Welcome to our Christmas show – The Scouse Jack & The Beanstalk!
It’s Christmastime (or if you are here early in the run, late autumn) and there’s no need to be afraid. The city is alive again with light and laughter as everybody gets ready for the most wonderful time of the year.
The Royal Court Christmas show has become a landmark event in the festive season, with families and friends travelling from all over the North West to see what we will make fun of this year. That’s a lot of pressure so we have made sure that our jokes are 10% funnier (in line with inflation) and you will get more music for your pound than you did before the economy collapsed.
To make this happen, it takes a special team of people. Our cast are the first people to thank. Jake, Michael, Lindzi, Drew, Hayley, Keddy and Liam. Not forgetting our two Emmas as well. Our marvellous band keep the night rocking around our Christmas trees so huge thanks to Ben, Mike and Greg and of course to our MD Howard Gray for pulling it all together.
The director, Stephen Fletcher, has turned the chaos of rehearsals into organised chaos. His strong hand and overall vision has made the show what it is. The set is stunning so thanks to Olivia, it is superbly lit so thanks to Ian and the whole show sounds amazing and that is down to Kate Harvey. A new addition to the creative team is Natasha Gooden, our choreographer. Her boundless energy and laser-like focus has given the show more zip than Santa’s favourite jeans.
Every show that we produce has one real aim. To entertain the audience. We know that every time that you put the news on, something else has gone wrong. Life is full of worries so our job is to make you forget all about them for a couple of hours at least. So sit back, take another sip of your drink and let yourself be washed away by silly jokes, belting songs and festive joy. This is the Royal Court Christmas show and you deserve it.
Thank you all for coming, take care of yourselves, have a great Christmas and let’s hope that 2023 brings us all a brighter future.
Kevin Fearon Executive Producer Liverpool’s Royal Court
Improve your Christmas knowledge with our 100% TRUE facts about the festive season!
1. Christmas wasn’t always on December 25. While Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the actual date of the big event is lost to history. In 1924 it was moved to its current date by John Lewis to fit in with the Boxing Day sales.
2. When Prince Albert of Germany got a new tree for his wife, Queen Victoria of England, the tradition of the Christmas tree really took off. Prince Albert also drove a massive metal spike through his trunk.
3. The Dutch gave us the idea to leave cookies and milk. Don’t bake Dutch special cookies though or you will sleep through the whole day.
4. Santa Claus invented Coca-Cola.
5. Jingle Bells was the first song played in space. Nobody joined in because there was no atmosphere.
6. Christmas decorating sends nearly 15,000 people to A&E. Injuries include tinselitis, a broken fe-myrrh and several incidents of elf-harm.
7. Ham is more popular than turkey in the USA at Christmas. Even more popular
is eating the kids selections boxes and drinking loads of wine.
8. Norway provides the tree in Trafalgar Square. Due to Brexit delays, the 2022 tree will arrive in 2028.
9. It’s a tradition in Sweden to watch Donald Duck cartoons on Christmas Eve. Some people think this makes the Swedes Christmas quackers.
10. If you gave all the gifts listed in the Twelve Days of Christmas, it would equal 364 presents. It would also be a real pain the arse to clean up after.
11. Rudolph’s nose redness is hypothesized as a parasitic respiratory infection. No wonder he wasn’t allowed to join in any reindeer games.
12. The Statue of Liberty is the largest Christmas gift ever given. It was a bugger to wrap.
13. There are nearly 750 different versions of Silent Night. Ed Sheeran’s is the worst.
14. Mariah Carey wrote “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 15 minutes which means she was earning £300m an hour at the time.
15. Decorating Disney World involves 8.5 million lights. That’s almost as many as are used in one street in Tuebrook.
By Jonathan Harvey • Directed by Stephen Fletcher
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
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:
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
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.
Liverpool’s Royal Court continues on its journey to work towards talent development across the city Boisterous Stage Write Music Access All Areas Maurice Bessman
Photographs by LIverpool’s Royal Court
Jack Jones Mrs Jones
Commissioner Jill Fairy Mayor
Vocals Bass Guitar Keys Drums Guitar
Emma Grace Arends Jake Abraham Michael Fletcher Lindzi Germain Andrew Schofield Hayley Sheen Keddy Sutton Liam Tobin
Emma Bispham Howard Gray Ben Gladwin Greg Joy Mike Woodvine
Writer Director Musical Director Designer
Lighting Designer Sound Designer Video Designer Choreographer
Wardrobe Supervisor
Kevin Fearon Stephen Fletcher Howard Gray Olivia Du Monceau Ian Scott Kate Harvey Jamie Jenkin Natasha Gooden Marie Jones
Head of Technical & Production Stage Manager Deputy Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Workshop Manager Chief LX LX & AV Operator Sound Operator Sound No. 2 Crew
Sean Gannon Andrew Lock Steph Carter
Lauryn Jamieson Mick Bawden Jamie Haining Helena Harvey Jonathan Tringham Liam McGrath Scott Sheerins
Lee McNeilis Jake Pendleton
Head Painter Jennifer Baron Painters Christopher McCourt Abbie Jones Emma Sharpe Rhiannon Hodgson
Johnathan Defty Michael Gray
Mick Gunnigle Derek Colley
Barry and all at Colourcreate
Emma Grace is thrilled to be returning to Liverpools Royal Court for a second year. Getting to spend Christmas Holidays with family whilst being on stage is every actors dream!
Emma Grace recently finished a run of ‘Home, I’m Darling’ by Laura Wade at Frinton Summer Theatre, playing Fran.
Theatre credits include - Much Ado About Nothing / Romeo & Juliet (Folksy Theatre); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (We Are Butterfly); Troll (Pleasance); Peppa Pig’s Surprise (Sydney Opera House & Australian Tour); Twopence to Cross the Mersey (Liverpool Empire); Florence Nightingale (Peter Addis); Peppa Pig’s Big Splash (Fiery Light); Peppa Pig’s Surprise (No.1 UK & Ireland Tour); Sleeping Beauty (M&S Arena); Beauty & The Beast (Dorking Halls); Her Benny (Liverpool Empire).
TV / Film Credits - Peppa Pig; My First Cinema Experience - Daisy (Sky / E1); Emmerdale (ITV); Cilla (ITV); A Night with Kylie Minogue (BBC); Ratted Out (Feature); Across The Pond (Pilot); Galbani (Advert & Radio); Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom / Peppa Pig’s Big Splash (Original Cast Recording).
Tricyle (short) to be released 2023 - an original story by Paul Ritchie Tomkinson.
Emma Grace would like to thank & dedicate her performance to everyone at The Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and Charity . Thank you to the wonderfully loyal Royal Court Audience , you are so special , have a sparkly festive season and we’ll see you in the Courtyard after the show ! X
Emma continues to enjoy a full and varied career. Below are some of her most treasured credits to date;
Television; Doctors, Tin Star, Clink, The League of Gentlemen, Paranoid, Prey 2, The Mill, Good Cop, Emmerdale, Coronation Street, The Driver, Shameless, Heartbeat, The Royal, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Strictly Confidential and The Bill.
Film; Kelly & Victor (Bafta Winner) Dog Run, Bride Not To Be and Half
Way.
Theatre: Macca & Beth (Liverpool’s Royal Court); TABOO 20th Anniversary Concert (The London Palladium) The Scouse Sleeping Beauty (Liverpool Royal Court) The Scouse Snow White (Liverpool Royal Court) Paint Your Wagon, Othello and The Big I Am (Everyman Theatre Repertory Company 2018) Blood Brothers (Phoenix Theatre, West End) Taboo (The Venue, West End & National tour) Spend Spend Spend (The English Theatre, Frankfurt) Bad Girls –The Musical (West Yorkshire Playhouse) 16 Gobs (Kingshead Theatre, London) Notes Across a Small Pond (Bridewell Theatre, London) Closer Than Ever (Everyman Theatre, Liverpool).
Emma also gigs regularly as a soloist or with Sense Of Sound Singers and has supported and worked with music legends such as Nile Rogers and Paul McCartney. Also appearing in the popular Cream Classical concerts at the Anglican Cathedral.
Emma is made up to be back working in the BEST theatre in town for Christmas!
She would like to wish all her family and friends a fabulous festive season and thank them for their constant love and support.
So pleased to be back at the Royal Court.
Theatre includes: Brown Bitter Wet Nellies and Scouse (Liverpool Everyman); On The Ledge by Alan Bleasdale and Guiding Star by Jonathan Harvey (Royal National Theatre and Liverpool Everyman tour); The Pinocchio Boys by Jim Morrison (Young Vic); Grand Old Lady (North West Tour); Council Depot Blues. Lost Soul 1 and 2 by Dave Kirby. A Fistful Of Collars, Scouse of the Pacific, Merry Ding Dong by Fred Lawless, A Miracle On Great Homer Street and Yellow Brick Road by Gerry Linford and Selection Box (Liverpool’s Royal Court).
Films include: Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels by Guy Ritchie, Mean Machine by Matthew Vaughn, London Boulevard, 51st State, Blonde Fist, Spike Island and The Parole Officer
Television includes: Sharpe’s Gold, The Governor, Brittas Empire, Justice, GBH, Liverpool One, Red Dwarf, Help, The Bill, Holby City, Moving On, The Responder
So happy to be back with you all for Christmas, this one is for Jake and Max.
Michael trained at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
After graduating he became a top 20 finalist for the ITV1 Search For A Superstar with Andrew Lloyd Webber.
His theatre credits include:
Scouse in Scouse Sleeping Beauty, Mikey in Royal Court Selection Box, Ringmaster and Singer in The Feast (Gifford’s Circus); Will in Pete Price Is Dead (Royal Court Theatre Liverpool); The Huntsman in The Scouse Snow White (Royal Court Theatre Liverpool); Lead Vocalist and Ring Master in Xanadu and The Feast (Giffords Circus UK tour); Buttons in The Scouse Cinderella, Joseph in The Scouse Nativity (Royal Court Theatre Liverpool); Man 1 in Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again (YEP Everyman Theatre); Jonny Hamlet In Roll Over Beethoven (Belgrade Theatre); Boris in Scouse of the Rising Sun (Royal Court Theatre Liverpool); Si in Mam! I’m ‘Ere (Life in Theatre ProductionsRoyal Court Theatre Liverpool); Ensemble in Something Wonderful - A Celebration of Rogers and Hammerstein (Hope Mill Theatre); Boris in Pharaoh Cross The Mersey (Royal Court Theatre Liverpool); Joseph in One Night In Istanbul Theatre and Arena Tour (Alterean Media Ltd); Boris/ Kawolski in Scouse of the Antarctic (Royal Court Theatre Liverpool); Paul McCartney- Yellow Submarine Tour (Italy Tour - Erasmus Theatre); Eddie in The Sunshine Boys (Life In Theatre Productions) Beast in Beauty and the Beast (Stafford Gatehouse Theatre); Pete in Departure Lounge (The Unity Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe Festival); Man 1 (Songs For a New World- The Unity Theatre).
Theatre credits whilst training include: Molina (Kiss of The Spiderwoman); Henry Etches (Titanic the Musical); Saturninus (Titus Andronicus); Roger (The Danny Crowe Show); Various (A Clockwork Orange); Billy Bigalow (Carousel); Action (West Side Story); Nanki Poo (Hot Mikado); Mordy (Three Sisters on Hope Street); Gertie (Fuddy Meers)
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: 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
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). Anthony
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’sa place for women to learn, educate, laugh and cr y 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.
Andrew has appeared in Blood Brothers in 1983 at the Liverpool Playhouse and in the subsequent transfer to the Lyric Theatre in London’s West End. He also appeared as George in Of Mice and Men at the Old Vic, London in 2005.
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 Theatre, Liverpool. Since then he has appeared in A Life In The Theatre, The Sunshine Boys and Mam I’m ‘Ere (Life in Theatre Productions); Dreaming of a Barry White Christmas (Echo Arena) Royal Court Selection Box,Ellen & Rigby and Making It (with Cath Rice) (Liverpool’s Royal Court).
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
Hello to the wonderful Royal Court audience. It is a joy to be able to get back on this stage this year in my 7th Christmas show at this amazing theatre.
Theatre credits include: Snowdrop in The Scouse Sleeping Beauty; Hayley in Royal Court Selection Box; Snow White in The Scouse Snow White; Sally in Mam I’m ‘Ere; Cinderella in The Scouse Cinderella; Eve in Adam & Eve and Steve; Mary in The Scouse Nativity; Blue Girl in Shout; Faryl in Golden Oldies; Daisy in Scouse of the Rising Sun; Multi-Role in Shake It Up Baby.
TV credits include: Hollyoaks (Channel 4 and Grease Is The Word (ITV).
I hope you all have a fantastic time and don’t forget a Christmas tip for our front of house team who have worked harder than ever to make this one possible. This one is for my dear friend Emily. You’re ‘All I See’.
Keddy trained at Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama and with Ken Campbell’s Improvisational Company - The School of Night.
Theatre: All The Joy You Can Wish (Shakespeare North and SlungLow); That Sketch Show (The Edge Theatre); Royal Court Selection Box (Liverpool’s Royal Court); Pop Up Party (Paperwork Theatre); Mr Gum RND (National Theatre); Shirley Valentine (Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds); Keddy was a member of the Liverpool Everyman Rep Company in 2017 and 2018 in Paint Your Wagon, The Big I Am A Clockwork Orange and Fiddler On The Roof. The Sum, Conquest Of The South Pole and Romeo And Juliet (Liverpool Everyman); Scouse Sleeping Beauty, Pete Price Is Dead, Scouse Snow White, Scouse Cinderella, Scouse Nativity, Scouse Of The Rising Sun, Father O’Flaherty Saves Our Souls, Stags And Hens (Directed by Willy Russell and Bob Eaton For Capital Of Culture), and Slappers And Slapheads (Liverpool Royal Court); Terry Titter’s Summer Special (Liverpool Royal Court Studio); Princess And The Pea (Unity Theatre, Liverpool); Mam I’m Ere (Life In Theatre Productions); Dreaming Of A Barry White Xmas (Liverpool Echo Arena); The Queen’s Knickers
(Southbank London); Peppa Pig (West End and No 1 Tour); ; Cruel Sea (Liverpool Everyman); The Games, Hoof, Beasts And Beauties (Spike Theatre); Dormouse in Alice In Wonderland (Hope Street); Ken Campbell’s Improvisational School Of Night (The Globe, Drill Hall, Edinburgh Fringe, Jeremy Beadles Library and The Royal Court, London); Beyond Our Ken (National Theatre); In Pursuit Of Cardeenio (Edinburgh Fringe); 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Nuffield Theatre, Southampton); Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs and Dick Whittington (Buxton Opera House); Beauty And The Beast (Theatre Royal, Wakefield); Robinson Crusoe (Theatre Royal, Winchester); Singa-Longa-Eurovision (AJN Productions).
Television: Good Cop and Nice Guy Eddie (BBC); Fated (Ace Films); Keddy appeared in her own driving documentary - Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre; Pot Noodle Advert.
Radio/Audio: Brian Jacques’ Redwall; Narrator of the April Ashley Project (Liverpool Museum); Narrator (Chester College); Narrator (BBC Learning); The Witching Hour and 1,000 Feet Deep (Periplum), Culture Knowsley and Patterdale (BBC Radio 4).
Keddy is a member of the vocal group Handbag of Harmonies. Writing: Tabbard The Musical and Caz ’N’ Britney Present Scottie Road The Musical (From Primark to Prison) and Mis Les (A Revolution In Rollers).
Liam Tobin MayorPrevious work at the Royal Court: The Scousetrap, Mam I’m ‘Ere, The Scouse Sleeping Beauty, Homebaked, Selection Box, Pete Price is Dead, Lost in Colomendy, The Menlove Avenue Murder Mystery and Slappers & Slapheads
Other Theatre includes: Miracle On 34th Street (Liverpool Playhouse), Sweeney Todd (Liverpool Everyman), Benny (Gilded Balloon Edinburgh Fringe), Paint Your Wagon, A Clockwork Orange, The Big I Am, Fiddler on the Roof, Conquest of the South Pole, The Sum, Romeo & Juliet (Liverpool Everyman Rep Company), The Hobbit (Dukes Lancaster), Hamlet (Clwyd Theatr Cymru), Clybourne Park, When the Rain Stops Falling (Unity Liverpool/Said & Done), A View From The Bridge (Liverpool Playhouse), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest , Brief Encounter , Dead Funny (Torch Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream & She Stoops To Conquer (Torch Theatre/Mappa Mundi), Cider With Rosie & The Merchant of Venice (Theatre Royal Bury St. Edmonds), Gods Official (West Yorkshire Playhouse and, a European tour of Pygmalion (American Drama Group).
Screen work includes Then & Now, Hollyoaks, Emmerdale, Coronation Street, The Royal, Heartbeat, The Cops, Seeing Red, The Second Coming and the feature film Al’s Lads .
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! was a recent Artistic Advisor to The Liverpool Everyman/Playhouse.
Onstage Theatre credits include: A Life in the Theatre, The Sunshine Boys, The Last 5 Years, Mam! I’m ’Ere! (Life In Theatre Productions); A Streetcar Named Desire, Willy Russell’s Breezeblock Park (Liverpool Playhouse); Eric’s and Dead Heavy Fantastic (Liverpool Everyman); The Scouse Cinderella, The Scouse Nativity, Lennon, Our Day Out, Scouse Pacific, Little Scouse On The Prairie, Stags and Hens 30th Anniversary Remix, Noises Off!, Special Measures, and Canoeing For Beginners (Royal Court, Liverpool); 57 Hours in The House of Culture (The National Theatre Studio); Up on the Roof (Oldham Coliseum / The 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, Kerching, Ricky’s Joke Shop, Heartbeat, Hollyoaks and Coronation Street.
Stephen is also a regular voice for BBC Radio 4, various awards events 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.
During lockdown Stephen co-wrote the web series This is Our Bev, and crowdfunded the money for a Pop-Up Panto schools’ tour which employed local freelancers and entertained hundreds of children in the region.
He is developing a new musical with Liverpool band, Space, and has cowritten an original football musical ForEverton.
He recently directed NHS: The Musical for Plymouth Theatre Royal. He is looking forward to directing A Thong For Europe at the Royal Court in May.
Follow Stephen on Twitter @SteFletcher1
For the Royal Court, Howard has been the Musical Director for Homebaked,Lennon, Our Day Out, You’ll Never Walk Alone, Eight Miles High, Sons Of The Desert, Council Depot Blues, Reds And Blues, Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels, The Scouse Nativity, Maggie May, The Scouse Cinderella and Scouse Pacific amongst many others. He has also directed two Royal Court Christmas shows Pharaoh ’Cross The Mersey and Scouse Of The Antarctic and subsequently tours of One Night In Istanbul and Celtic The Musical
He has been associate artist at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton and was musical director for Blonde Bombshells Of 1943, a co-production with Hampstead Theatre, which won the Manchester Evening News Best Production for 2006. The show has subsequently toured nationally and internationally.
Other work at the Octagon includes: Looking For Buddy, Little Voice, Once Upon A Time In Wigan, Oh What A Lovely War, The Song Of Singapore, Danny, Champion Of The World, and I Just Stopped By To See The Man.
At the Coliseum Theatre in Oldham: Bread And Roses, The Ladykillers, Our Gracie, Close The Coalhouse Door, Martha, Josie And The Chinese Elvis, Dick Barton Special Agent, Union Street, Women On The Verge Of HRT, Private Lives, Feed, The Road To Nab End, Sweet Charity, and Brassed Off. Also a hatful of rock’n’roll muiscals and pantomimes.
At the New Vic in Stoke: A Taste Of Honey, The Admirable Crichton, and Spring And Port Wine amongst many others.
Other work includes any number of pantos at the Liverpool Everyman and Harrogate Theatre.
Howard has worked on two of Dave Kirby’s films, Fifteen Minutes That Shook The World and Reds And Blues. Plus productions at Opera North, the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Royal Exchange, Theatre Clywd, Coventry Belgrade, Worcester Swan, York Theatre Royal, Lancaster Dukes, Live Theatre Newcastle and Stephen Joseph Scarborough.
Howard is the creative director of Alterean Media.
Olivia du Monceau is a North West based Set and Costume designer. Alongside theatre she has created designs for exhibitions, events and art installations. Recent theatre collaborations include New Vic Theatre, HOME Mcr, Nottingham Playhouse, Southwark Playhouse, and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, Liverpool Culture Company. This is her 8th design for the Liverpool Royal Court with previous shows including Father O’Flaherty, Lonesome West, A Miracle on Great Homer Street, Yellow Breck Road, My Fairfield Lady, Scouse Snow White and Royal Court Selection Box, Scouse Sleeping Beauty and Homebaked. Example of her work can be found at www. oliviadumonceau.com
Trained 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).
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).
Jamie is the in-house graphic and video designer at Liverpool’s Royal Court. Starting as marketing assistant at the theatre in 2005, he has designed artwork for over 100 shows.
Video Designs for Theatre include: Willy Russell’s Our Day Out - The Musical, A Fistul Of Collars, Lennon, Ladies Day, Hitchhikers Guide to Fazakerley, Ladies Night, Canoeing for Beginners, The Scouse Nativity, Father O’Flaherty Saves Our Souls, A Miracle On Great Homer Street, Home, Going Halves, The Royal, The Scouse Cinderella, My Fairfield Lady, Royal Court Selection Box, Macca & Beth, The Scouse Sleeping Beauty, The Menlove Avenue Murder Mystery, The Scousetrap and Girls Don’t Play Guitars (Liverpool’s Royal Court); Masquerade, Knee Deep In Promises and Hey Bunny Get Loose (Liverpool’s Royal Court Studio); Cured (Liverpool’s Royal Court in association with DaDaFest & Unlimited); The Dream Team and VR Family (Liverpool’s Royal Court Youth Theatre); Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Liverpool Shakespeare Festival); Scouse: A Comedy Of Terrors (Dome Liverpool); Judy & Liza (National Tour); YNWA (Alterean Productions, international tour); The Big I Am (Liverpool Everyman); Celtic The Musical (Alterean Productions, Pavilion Theatre Glasgow and SEC Glasgow); Something About George (Something About Productions, Epstein Theatre Liverpool and Edinburgh Festival Fringe); The Salford Docker (Salford Community Theatre, Lighthouse Salford); Our Country’s Good (Hope St Theatre); and Peter Pan (Storyhouse Chester). Jamie has also designed sound for Hey Bunny Get Loose and Offered Up (Liverpool’s Royal Court Studio) and Our Country’s Good (Hope St Theatre).
Natasha Gooden DirectorA part of the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony as a professional dancer, X Factor with JLS & One Direction, Mish B ‘Home Run’ Music Video, Ministry Of Sound advert; The House The Garage Built (UK tour) as a dancer with Diversity, performed on Strictly Come Dancing, Got To Dance Sky1 finalists with girl crew Boadicea.
West End/Theatre shows include: Some Like it Hip Hop (UK Tour - Zoonation Kate Prince Company); Into The Hoods Remixed (UK Tour - Zoonation Kate Prince Company); Varmints (Sadlers Wells Theatre); Message In A Bottle (European tour - Zoonation Kate Prince Company); BWG (Touring UK, New York, Germany & Taiwan - Boy Blue Entertainment Company, Kenrick H2o Sandy); Eve’s Story (Royal Court Theatre Liverpool); NeverLand (Tuckshopdancetheatre - Lauren Tucker).
Marie Jones Wardrobe SupervisorMarie 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 He’s Almost Here-on
Chief Executive Gillian Stocking Filler
Finance Director Kevin Dunn de dunn de dunn da da da daaa
Producer Jesstive Cheer Bolger
Head of Marketing Iain Christiemas Technical Director Sean In A Stable Gannon Executive Chef David Assall Ye Faithful Finance Officer Alison Ward And Saviour General Manager Thomas I’m Dreaming Of A Wright Christmas In-House Designer Pantomime Damie Jenkin Assistant Producer Clare Carolucci
Marketing Officer Kofi Three Kings Ohene-Djan
Social Media Officer It Came Upon A Midnight Clara Mbirimi Chief LX Jamie Candy Caining Box Office & Sales Manager Lauren Santa’s Sacauley
Acting Box Office Manager Laura Tis The Lees-on To Be Jolly Business Development Manager Miri-am I Getting Any Presents? Mussa
HR & Wellness Officer Maria Schumann-ger
Participation Project(s) Manager Uma Ramanathangel Gabriel Costume Supervisor Marie Christmas Everybody Jones Workshop Manager Mick God Rest Ye Merry Gentle Bawden Executive Assistant to Gillian Miller Chief Executive – We Wish You A Mary Christmas Carlin
Finance Administrator Izzie Litwinter Wonderland
Fundraising Assistant Jen Ba – humbug-ron
Admin Assistant Die Hard Is A Christmas Philm McLoughlin
Youth Theatre Leader Zain deer Salim Youth Theatre Co-ordinator Vannessa Park The Herald Angels Sing
Community Choir Master The Very Next Jay You Gave It Away McWinen
Box Office Assistants Finnce Pie Goulden-Jennings, Carl On Top Of The Christmas Lees, Amelia Maguire We Waiting To Open Our Presents?, Hos-Anna Miller, Joe Ho Ho Morris, Pat O’Neill Before Him, Susan Segarland For The Table, Angela Simms-sons Christmas Special and Karen Young People Like Christmas Presents.
Stage Door Elves Allan Dodd-y Shop Voucher & John Evanly Host
Head Chef David Assall Ye Faithful
Kitchen Supervisors Kyle Wardale And Hearty, Danielf Awotwi Chefs Jolly Jay Quinn, Josh Eglin-ch stole Christmas, Daniel Festive PyjAmbrose, Billie Chishamper, Debbie Chishamper, Ezrha Baby In The Hayden, Jack While Shepherds Watched, Joshepherd Wardale, Jolly Saint Nick Watson, Lewis I’m Dreaming Of A While Christmas Kitchen Porters Daniel Little Dunn-ky, Louise Hot Dodd-y, Harrison Ford Is On Telly Again Mclaughlin, Santa’s Sackie Kirton, Christmas Cake Stephenson.
Front of House House Manager Let The Bells Kathryng Out For Christmas Heffron Assistant Manager We Kathy Kings Of Orient Are Hutson
FOH Supervisors It’s Meg-inning To Look A Lot Like Christmas Franey and Advent Calumder Norbury Bar Supervisor Joe Is Falling All Around Us Woods Courtyard Manager Emma Dreaming Of A White Christmas Keig Assistant Courtyard Manager Paul-ble Imrie Front of House Staff
Beth Baccino-t another mince pie, Hazel I’m Bawden There’s Nothing To Do, Jacob I Wish It Could Bee Christmas Every Day, Cameron Oh Little Brown Of Bethlehem, Coletter To Santa Burgess, John Louis Advert Carney-Smith, Courtney It’s Beginning To Cook A Lot Like Christmas, Aisling Through The Snow Davis, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carl Dillon, Baulbley Flynn, Kieran Fostie The Snowman, It’s Beginning To Look Charlotte Like Christmas Freyne, Beth Last Christmas I Gave You Fry Heart, Michael-mas Hall, Michael Christmas Cardy, Jennifer Helffron On The Shelffron, Laura-l Wreath Jones, Christmas Cake Jones, Charlotte Of Presents Kendrick, Lizzie Kendrick-ing Around The Christmas Tree, Jamie Ken-Lords A Leaping-yon, B-Abbie Jesus Kenworthy, Emma Lavertreey, Phil Up On Sweets Lyne, Amelia Maguire We Waiting To Open Our Presents , Sam Midnight Massen, Tegan Meek And Mild, Die Hard Is A Christmas Philm McLoughlin, Panto D-Amy McCutcheon, May Your Faye Be Merry And Bright Mcutcheon, Christmas Eve Mobey , Mia Molloy To The World, Alison Of Mary Myers, Ciara-lleluia Naughton, Matthew Mark Luke And John O’Keefe, When The Joeman Brings The Joe O’Neil, Santa Bay-Brea O’Donnell, Liam B-Orton-other Christmas Jumper, Kayleigh’s Irish Cream Oulton, Jamie Jingle Bell Peacock, Jake-ing Spirits Bright Pendleton, Millie In The Name Of At Christmas Number One Quayle, Declan Red Nosed Redmond, Katie Sherman-ger, Charis No Crib For A Stead, Hebron Laid Down His Sweet Tedros , Snowm-Annie Wardale, Hannah Silent Wright, Amy Holy Wright , Gina Playing Christmas Songs Over And Zotova, Courtyard Staff
Band Aid Cullen-Barrett, Joy To The World The Jordan Has Come Barkley, Deep And Crisp And Stephen Dixon, Oh Come All Ye Faith-ful Dawson, The Cattle Are Chloe-ing Thorpe, Millie In The Name Of At Christmas Number One Quayle, Boxing Day Board G-Aimee Kelly, Keira Comes Santa Claus Tann and Jasmin Ward Is Over
Cleaners Cleaning Supervisor: Billie Chishamper, Debbie Chishamper, Carla Snowman’s Eyes Made Of Cole, Joanne To You And Your Kinsella, Katie Frosty The Sherman, Amy Holy Wright
