Liverpool’s Royal Court presents
by Gerry Linford
Souvenir Programme
Liverpool’s Royal Court and Boisterous Theatre Co. present John Godber’s Bouncers in a new version by Maurice Bessman • Directed by Miriam Mussa Designed by Foxton • Lighting Design by Ian Scott • Sound Design by Kate Harvey • Starring Mutty Burman, Michael Horsley, Zain Salim and Joe Speare and featuring Spycatcha
13 August to 11 September Tickets from £14 No booking fees!
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Welcome To
Hi and welcome to Liverpool’s Royal Court and Ellen & Rigby. There are only 11 words in that sentence above but you won’t believe the joy that it brings me to write them. Welcome to Liverpool’s Royal Court. It has been far too long since we have been able to say that. We are all hoping that this show is the beginning of a return to normality for all of us. The remainder of this year is mostly on sale and we’ve already planned next year with a mix of rescheduled shows, returning favourites and new writing. The most exciting part of all is that we will have you our audience, our cast, crew and all our other staff back where they belong. Ellen & Rigby is a great place to start. Written by Gerry Linford, one of our favourite writers, and starring two of the very best that we have to offer, the show is something that we can be proud to put on stage. No half measures, this is a Royal Court show! Stephen Fletcher is back with us to direct. His energy and commitment to getting great entertainment in front of people during lockdown has been quite something to witness. Panto for kids, Zoom sketches for grown-ups – we are delighted that he has managed to fit us in to his busy schedule! It feels fitting that the director of Pete Price Is Dead, the show that was forced off stage by Covid, is the one to bring us back.
Gerry wrote this play at a difficult time in everybody’s life and it has been created with a lot of thought and care. It is a story about love in the time of coronavirus as we felt we couldn’t get back to normal without recognising what has happened during the pandemic. There are some big laughs, tender moments and a feeling of family that reaches out from the stage and gathers us all in. We hope that you feel the same. One of the things we’ve learnt in the past 18 months is that we need each other. A quick thank you to all of our staff who have either been working through this last year, or been living with the uncertainty that has surrounded the whole industry. The box office, front of house and backstage teams have been magnificent throughout. Also the actors and creatives both on stage and back stage have risen to the challenge magnificently. The last word, as ever, is for you – the audience. You have adapted to everything that we have asked of you. Not a cross word has been spoken to any of our staff as we moved show dates and adapted to new regulations left, right and centre. Thank you all. So now, without further ado, I am delighted to ask you to sit back and enjoy… Ellen & Rigby! Kevin Fearon Executive Producer Liverpoool’s Royal Court
The fabulous set was designed by Alfie Heywood and brought to light by our great friend Ian Scott. Kate Harvey, as ever, is sound.
Thanks to the government’s cultural recovery fund we can continue to be #HereForCulture
Out of hard times, something magical can rise Liverpool’s Royal Court and Red Ladder Theatre Company present
Written by Boff Whalley Directed by Rod Dixon
24 September to 23 October Tickets from £14 No booking fees!
0151 709 4321 liverpoolsroyalcourt.com /royalcourtliv @royalcourtliv @royalcourtliv
A Note From The Director
I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to work on this production.
But, no matter what background we are from, it's clear that we have all
I have known Drew since 2003, appearing together in Willy Russell's
been affected by the past year's upheaval.
Breezeblock Park at The Playhouse, and I worked with Lindzi on our first
Throughout rehearsal, the production has allowed us to take stock of this
Royal Court Christmas show together, Merry Ding Dong, back in 2009.
and through these two characters we have reminisced about what life
I'm so grateful to have the chance to direct two of my favourite performers
was like before, how we've been changed by what has happened, and
and friends in a piece I am really proud of. They have both worked
how we each face a choice in how to live our lives in the future; to stand
incredibly hard uncovering these characters and it is a joy to see them
still or move forward and live life to its fullest.
back where they belong.
Thank you to Gerry for the script - we've had a great time moulding it and
The characters of Ellen and Rigby have either chosen or been forced to
bringing it to life. And thanks to the cast for trusting me.
live their lives alone, and the way they are brought together takes them
I really hope you have as much enjoyment watching the show as we have
on a journey neither of them expected. This journey is similar to the one
had creating it.
many of us may have been on during the past year; facing difficult or
Stephen Fletcher
unexpected choices, making sacrifices, spending time without people we
July 2021
love, or just choosing to enjoy simple pleasures again.
A GREAT PLACE TO EAT AND DRINK WITH FRIENDS IN THE HEART OF THE CITY CENTRE
PRE-THEATRE MENU AVAILABLE 4PM TO 7PM MONDAY TO SATURDAY 2 COURSES FOR £18
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89 Roe St, Liverpool, L1 1EP 0151 702 5891 courtyardbk.co.uk
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A fresh, new, innovative and relevant youth theatre company based at the iconic Royal Court Theatre designed by young people for young people. The Royal Court Youth Theatre delivers a range of opportunities free of charge for young people aged 11 – 25 from every part of the City. If you are interested in a career in the arts or just looking for something to do, come along to one of our sessions or workshops. You will learn about everything from acting to stage management; fundraising to writing scripts.
Do you know a young person who has a passion for theatre, acting, singing, dancing or writing? Tell them to complete an expression of interest form by visiting liverpoolsroyalcourt.com/youth-theatre Alternatively you can call 0151 702 5892 or email education@royalcourttrust.org Everybody is welcome at the Royal Court Youth Theatre, there are no auditions or waiting lists to join.
The
Eleanor Rathbone Foundation
THANK YOU Everyone at Liverpool’s Royal Court would like to thank the NHS and key workers for everything they have done over the past year.
Cast & Company
Cast Ellen Rigby
Lindzi Germain Andrew Schofield
Company Director Writer Designer Lighting Designer Sound Designer Costume Supervisor Production Manager Stage Manager Deputy Stage Manager LX No. 1 LX Op Sound No. 2 Dresser Workshop Manager
Stephen Fletcher Gerry Linford Alfie Heywood Ian Scott Kate Harvey Marie Jones Sean Gannon Lizzie O’Sullivan Steph Carter James Haining Helena Harvey Jonathan Tringham Katie Hinson Mick Bawden
Set by Sightlines Carpenters Jonathan Defty Mike Grey Mick Gunnigle
Scenic Painters Michael Fletcher Michael Martin
Thanks Barry at Colourcreate
Home Sweet Home Written and produced by Richard Leeson. Additional arrangements by Jennifer John. Backing vocals by Richard Leeson and Jennifer John.
Cast Biographies
going threw what can be the most horrendous time of there lives The Menopause. She has over 3,000 members already!
Lindzi Germain
Lindzi dedicates this performance to Mick Broadhurst who was taken
Ellen
far too soon and Marie Nicholls the strongest woman I know. Soulmates forever xx
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: Night Collar, Council Depot Blues, Lost Soul, Down Our Street,
Andrew Schofield Rigby
The Royal, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twopence To Cross The Mersey, Alehouse, The Entertainer, Bon Voyage, Beserker
Andrew has appeared in Blood Brothers in 1983 at the Liverpool
Boys, Virgin Express, Desperate Scousewives, Merry Ding Dong,
Playhouse and in the subsequent transfer to the Lyric Theatre in London’s
Scouse Pacific, Scouse of the Antarctic, Scouse of the Rising Sun,
West End. He also appeared as George in Of Mice and Men at the Old
Pharoah ‘Cross The Mersey, Scouse Nativity, Mam I’m ‘Ere, Sex
Vic, London in 2005.
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. Lindzi has appeared in many pantomimes throughout her career for LHK Productions and Pele Productions, appearing in Peter Pan, Cinderella, Snow White, Robin Hood and Babes In The Wood.
Theatre credits include: Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels as Dickie Lewis; Smigger in Lost Soul in 2007 and 2008; Brian in Good Golly Miss Molly; Moey in the Alan Bleasdale comedy On The Ledge; Paul Sheldon in Misery; the Traveller in Eight Miles High; Danny in Council Depot Blues; Joe in Night Collar; JJ in The Flags and Mr Briggs in Our Day Out - The Musical. He performed all of these roles at the Royal Court
TV and film credits include:
Theatre, Liverpool. Since then he has appeared in A Life In The Theatre,
Lindzi has just finished filming Tin Star with Tim Roth. Bella in Clink
The Sunshine Boys and Mam I’m ‘Ere (Life in Theatre Productions);
(5Star), The Way We Are (Feature film), Lynda La Plante’s Above
Dreaming of a Barry White Christmas (Echo Arena).
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. Voiceover work includes: Lindzi is the voice of Atomic Olga in the brand new computer game Evil Geniuses 2. Lindzi is one of the presenters on The Guide Liverpool and has her own vlog page Mersey Mouth. Lindzi is currently penning a new musical for the stage and a brand new comedy sketch show for Channel 5. Throughout lockdown Lindzi kept herself busy performing live on Facebook in ‘The Virchy’ and with her own Wake And Shake and Storytime Live. She says, “I just wanted to keep everyone’s spirits up a little especially the children. I’ve made hundreds of friends big and small many of whom I am yet to meet.” In May this year Lindzi also set up a private wall on Facebook just for women called Peri/Meno Queens 👑 it’s a place for women to learn, educate, laugh and cry to love and to support each other while
Film credits include: Sid and Nancy, Distant Voices, Still Lives, Three Businessmen, Hamlet, Revengers Tragedy, Under The Mud. TV credits include: Scully in Alan Bleasdale’s Scully. He has also appeared in three more Bleasdale series, as Peter Grenville in GBH in 1991, Jake’s Progress in 1995 and in Melissa in 1997. Other TV credits include Maisie Raine; Sharpe; Murphy’s Law; Boys from the Blackstuff; Liverpool Nativity for BBC Three; Fifteen Minutes That Shook The World; Cilla; Moving On; Loco; Tin Star, Help. For John Owens and the Amazing Susie Shields/Schofield xxx
Company Biographies Stephen Fletcher Director Stephen trained at LIPA. As well as his work as an actor, he is also producer of Life In Theatre Productions in Liverpool, is the writer and director of Mam! I’m ’Ere! and is a new Artistic Advisor to The Liverpool
He is about to direct NHS: The Musical for Plymouth Theatre Royal before a UK Tour and West End transfer. Follow Stephen on Twitter @SteFletcher1
Alfie Heywood Designer
Everyman/Playhouse. Onstage Theatre credits include:
Alfie trained in Theatre and Performance Design at Liverpool Institute for
A Life in the Theatre, The Sunshine Boys, The Last 5 Years, Mam!
Performing Arts, graduating in 2016.
I’m ’Ere! (Life In Theatre Productions); A Streetcar Named Desire,
Recent credits as Designer include:
Willy Russell’s Breezeblock Park (Liverpool Playhouse); Eric’s and
Lost In Colomendy (Liverpool’s Royal Court); Guys and Dolls
Dead Heavy Fantastic (Liverpool Everyman); The Scouse Cinderella,
(Mountview Academy), Lord of the Flies (Greenwich Theatre),
The Scouse Nativity, Lennon, Our Day Out, Scouse Pacific, Little
Unspoken Spoken (Candoco Dance Company), Omnibus, Tick Tick
Scouse On The Prairie, Stags and Hens 30th Anniversary Remix,
Boom (both Unity Theatre), Frankenstein (Everyman Studio Theatre),
Noises Off!, Special Measures, and Canoeing For Beginners
Liver Birdsong (Epstein Theatre), Crimes of the Heart and Witches of
(Royal Court, Liverpool); 57 Hours in The House of Culture (The
Eastwick (both LIPA).
National Theatre Studio); Up on the Roof (Oldham Coliseum / The
Alfie has been working as an Associate Designer to Christopher Oram
New Wolsey); Hamlet, Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Liverpool Shakespeare Festival); Cinderella (Liverpool Empire); Mary Stuart (The Donmar and West End); The Safari Party (The New Vic); Comfort (Old Vic); 7 Stories (Etcetera); 100% Bullet Proof (Soho Theatre); John Godber’s Teechers (Dubai); Betwixt: The Musical (The King’s Head); Top of the Heap / Cassanova Returns (Cardiff Global Search For A New Musical Festival); The Wild Party (Edinburgh Fringe); She Loves Me (LIPA) and Falsettoland (NSTC/Edinburgh Festival). TV Credits include: Emmerdale, The Liverpool Nativity, BRITZ, All About Me,
since June 2018 working on Turn of the Screw (Garsington Opera), Bitter Wheat (West End’s Garrick Theatre) and Geisha (Northern Ballet). He has also assisted designers Peter McKintosh, Jon Bausor and Ben Stones working on various West End shows, operas and touring musicals. Other than his theatre work, Alfie has worked for Production Designer Misty Buckley working on various Take That tours, Coldplays Head Full of Dreams tour and Glastonbury.
Ian Scott Lighting Design
Kerching, Ricky’s Joke Shop, Heartbeat, Hollyoaks and Coronation Street.
Trained at Mountview.
Stephen is also a regular voice for BBC Radio 4, various awards events
Productions for the Royal Court include:
including BAFTA, and is a member of the Old Vic New Voices Company. His directing work includes: Pete Price is Dead, The Royal Court Selection Box, The Pop-Up Panto, Mamet’s A Life In The Theatre, Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys, and Jason Robert Brown’s Broadway musical, The Last 5 Yearsall winning culture and theatre awards- as well as a new cabaret show, Fabaret. His sell-out, one-woman show (co-written by actor and writer, Cath Rice), Our Bev’s Christmas Cracker, won the Echo’s theatre award, and he wrote, produced and directed the disco musical, Mam I’m ’Ere!, under his own production company, Life in Theatre Productions.
Scouse Pacific, The Menlove Avenue Murder Mystery, Lost Soul 2, My Fairfield Lady, 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: Xanadu (Giffords Circus); By The Waters of Liverpool (Pulse Records); Up ‘n’ Under and Frozen (fingersmiths); Reasons To Be Cheerful, Peeling and Blasted (Graeae); Silk…The Eternal Road (Century Theatre, Beijing); 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
It returns to The Royal Court in summer 2022. A sequel is to follow.
Water (Graeae; Theatre Royal, Plymouth; National Theatre); Owen
During lockdown Stephen co-wrote the web series This is Our Bev,
Wingrave and Where The Wild Things Are (Aldeburgh Festival);
and crowdfunded the money for a Pop-Up Panto schools’ tour which
Fawlty Towers Live (Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney); Flat Stanley
employed local freelancers and entertained hundreds of children in the
(Polka; West Yorkshire Playhouse); The Drummer Boy of Waterloo
region.
and The Happy Prince (Jubilee Opera); The 39 Steps (Criterion
He is developing a new musical with Liverpool band, Space, and has co-
Theatre); Our Friends Up North (Northern Stage); The Joke, The
written an original football musical ForEverton.
Summer House and The Victorian in the Wall (Will Adamsdale;
Fuel); My Name is… (Tamasha); Oh! What a Lovely War and Frogs
She has worked extensively at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse
(National Theatre); Curlew River (White Light Festival, New York; UCLA
and has recently been employed as full time Wardrobe Supervisor at the
Berkeley; St. Giles, Barbican); Animal Farm (West Yorkshire Playhouse)
Royal Court. Most recently Marie’s work at the Everyman and Playhouse
and Observe The Sons Of Ulster Marching Towards The Somme
has included: Much Ado About Nothing, The Electric Hills, The
(Abbey Theatre, Dublin).
Flint Street Nativity, The Tempest, Unprotected, Billy Liar, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe, Urban Legend, Fly, Breezeblock Park,
Kate Harvey Sound Designer Kate has been working in technical theatre specifically working in sound for around 20 years. Having worked on a variety of events/productions in the past, she always loves coming back to theatre design and mixing theatre shows. A list of sound credits include: Corporate/Outdoor : Labour, Conservative, NUT, TUC and many more conferences. Various exhibitions. Symphony in the Park (Hoghton Tower). TV: Stan James World Match Dartsplay (Sky Sports), Strictly Ballroom (ITV), Danny La Rue (BBC), Spirit of Shankly (Granada DVD).
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, amongst many others, for Royal Court Liverpool,
Cruises : P&O World Cruises, Island Cruises, Celebrity.
Brouhaha International Street Festival, Working Class Hero on the recent
Arena : Hot Ice (Stageworks Worldwide Productions); You’ll Never Walk
Imagine DVD, Costume Supervisor for many shows at LIPA, The Splash
Alone (Alterean Media and Liverpool FC).
Project at MYPT and Twopence To Cross The Mersey at the Liverpool
Music: The Christians, Chesney Hawkes, Sinita, Slade, Bad Manners, Toyah,
Empire.
Limahl, Cream UK Tour, Petula Clarke, Bobby Crush, East 17, Liberty X, Jane McDonald, Coldplay. Comedy: Jason Manford, 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, Lucky Numbers, Council Depot Blues, Funny Money, Ladies Day, Scouse of the Pacific, Bouncers, Night Collar, Our Day Out, The Salon, Shirley Valentine, Sex in the Surburbs, Reds and Blues, Ladies Night, Lennon, Noises Off, Scouse of the Antarctic, Canoeing for Beginners, Lost Soul, Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels 1&2, The Scouse Nativity, Golden Oldies, The Royal, The Scouse Cinderella, Maggie May, Yellow Breck Road, Lost Soul 2, Scouse Pacific and The Menlove Avenue Murder Mystery (Royal Court Liverpool); Twopence to Cross the Mersey (Empire Theatre and National Tour, 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 and Liza National Tour (Produced by Royal Court Liverpool); Lennon’s Banjo (Epstein Theatre) and By The Waters Of Liverpool (Empire Theatre, Pulse Records).
Marie Jones Costume Supervisor 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.
Company Biographies WE PUT THE CITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT
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ENJOY THE SHOW
Life In Theatre and
Liverpool’s Royal Court proudly present
The smash hit summer show is back!
r Written and D irected by Stephen Fletche
10 June to 9 July 2022 Tickets from £14 No booking fees!
0151 709 4321 liverpoolsroyalcourt.com /royalcourtliv @royalcourtliv @royalcourtliv
Royal Court Staff Executive Producer Kevin Fearon Chief Executive Gillian Miller Finance Director Kevin Dunn Producer Jess Bolger Head of Marketing Iain Christie Executive Chef David Assall Finance Officer Alison Ward General Manager Thomas Wright In-House Designer Jamie Jenkin Production Co-Ordinator Clare Carlucci Assistant to the Chief Executive Aisling Davis Marketing Officer Kofi Ohene-Djan Social Media Officer Clara Mbirimi Chief LX Jamie Haining Box Office & Sales Manager Lauren Macauley Acting Box Office Manager Laura Lees Business Development Manager Miriam Mussa HR & Wellness Officer Maria Schumann Participation Project(s) Manager Uma Ramanathan Costume Supervisor Marie Jones Workshop Manager Mick Bawden Finance Administrator Izzie Litwin Admin Assistant Phil McLoughlin Youth Theatre Leader Zain Salim Community Choir Master Jay McWinen Box Office Assistants Finn Goulden-Jennings, Carl Lees, Anna Miller, Joe Morris, Pat O’Neill, Susan Segar, Angela Varley and Karen Young Stage Door Allan Dodd & John Evans.
Royal Court Supporters
Kitchen Head Chef David Assall Sous Chef Kyle Wardale Chefs Jay Quinn and Daniel Ambrose Kitchen Porters Debbie Chisam, Billie Chisam, Nick Watson, Daniel Dunn, Louise Dodd and Declan Redmond Front of House House Manager Kathryn Heffron Courtyard Manager Emma Keig FOH Supervisor Kathy Hutson Bar Supervisor Paul Imrie Front of House Staff Hazel Bawden, Jordan Barkley, Colette Burgess, Aisling Davis, Carl Dillon, Ellie Jo Dunn, Audrey Flynn, Megan Franey, Jeanette Franey, Beth Fry, Rachel Hankin, Michael Hardy, Jennifer Heffron, Jake Jones, Abbie Kenworthy, Aimee Kelly, Emma Laverty, Phil Lyne, Cora Mason, Sam Massen, Phil McLoughlin, Faye Mcutcheon, Mia Molloy, Calum Norbury, Joe O’Neil, Jamie Peacock, Millie Quayle, Joshua Reais, Adam Staunton, Odessa Walsh, Emma Walters, Joe Woods, Hannah Wright, Amy Wright , Gina Zotova, Alex Williams, and Sven Key. Cleaners Cleaning Supervisor: Debbie Chisam, Billie Chisam, Carla Cole, Joanne Kinsella, Kevin Tristram and Nick Watson. And a big thank you to all of our security staff for their hard work throughout the year.
By Nicky Allt • Production created and originally directed by Bob Eaton • Director Howard Gray Lighting Designer Ian Scott • Sound Designer Kate Harvey • Video Designer Jamie Jenkin
29 July to 27 August 2022 Tickets from £14
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