Hello and welcome to Liverpool’s Royal Court and this performance of A Greasy Spoon!
We pride ourselves on putting Liverpool lives on stage. When you come to see a show at Liverpool’s Royal Court we want you to be able to put yourselves in the actors shoes and recognise the characters and scenarios as if they were a part of your lives. This is why it surprised me that we have taken so long to produce a show set in the local café!
Alice Bunker-Whitney is a great new writing talent and we spotted this show at the Everyman’s new writing showcase. They weren’t up for producing a full version so we nipped in and brought it over here. Strong characters, plenty of jokes and a real popular appeal, it felt like a Royal Court show. Francesca Goodridge directed Shout here a long time ago and we are delighted to have her back. With Francesca and Alice working together we were sure that it would be a great show.
The cast have been excellent in rehearsals. Lindzi and Hayley need no introduction and they will make you feel right at home. Those of you who are regular visitors to the Studio will recognise Adam from Masquerade and Jay from the sell out run of Whatever Happened To Billy Kenny. The conveyor belt of talent
from down there has really started to work. We want to offer a big Royal Court welcome to Ben and Anthony who are both new faces for us.
Our designer, Alfie Heywood, always delivers and we love what he has done with the café. As always the stunning lighting has come from Ian Scott and the sound magic is provided by Kate Harvey.
The only complaint that I have about this show is the poster. Every time I look at it I go and order a Full English from the café in the foyer. I am putting the receipts in to the marketing department.
So now it’s time for you to settle down and watch the show. We hope that you recognise the characters and the setting at the start, but if it still feels familiar by the end then please contact the authorities.
Enjoy the show!
Kevin Fearon Executive Producer
Liverpool’s Royal Court
Liverpool’s Royal Court presents A Greasy Spoon
by Alice Bunker-WhitneyStarring Lindzi Germain, Anthony Gough, Jay Johnson, Adam McCoy, Ben Phillips and Hayley Sheen
Directed by Francesca Goodridge • Designer Alfie Heywood • Lighting Designer Ian Scott • Sound Designer Kate Harvey
Liverpool’s Royal Court continues on its journey to work towards talent development across the city
There is no doubt Liverpool is renowned for its wealth of talent but we, along with the rest of our city’s theatre organisations and institutions, recognise we need to do more to ensure we are accessible, engaging and aspirational if we are to be truly representative and inclusive of the communities we serve. It is a long-term continuing process and funding is key as is working together with the theatres across the region.
Over the past three years we have laid down the foundations, initiating our plans for meaningful and real change. This includes the theatre’s programming, engagement, accessibility and relationships with artistes, communities, creatives, individuals, institutions, organisations, Schools/FE. We are working towards ensuring our talent development programmes are applicable, realistic and robust.
Listening and engaging in the first instance to a wide cross section of creatives and communities – recognising and taking ownership of our failure to be fully inclusive and to take a proactive approach to ensure there is inclusivity and diversity across the sector
A brief look at a few of our talent development projects so far:
Community
Music AAA (Access All Areas) is a partnership project together with three grassroots organisations: Positive Impact, Capoeira For All, and Catalyst performing arts supported by funding from Youth Music. Children and young people aged 6 – 25 can access free musical instruments, musical theatre, hip hop, dance, singing, drama and performance
Raw Talent
Young people from our youth theatre continue to have access to auditions and employment opportunities – during the past 3 years, 6 young people have been cast in Terriers, written by Maurice Bessman touring to schools and venues across the country.
More recently working with Fury films, 120 young people aged 15 – 25 from across the city took part in audition workshops for the film of Terriers at Fire Fit in South Liverpool, MYA’s Space in Bootle and The Vibe in Huyton. 8 young people will be working with the Director to support the script development.
This is a pilot programme supported by PH Holt Trust and Curious Minds – eight mentors from the creative industries have been paired with mentees – providing support, guidance and shadowing opportunities in acting, marketing, production, directing, writing, set design, and music skills. This talent development initiative will support eight young black, asian and minority artistes and creatives develop their skills as they progress through the industry.
Our Boisterous Theatre strand of programming brought us a main house production of Bouncers, in August and September introducing four new actors to the main house stage – and new audiences to the theatre.
The Alternative Black Cabaret Showcase – now a regular bi-monthly show presenting some of the best black comedians and singers on the circuit and with a platform to showcase emerging and existing local talent. Co-production with Red Ladder in September/October, with a cast of professional actors and 20 members of our community choir. Stagewrite – our new writing classes/workshops to encourage and support new writers to develop their work to full production.
We continue on our journey with a number of other talent development initiatives in progress as a matter of priority to ensure we remain accessible, adaptable and continually listen and learn. It will take time and investment and with your continuing support for all we do. We will make a difference.
Boisterous Stage Write Music Access All Areas Maurice Bessman
Photographs by Liverpool’s Royal Court
Lindzi Germain
Anthony Gough
Jay Johnson
Adam McCoy
Ben Phillips
Hayley Sheen
Alice Bunker-Whitney
Francesca Goodridge
Alfie Heywood
Ian Scott
Kate Harvey
Marie Jones
Kenan Ali
Sean Gannon
Andrew Lock
Lauryn Elise
Charlotte Jones
Lizzie O’Sullivan
Mike Tolin
Jamie Haining
Meesh Rennie
Workshop Manager
John Kavanagh
Scenic Art Manager
Jen Baron
Mandy
Badges Guy
Builder
Aubergine Man, Skinny Latte, Mum, Police
Boss
Shannon
Writer Director
Set Designer
Lighting Designer
Sound Designer
Wardrobe Supervisor
Fight Director
Head of Technical and Production
Technical Stage Manager
Stage Manager
Deputy Stage Manager
Rehearsal SM
Sound Op
LX Programmer
LX Op
Carpenters
Mick Gunnigle
Jonathan Defty
Mike Gray
Scenic Artists
Abbie Jones
Chris McCourt
Emma Sharpe
Lindzi is one of our city’s well known character actors and is one of the Royal Court’s regulars - so much so she doesn’t even take her stuff home any more!
Theatre credits include:
A Thong For Europe, Ellen & Rigby Royal Court Selection Box, Night Collar, Council Depot Blues, Lost Soul, Down Our Street, The Royal, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twopence To Cross
The Mersey, Alehouse, The Entertainer, Bon Voyage, Beserker Boys, Virgin Express, Desperate Scousewives, Merry Ding Dong, Scouse Pacific, Scouse of the Antarctic, Scouse of the Rising Sun, Pharoah ‘Cross The Mersey, Scouse Nativity, Mam I’m ‘Ere, Sex
In Suburbia (tour), YNWA (Royal Court and tour), A Fistful of Collars, Little Scouse on the Prairie, Her Benny, The King & I, King Lear, Our Bessie, Reds & Blues, Scouse Cinderella, Lost Soul 2 and Achy Breaky Bride Peter Pan, Cinderella, Snow White, Robin Hood and Babes In The Wood.
TV and film credits include:
Tin Star with Tim Roth. Bella in Clink (5Star), The Way We Are (Feature film), Lynda La Plante’s Above Suspicion (ITV), Les’ Liverpool (BBC), Bodies II (ITV), Common As Muck (ITV), Emmerdale (Yorkshire TV), Prime Suspect (ITV), Dave Kirby’s 15 Minutes That Shook The World, Gwladys in Reds & Blues: The Ballad of Dixie & Kenny, Adam (Short film) and Shooting Fish (short).
Writing credits include:
The Royal, Mother’s Pride, Lindzi Germain Merseymouth stand up show, Women With Balls. Also penned a new musical for 2024.
Voiceover work includes:
Lindzi is the voice of Atomic Olga in the computer game Evil Geniuses 2 and has her own vlog page Mersey Mouth
Throughout lockdown Lindzi kept herself busy performing live on Facebook with Wake And Shake and Storytime Live
Last year Lindzi also set up a private wall on Facebook called Peri/Meno Queens - it’s a place for women to learn, educate, laugh and cry to love and to support each other while going threw what can be the most horrendous time of there lives The Menopause. To date she has over 6.8k members!
Lindzi and her husband Darren are the founders of CNC Nutrition building a happier, healthier community., Form more information check out their Insta @LindziGermain and Facebook CNCNutrition.
Hi my name is Anthony Gough and I’ll be playing the role of the Badges guy. I’m a Manchester based actor, director and one of the founders of Engage2Stage, a Manchester based theatre company run by and for blind and partially sighted people. Like my character I am visually impaired but unlike my character I did go to University and graduated with a first in Performing Arts. In my spare time I can be found in the gym or taking my dog Koby on walks. Anyway I hope you all enjoy the show as much as I have enjoyed being in it. Cheers!!! And say hello if I bump into you in the bar afterwards.
P. S. For any VIPs (Visually impaired person(s)) in the audience, I’m a white man in his late 20s, with blonde hair, wearing glasses and will be using my long cane on stage.
Jay Johnson BuilderHi I’m Jay, this is my first show here at the Royal Court on the main stage. Earlier this year I performed in a one man show Whatever Happened To Billy Kenny in the Studio.
My previous credits mainly TV & Film include Boiling Point, Nowhere Boy, Little Boy Blue. I have recently featured in Noel Gallagher’s Music video for his new album Council Skies and later this year can be seen in new Netflix thriller Accused
I’m really looking forward to working at the Court and hope everyone enjoys the show.
Aubergine Man, Skinny Latte, Mum, Police
Hi, I’m Adam and I am delighted to be on stage, here at the Royal Court, alongside such a brilliant cast in A Greasy Spoon! Hope you enjoy the show.
Training: LIPA
Theatre: The Snow Queen (The Dukes, Lancaster) Peter Pan (Crossroads Live Entertainment, Liverpool Empire), Masquerade(Liverpool’s Royal Court) Jonathan Harvey’s Boom Bang-a-Bang (Above the Stag London), Crazy Gary’s Mobile Disco (Liverpool Everyman), Lonely Hearts Club (Unity Theatre), Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin (Hope Street Theatre), The King & I (UK Tour, David Ian Productions) and Her Benny (Liverpool Empire/Royal Court Liverpool).
Television: Doctor Who (BBC), Mobile (ITV), Casualty (BBC), Holby City (BBC), House of Anubis (Nickelodeon), Merseybeat (BBC), Brookside (Mersey TV).
Voicieover/Audio: Ramsey Campbell’s Think Yourself Lucky (Audible), Help (Channel 4), Dragonslayers(XBOX Live).
Adam has also worked as a guest vocalist on board P&O Cruises, Holland America Line and Norwegian Cruise Line. Perhaps his most notable performance to date is playing a “Vegambulance” Driver in a KFC commercial.
I am an actor, director, theatre maker and father of two. I have been an associate artist with Periplum Theatre with whom I have performed in Arquiem, The Bell, A Thousand Revolutions, 451, The Witching Hour, and 7 alleys. I recently made my first solo show The Long Way Home as a love letter to my absent father which toured nationally last autumn. I do love a good fry up and hope everyone enjoys themselves at Greasy Spoon.
Hi, I’m Hayley and I’m really excited to be back at The Royal Court Theatre. I most recently played ‘Gill’ in The Scouse Jack and The Beanstalk, last Christmas. My other Theatre Credits include: ‘Fairy Snowdrop’ in The Scouse Sleeping Beauty, ‘Sally’ in Mam I’m ‘Ere, ‘Snow White’ in The Scouse Snow White, ‘Cinderella’ in The Scouse Cinderella, ‘Mary’ in The Scouse Nativity, ‘Faryl’ in Golden Oldies, ‘Eve’ in Adam and Eve & Steve, ‘Blue Girl’ in Shout the Mod Musical. TV Credits include; ‘Gemma’ in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks and ‘Contestant’ in ITV’s Grease Is The Word.
This one is for my Mum and Dad, my acting heroes, I stole every funny thing from them! I hope you all enjoy the show!
I am a theatre maker based in Liverpool who loves putting funny women centre stage. In 2018 I was a part of the playwright’s programme at the Everyman Playhouse where A Greasy Spoon was born.
As a theatre maker, my previous works include Tales from Under the Counter, It’s Never Too Late to Happy Childhood and Place & Chips. Supported by Arts Council England, Metal and Unity Theatre. I am also a core member of Street Theatre Company EggPeople.
I am passionate about creating playful, engaging theatre with heart and love working with young people, communities, and professionals alike. I have written over 10 Youth/Community Theatre shows in collaboration with young people and communities for M6 Theatre, Hope Street Limited, Unity Theatre, Young Everyman Playhouse, Altru Drama, Lighthouse Liverpool, The Cotton Shed and The Big Event (20 Stories High and MYTDF). Most recently I was involved in development and direction of How to Happy a collaboration between ATG and Altru Drama, which was nominated for ‘Excellence in Arts Education’ at the UK Theatre Awards.
I would like to dedicate this play to my baby girl Iris, my funny woman in training.
Francesca is a Welsh theatre director and is the Interim Associate Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd.
She trained at The National Theatre Directors Course and The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). She was the first recipient of the Carne Traineeship for Directors in Wales and was the former Trainee Director of The Other Room Theatre in Cardiff.
Francesca has been a visiting lecturer at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, LIPA, Leeds Conservatoire, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, working with both the acting and design students.
Credits include; Truth or Dare, A Pretty Shitty Love, Once Upon A Christmas (Theatr Clwyd), Sorter (Swansea Grand Theatre), Faustus : That Damned Woman (Storyhouse Theatre, Chester), Carousel (Mountview), The True Adventures of Marian and Robin Hood, The Brothers Grimm presents Cinderella (The Barn Theatre), REVOLT. SHE SAID. REVOLT AGAIN, Philistines, POSH (LIPA), The Future (National Youth Theatre of Wales), The Crocodile (Cornerstone Theatre), Adam Eve & Steve (The Kings Head Theatre), Shout! The Mod Musical (Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool, Edinburgh Fringe).
She is developing two new musicals; MISS WALES: The Musical Misadventure and WITHOUT YOU: The Badfinger Musical.
Having previously directed a show at Liverpool’s Royal Court back in 2016, she’s buzzing to be back making theatre on one of her favourite stages!
Alfie trained in Theatre and Performance Design at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, graduating in 2016.
Recent credits as Designer include: Vernons Girls, Ellen and Rigby, Lost in Colomendy, Offered Up, Terriers and Omnibus (all at Liverpool’s Royal Court), The True Adventures of Marian and Robin Hood and Private Lives (Barn Theatre), Adrian Mole the Musical (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), A Monster Call’s (Watermill Theatre), Guys and Dolls, Start (both at Mountview Academy), Nora: A Doll’s House and The Ballad of Maria Marten (both at Rose Bruford), Lord of the Flies (Greenwich Theatre), Unspoken Spoken (Candoco Dance Company).
Recent credits as associate to designer Christopher Oram include: Turn of the Screw (Garsington Opera), Bitter Wheat (Garrick Theatre), Geisha (Northern Ballet), The Mirror and the Light (Gielgud Theatre) and The Wreckers (Houston Grand Opera). They are currently working on a design for The Artist and a new production for Garsington Opera both opening in 2024.
Alfie is delighted to have been asked back to design the set for A Greasy Spoon at Liverpool’s Royal Court. Examples of his work can be found at www.alfieheywood.com
Ian Scott Lighting DesignerTrained at Mountview.
Productions for the Royal Court include: Scouse Pacific, Maggie May, The Miracle of Great Homer Street, The Royal, The Scouse Nativity, Lonesome West, Down The Dock Road and in co-production with Lodestar and the Liverpool Shakespeare Festival; Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Other theatre credits include: Much Ado About Nothing (Sheffield Crucible and Ramps On The Moon); ¡Carpa!, The Hooley and Xanadu (Giffords Circus); By The Waters of Liverpool (Pulse Records); Up ‘n’ Under and Frozen (fingersmiths); Reasons To Be Cheerful, Peeling and Blasted (Graeae); Duet for One (Birmingham Rep; Lee Dean & Daniel Schumann); A Skull in Connemara and All My Sons (Nottingham Playhouse); Marco Polo and Messiah (Bergen National Opera); Fish Eye (Theatre Alibi); The Solid Life of Sugar Water
(Graeae; Theatre Royal, Plymouth; National Theatre); Owen Wingrave and Where The Wild Things Are (Aldeburgh Festival); Fawlty Towers Live (Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney); Flat Stanley (Polka; West Yorkshire Playhouse); The Drummer Boy of Waterloo and The Happy Prince (Jubilee Opera); The 39 Steps (Criterion Theatre); Our Friends Up North (Northern Stage); The Joke, The Summer House and The Victorian in the Wall (Will Adamsdale; Fuel); My Name is… (Tamasha); Oh! What a Lovely War and Frogs (National Theatre); Curlew River (White Light Festival, New York; UCLA Berkeley; St. Giles, Barbican); Animal Farm (West Yorkshire Playhouse) and Observe The Sons Of Ulster Marching Towards The Somme (Abbey Theatre, Dublin).
Sound Designer
A list of sound credits include:
Corporate/Outdoor : Labour, Conservative, NUT, TUC and many more conferences. Various exhibitions. Symphony in the Park (Hoghton Tower) Liverpool Theatre Festival (Bill Elms Productions).
TV: Stan James World Match Dartsplay (Sky Sports), Strictly Ballroom (ITV), Danny La Rue (BBC), Spirit of Shankly (Granada DVD).
Cruises : P&O World Cruises, Island Cruises, Celebrity.
Arena : Hot Ice (Stageworks Worldwide Productions); You’ll Never Walk Alone (Alterean Media and Liverpool FC).
Music: The Christians, Chesney Hawkes, Sinita, Slade, Bad Manners, Toyah, Limahl, Cream UK Tour, Petula Clarke, Bobby Crush, East 17, Liberty X, Jane McDonald, Coldplay.
Comedy: Jason Mansford, Peter Kay, Roy Walker, Norman Wisdom, Jim Bowen, Brian Conley, Brendan O’Carroll, Paddy McGuiness.
Live Theatre: Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty (King Georges Hall, Blackburn); Mystique (Stageworks); Original TV Comedians (Blackpool Opera House); Paul Zerdin (Paradise Room Blackpool); Flags (Manchester Exchange); Mam I’m ’Ere (Life in Theatre); Eight Miles High, Council Depot Blues, Bouncers, Night Collar, Our Day Out, Shirley Valentine, Reds and Blues, Lennon, Noises Off, Canoeing for Beginners, Lost Soul, Golden Oldies, The Royal, Scouse Nativity, Girls Don’t Play Guitars (Royal Court Liverpool); Twopence To Cross The Mersey and By The Waters of Liverpool (Pulse Records); Shout! (Max Emmerson Productions); Out of Order and It Runs In The Family (Ray Cooney Comedy Company); Bang Bang (A production for John Cleese at Mercury Theatre, Colchester); Omnibus (Unity Theatre); Judy & Liza National Tour (Produced by Royal Court Liverpool); A Midsummer Nights Dream (Filter Theatre Company/Lyric Hammersmith); Grimm Tales (Dukes Theatre Lancaster).
Marie studied fashion and then moved on to theatre costume interpretation at Mabel Fletcher College. Marie’s work as a freelance costumier has included costumes for Oldham Coliseum, The Royal Exchange, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Jimmy McGovern’s film Liam, Beyond Friendship for Mersey Television and the many pantomime dames who have appeared on the Everyman stage.
She has worked extensively at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse and has recently been employed as full time Wardrobe Supervisor at the Royal Court. Most recently Marie’s work at the Everyman and Playhouse has included: Much Ado About Nothing, The Electric Hills, The Flint Street Nativity, The Tempest, Unprotected, Billy Liar, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe, Urban Legend, Fly, Breezeblock Park, The Entertainer, Still Life And The Astonished Heart, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Anniversary, Dr Faustus, The May Queen, Cruel Sea and All My Sons
Marie’s other credits include: Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels, Lost Soul, Good Golly Miss Molly, Stags and Hens - The Remix, On The Ledge, Misery, Eight Miles High, Council Depot Blues, Night Collar, Dirty Dusting, Shirley Valentine, Our Day Out - The Musical, The Salon, Funny Money, Merry Ding Dong, A Fistul Of Collars, Lucky Numbers, Lennon, Scouse Pacific, You’ll Never Walk Alone, Little Scouse on the Prairie, Reds And Blues - The Musical, Ladies Day, Bouncers, Scouse Of The Antarctic, Pharaoh ‘Cross The Mersey and Down The Dock Road for Royal Court Liverpool, Brouhaha International Street Festival, Working Class Hero on the recent Imagine DVD, Costume Supervisor for many shows at LIPA, The Splash Project at MYPT and Twopence To Cross The Mersey at the Liverpool Empire.
Executive Producer Kevin Fearon
Chief Executive Gillian Miller
Finance Director Kevin Dunn
Producer Jess Bolger
Head of Marketing Iain Christie
Executive Chef David Assall
Head of Finance & Administration Gary O’Connor
Finance Officer Alison Ward
Head of Audience Experience Thomas Wright
Graphic Designer & Brand Manager Jamie Jenkin
Assistant Producer Clare Carlucci
Marketing Manager Kofi Ohene-Djan
Social Media Officer Clara Mbirimi
Head of Technical & Production Sean Gannon
Resident Stage Manager Andrew Lock
Artistic Supervisor Jen Baron
Chief LX Jamie Haining
Box Office & Sales Manager Lauren Macauley
Assistant Box Office Manager Laura Lees
Head of Theatre Engagement Miriam Mussa
HR & Wellness Officer Maria Schumann
Participation Project(s) Manager Uma Ramanathan
Costume Supervisor Marie Jones
Finance Administrator Izzie Litwin
Admin Assistant Phil McLoughlin
Youth Theatre Leader Zain Salim
Youth Theatre Coordinator Vannessa Park
Community Choir Master Jay McWinen
Box Office Assistants
Erica Drummond, Finn Goulden-Jennings, Carl Lees, Scarlet
Lees, Amelia Maguire, Anna Miller, Joe Morris, Pat O’Neill, Susan
Segar, and Angela Simms
Fire Officer Sven Key
Stage Door Allan Dodd & John Evans
Kitchen Head Chef David Assall
Kitchen Supervisors Kyle Wardale, Daniel Awotwi
Chefs Daniel Ambrose, Billie Chisam, Jay Quinn, Josh Eglin, Harrison Mclaughlin, Jack While, Josh Wardale, Nick Watson
Kitchen Porters Debbie Chisam, Daniel Dunn, Nisha Begum, Louise Dodd, Jackie Kirton, Ellis McNeil, Harry Lawlor, Jake Stephenson, Lewis While
Front of House
House Manager Kathryn Heffron
Assistant Manager Kathy Hutson
Supervisors Megan Franey amd Calum Norbury
Bar Supervisor Joe Woods
Courtyard Manager Emma Keig
Assistant Courtyard Manager Paul Imrie
Courtyard Supervisor Aimee Kelly
Front of House Staff Beth Baccino, Hazel Bawden, Jacob Bee, Kaya Bell, Cameron Brown, Colette Burgess, Louis Carney-Smith, , Aisling Davis, Carl Dillon, Audrey
Flynn, Charlotte Freyne, Beth Fry, Michael Hall, Michael Hardy, Jake Jones, Charlotte Kendrick, Lizzie Kendrick, Phil Lyne, Sam Massen, Tegan Meek, Phil McLoughlin, Amy McCutcheon, Faye McCutcheon, Mia Molloy, Alison Myers, Joe O’Neil, Brea O’Donnell, Kayleigh Oulton, Jamie Peacock, Declan Redmond, Katie Sherman, Charis Stead, Hebron Tedros, Annie Wardale, Alex Williams, Hannah Wright, Amy Wright, and Gina Zotova
Courtyard Staff
Jordan Barkley, Sinead Cullen-Barret, Stephen Dixon, Faith Dawson, Olivia Harrison, Chloe Thorpe, Aimee Kelly, Millie
Quayle, Keira Tann and Jasmin Ward
Cleaners Cleaning Supervisor: Debbie Chisam, Billie Chisam and Joanne Kinsella
And a big thank you to all of our security staff for their hard work throughout the year.
10 November 2023 to 20 January 2024
Tickets from £15
