Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors opens to rave reviews

Posted on 25 November 2016
By Khyle Deen
  • Share:

Audiences are revelling in the new stage production of Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors which has opened to rave reviews. The show was first staged in the city almost 20 years ago, and now Lantern Theatre Productions has brought the production back for a four-week run in the lead up to Christmas. Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors runs until Thursday 15 December at The Dome, Grand Central.

Directed and produced by Margaret Connell and Mike Noble, the play opened last week and has since been enjoying full houses and generating rave reviews.

The creative team is headed by Jocelyn Meall as set designer, and the play features 30 characters portrayed by just 10 actors who are all native to Liverpool, with the supporting crew also having links to the city.

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 Tina and Michael Hawkins as Darren.

The show is already receiving rave reviews, here’s what the critics had to say:

“THIS IS A DEFIANT CRY FOR UNITY, AND FOR THE LANTERN COMPANY ITSELF. LANTERN THEATRE REIGNITES WITH A BOLD REVIVAL OF ANDREW CULLEN’S
DEFIANT, DARK COMEDY”
The Stage

“THE ‘REPUBLIC OF LIVERPOOL’ IS A DREAM HARBOURED BY MANY A RESIDENT OF THIS CITY BOTH YOUNG AND OLD, BUT ‘SCOUSE…’ IS A THEATRICAL ARTEFACT
THAT BOTH WARNS AND AMUSES”
Liverpool Echo – FOUR STARS

“STRONG PERFORMANCES FROM ALL THE CAST”
North West End

“IMPRESSIVE CONTEMPORARY REVIVAL. THIS PRODUCTION MASTERS THE HARDCORE SUBJECT MATTER WITH PRECISION, WIT AND THE OMNIPRESENT SCOUSE
SENSE OF HUMOUR”
The Reviews Hub – FOUR STARS

“THE LANTERN CONTINUES ITS BOLD AND DARING JOURNEY AS A POWERFUL INDEPENDENT FORCE IN LIVERPOOL’S THEATRE CIRCUIT”
Reviewing The Situation

“EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THEMSELVES AND THE LANTERN THEATRE LIVERPOOL HAVE OUTDONE THEMSELVES”
Scouse Bird Problems

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 – have been 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 of Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors, commented: “We are absolutely thrilled and encouraged with the glowing reviews we’ve received during opening week. The Dome at Grand Central really does lend itself to such a site-specific piece of theatre, and the response we’ve had from audiences has been fantastic.

“It’s great to be back out there in the heart of city, showcasing new productions and our incredible acting talent. I couldn’t be more proud of the cast and crew we have put together for Scouse, they have all worked so hard and deserve the amazing plaudits we are receiving.

“With so many people having an interest in world politics than ever before, the timing of our latest production is boding extremely well – and the ‘Scouse Republic’ can really identify with the current political climate. Come and experience the show for yourselves.”

As part of its opening week, Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors teamed up with Radio City’s Mission Christmas Cash For Kids to raise funds during its official Press night performance.

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.

Keen theatregoers will remember the comedy first time around 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.

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.

www.lanterntheatreliverpool.co.uk
www.scousetheplay.co.uk
www.andrewcullen.net
Facebook: ScouseThePlay
Twitter: @Scousetheplay
@FatherClive

FULL TOUR LISTING

SCOUSE: A COMEDY OF TERRORS
The Dome, Grand Central
Until Thursday 15 December 2016
Start 7.45pm (doors open 6.45pm)
www.lanterntheatreliverpool.co.uk
www.scousetheplay.co.uk

TICKET PRICES
Standard £14 / £12 concessions
Previews £7
Mondays / Tuesdays £7 for unwaged, students and senior citizens

BOOKING
Book online at:
www.scousetheplay.co.uk
www.lanterntheatreliverpool.co.uk
Telephone the box office on 0151 703 000 between 10am and 4pm

Author