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Liverpool, 1976; the docks; a grim time made lighter – and darker – by the characters who worked there. That’s pretty much all you need to know with regards to the story of this 40th Anniversary production of Alan Bleasdale’s Down the Dock Road, which is currently running at The Liverpool Royal Court.
In many ways it can be said that staging an out-and-out drama at a theatre that has grown to be synonymous with comedy plays / musicals / homages is something of a risk. It shouldn’t though, really, because The Royal Court is a wonderful space in which anything can be and should be staged, particularly now that its refurbishment is well underway.
However, with that said, the maxim of ‘know your audience’ also comes into play as does that of ‘whatever it is, it has to be both good and entertaining’ and, unfortunately, Down the Dock Road only partially succeeds on both counts.
The writing is superb, as can be expected from such a master of his craft. With many a bleak monologue mixed in with lightening bright wit it is, at times, a pleasure to witness it being executed.
The performances are at times divine and the set is quite simply breath taking in its effectiveness and simplicity: a two-tier design by Foxton representing the hold and the upper walkways of the SS Arcadia.
As McKenna, Andrew Schofield is an absolute joy to watch getting his teeth into a character with so many internal and external conflicts and bitterness, it is as though he is on the verge of self-combustion. As the retiring Granddad, Les Dennis, too, is beautifully reserved, passing on his knowledge – real and fantasised – to the naïve new boy on the rosta, Our Kid, played with acute skill by Nathan McMullen.
Michael Ledwich is typically excellent as the nice-but-dim Wonder Boy and Oliver Farnworth’s Dobbo has a great deal of depth that would be fun to explore more thoroughly. Yet it is Daniel Taylor’s Mickey – the wannabe comedian dreaming of stardom – who really stands out. His is a performance to savour, despite the jokes being as old as Knock Knock, Who’s There?
So with all this going for it, where does the problem lie? Well, a running time of 2 hours and 45 minutes (including an interval) says a lot, especially as the first half stretches to 1 hour and 20 minutes, with a great deal being said and not a great deal actually happening. There is an awful lot of dead space to be filled and, with so many characters, sympathy and empathy with their plight dilutes as the minutes tick by.
Then there is the darkness of the piece which, on too many occasions, eclipses the events actually taking place on stage through its observational “Us-versus-Them” mantra, which comes across as being somewhat dogmatic to the point of the audience being beaten about the head with the proverbial salmon. Yes it is a worthy message, but is it really one that needs delivering time and again albeit in different guises?
As a play, Down the Dock Road is unquestionably worthy of seeing and, indeed, for The Royal Court it is a commendable break from the norm. However, bear in mind that at times this is as far removed from that “norm” as it is possible to be.
Down The Dock Road
The Liverpool Royal Court
March 11 – April 9, 2016
Writer: Alan Bleasdale
Director: Hannah Chissick
Cast Includes: Andrew Schofield, Les Dennis, Daniel Taylor, Derek Barr, Michael Ledwich, Conrad Nelson, Paul Duckworth, James Duke, Oliver Farnsworth, Nathan McMullen.
PR Rating: *** Tough