harry Moore, who audiences will recognise from Sky 1’s Little Crackers as well as countless Theatre Royal shows including 2013’s Peter Pan.

Multi-talented actress, dancer and opera Singer Kathryn Chambers (Alan Ayckbourn’s Seasons Greetings) will show off her skills as she portrays the three different love interests throughout the show.

The object of Kathryn’s affections will be aimed towards Tom Platt (Cabaret, St Helens Theatre Royal’s production of Ciggie Run, West End production of The Play That Goes Wrong and UK Tour of Peter Pan Goes Wrong) who leads the cast as Richard Hannay and also co-produces the show.

Follow the incredible adventures of the handsome hero Richard Hannay, complete with stiff-upper-lip, British gung-ho and pencil moustache as he encounters dastardly murders, double-crossing secret agents, and, of course, devastatingly beautiful women.

The four fearless actors play an incredible 50 roles in 100 minutes of fast-paced fun and thrilling action in a show that is fun for the whole family.

It would be criminal to miss this witty and clever crime-caper, so book your tickets before they all disappear!

For more information, visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com.

Spamalot

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Musical
Genre: Comedy
Date: May 14 2015
Location: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Although comedy has vastly changed over the years, the most high-profile names in light entertainment remain fondly remembered. There's Morecambe and Wise. Ken Dodd. The Two Ronnies. And there's the Monty Python team.

From the late 1960s into the mid-1980s, the Monty Python team provided a surreal blend of comedy which ranged from clever jokes to ridiculous visuals. Based around the TV show Monty Python's Flying Circus, it also extended to a number of movies, most famously Monty Python's Life Of Brian (a hilarious spoof of Jesus' life story, in a film which I will review in the near future) and Monty Python and The Holy Grail. There were also a number of very famous sketches and scenes which are synonymous with a form of comedy that would later become known as being "Pythonesque".

Whilst it is a long time since the Python team were performing for a TV audience on a permanent basis, its legacy still stands up with the older generation, and over the last few years, its name has been kept alive by the musical Spamalot, which recently made its return to the Liverpool Empire.

Spamalot is a hard show to explain the plot for. We meet a varied cast of characters, ranging from King Arthur to his potential knights to Sir Lancelot. The storyline is a little difficult to keep track of, or at least to see which is the central theme to the show, but it is clear that King Arthur and his assistant Patsy are travelling the world over, attempting to recruit Knights for the Round Table along the way, as they trek towards Camelot. A message from "God" (a screen recording by Michael Palin) explains that Arthur must find the Holy Grail. As the show rolls on, there are a plethora of Python references, from the use of Spam (hence the show name) to a sketch involving a clash between Arthur and a Black Knight, and a large number of musical numbers with a comedic, and at times satirical, tone to them.

Unlike most shows, it is tricky to describe the story of Spamalot in a few words. But that is a staple of the Monty Python style of humour: the story is over-the-top, the characters are deliberately ludicrous, and there are a ton of silly goings-on, ranging from the dialogue to the actions. Rather than making situations unbelievable (in a not believable kind of way), they become surreal, almost to the extent that the dafter the sketches become, the more entertaining they are and, strangely, the easier they are to understand. As stated earlier, the Monty Python form of comedy is to be ridiculous to the point that it is entertaining because of how stupid the premise is. That being said, the second half is much funnier than the first, so wait until you see the whole show before judging its comedy value.

The performances are strong as well. Joe Pasquale was originally scheduled to play King Arthur, but was unable to appear for this particular performance, leaving Jamie Tyler to play the lead role. But despite being a replacement, Tyler puts on a strong showing as the King; his accent is silly but not overly so, his walking style is likely to provide smiles, and he has a number of humorous one-liners. Other notable performers are Joe Tracini, the son of Pasquale, who does a very good job as a the understated Patsy; Josh Wilmott as Sir Beldevere; and Michael Dale as Sir Lancelot (which was doubly impressive as he himself was replacing Tyler in the Lancelot role). As for the songs: some, like Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life and I'm Not Dead Yet, will definitely be popular, and the singing performance by The Lady In The Lake (Sarah Earnshaw) was very good, but there are occasional numbers which don't quite meet the mark.

In conclusion, Spamalot is a show which, more than most stage productions, caters to the target audience and the longtime following of the team behind it. Whereas some shows will bring in new fans to the performers or to the topic based on the strength of the performances and the entertainment of the show (Mamma Mia! being a great example which will have introduced a new generation to the music of ABBA), Spamalot is likely to entertain longtime Python fans, but may not attract a new following, simply because the style of humour may go over their heads. It is still an enjoyable show and most will find certain scenes funny; however, without question, the longtime fans who know Monty Python and understand the surreal comedy will be the group who will most highly rate Spamalot.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10 - Good