Theatre - Uncover Liverpool

Beanstalk!

Jack is stuck working in their Mum’s greengrocers, when all they want is to go on adventures!

But between Mr Business trying to buy the shop, D.A.I.S.E.E (The Digital Artificial Intelligence System for E-Commerce Extravaganzas!), and a huge Beanstalk sprouting between the shelves – maybe the biggest adventure isn’t so far away after all!

The Loons are back with another Tale for Kids, Big Kids and everyone in between! Stuffed with our trademark mischief, magic, music and maybe a bean sprout or two…

Recurring events in Liverpool

Liverpool is a city full of Irish culture. There is always something happening that you join in with. Below is a lit of regular and recurring activities, delivered by our that you can pick up at any time.
Liverpool Irish Centre
The Liverpool Irish Centre runs a shop full of Irish produce, open 7-days a week. It receives Irish food deliveries fortnightly on a Wednesday/Thursday. The main bar hours are Fri and Sat, 2pm-midnight and Sun, 12.30pm-9pm, with live music 4/5pm. Follow them online to stay up to date with events. The venue is a hireable space and can be booked for parties or functions. The recurring programme looks like this:

Monday

Gardening class,10am, The Shed
Comhaltas, 6.30pm

Tuesday

Sequence dancing, 1pm
Liverpool Irish Choir, 6.30pm

Wednesday

JJ’s lunch club, 1pm
Yoga, 6pm
Irish language, 6-8pm
The Lowlands, 7pm
Liverpool Irish Fluteband, 7.30pm

Thursday

Tea dance/Bingo, 1pm
Irish language, 6pm
Bolger-Cunningham Irish dance, 6.30pm
Liverpool Irish Rovers social run, 6.30pm

Friday

25 cards, 9pm

Saturday

Bolger-Cunningham Irish dance, 10am
Tin whistle class, 10.30am, The Shed.

In addition, Liverpool Irish Rovers run regularly through the week. Contact them directly to join. The Centre runs Supper Céilí on the last Wednesday of every month at 8.30pm and hosts a monthly seisiún on the third Sunday of every month.
Comhaltas
Running classes regularly at the Liverpool Irish Centre, Comhaltas is your go to organisation for anything relating to Irish music. See day listing above for class times.
Conradh Na Gaeilge Learpholl
Irish language is on the rise again, not least because of the astounding work done at community level by groups such as Conradh Na Gaeilge Learpholl. Based at Liverpool Irish Centre, there are all sorts of lessons to join in with. Look at the day lists above for details of Wed/Thurs clubs. They also host Lon Gaeilge sessions at 12.30pm on the first Friday of every month at The Railway on Tithebarn Street. Guests to this are invited to bring 10 new words per session to use in conversation. Conradh Na Gaeilge Learpholl are the lead organisers of the annual Tony Birtill memorial lecture and scholarship.
Irish Community Care Merseyside
With 60-years of Irish community championing, Irish Community Care Merseyside is a first port of call for those needing to access welfares services. It undertakes year-round work to improve life-chances and build communities.
Liverpool Irish Famine Trail
Conserved and updated by Liverpool Irish Festival, the Liverpool Irish Famine Trail has an app and self-guided maps that you can take yourself through. There ar recurring walks taking place across the year – see our events page using the Events menu above, or this link.
The Institute of Irish Studies, University of Liverpool
An academic centre of excellence with a year round programme of events, talks, activities and archives to share. Sign up for their events mailings.

Red Or Dead

Liverpool’s Royal Court are proud to present Red Or Dead A Liverpool PassionPeter Mullan (Ozark, Westworld, Mum) is Bill Shankly in an incredible new show adapted from David Peace’s iconic novel.
“I’m a people’s man – only the people matter.” Bill Shankly

This epic show, with a cast of 52, is the fictionalised story of one man, Bill Shankly and his work and of his life after that work. A man of two halves.

“Although I’m a Scot, I’d be proud to be called a Scouser. ”Bill Shankly

Brought to Liverpool from Huddersfield to fire the red heat of a revolution, Bill Shankly had one aim. To build Liverpool Football Club up and up until they were invincible.

“Liverpool was made for me, and I was made for Liverpool. ”Bill Shankly

Promotion, the first division title, the FA Cup and success in Europe all followed as Shankly defined what it was to be a Liverpool fan. He demanded total loyalty from his players and coaches. A loyalty that he hoped would be repaid when he retired.

“All I ask is that we try to make the people happy.” Bill Shankly

Adapted and directed by Phillip Breen (Royal Shakespeare Company, Clwyd Theatre Cymru) this will be the World premiere of an epic show that will have you on your feet and crying out the great man’s name. Don’t miss it.

“David Peace’s fictional portrait of the legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly is so hypnotic that even the football-averse might enjoy it.” Mark Lawson, The Guardian

“David Peace brings perfect pitch to this ode to Bill Shankly’s Liverpool reign.” Frank Cottrell-Boyce, The Observer

A love letter to a great manager, an elegy to the beautiful game.” Doug Johnstone The Independent

Read the show programme here

Age advisory 14+

Cast confirmed: Les Dennis, Matthew Devlin, Paul Duckworth, Keith Fleming, George Jones, Gordon Kennedy, Oliver Mawdsley, Allison McKenzie, Peter Mullan, Liam Powell-Berry, Dickon Tyrrell and Jhanaica Van Mook

Written by David Peace

Adapted for the stage and directed by Phillip Breen

Designer Max JonesAssociate Director Nicole BehanMusic Paddy Cunneen

8pm shows Tuesday to Saturday, 2pm matinees on selected Thursdays and all Saturdays.

Matinee tickets now available with a bowl of scouse for £10

Performance Information

Stalls tickets are available with a meal (served at your table before the show) for an extra £14 for one course at evening shows Click here to see our menu or an extra £10 at matinees (scouse or blind scouse only). If you are eating with us please arrive at least an hour before the performance.

Tickets are available for the show alone in stalls, circle and balcony.

BSL performance is on Tuesday 8 April (interpreter Steven Delaney-Cain). Audio Described performance is on Wednesday 9 April (describer Anne Hornsby). To book please contact Box Office on 0151 709 4321 or email lauren@royalcourtliverpool.com.

Captioning will be available for performances from 15-19 April. Please contact Box Office for more details.

Circle and balcony will open at 7.15pm. There are bars in both areas for pre-show and interval drinks. Stalls will be open from 6:15pm.

If you are bringing a large group, every tenth ticket is free. This ticket will be automatically added to your basket on purchase. Meals and building levy must still be paid on your free ticket.

NO BOOKING FEES ON THIS SHOW

Please note – the bar will close 15 minutes before the advertised start time.

£2 from every ticket bought will be donated to The Royal Court Liverpool Trust. For more details go to www.royalcourttrust.org

Please contact Box Office to book if you are a wheelchair user.

Speedo Mick – The Scouse Stomper

Over its illustrious 150-year history Everton Football Club has had many heroes but perhaps none of them have been absorbed into the wider public consciousness as much as Speedo Mick. A die-hard Blues supporter, supported himself by thousands across the country and around the world.

This is the story of a man who thought he had lost everything. His family, his home, his mind and his soul. For some time, he suffered from addiction and mental health issues. As he got on the road to recovery, he wanted to give something back, so he set about raising money.

He ran marathons until his knees gave out, he swam the channel until his shoulder packed in. And after that? Well, he had the trunks and he fancied a walk…

Join us for the world premiere of the musical that celebrates one of the biggest characters to come out of this city. From being that homeless guy in the shop doorway, they said wouldn’t amount to anything to raising more than £1,000,000 for disadvantaged young people and the homeless.

These tickets are going to go fast so get your Speedos on and walk down to the Court.

Age advisory 16+ Strong language.

Dress code: get dressed

Written by John Fay

Music by Boff Whalley

Directed by Conrad Nelson

8pm shows Tuesday to Saturday, 2pm matinees on selected Thursdays and all Saturdays.

Matinee tickets now available with a bowl of scouse for £10

Performance Information

Tickets are available for the show alone in stalls, circle and balcony.

BSL performance is on Tuesday 17 June (interpreter Karl Llorca). Audio Described performance is on Wednesday 18 June (describer Anne Hornsby). To book please contact Box Office on 0151 709 4321 or email lauren@royalcourtliverpool.com.

Captioning will be available for performances from 1-5 July. Please contact Box Office for more details.

Circle and balcony will open at 7.15pm. There are bars in both areas for pre-show and interval drinks. Stalls will be open from 6:15pm.

If you are bringing a large group, every tenth ticket is free. This ticket will be automatically added to your basket on purchase. Meals and building levy must still be paid on your free ticket.

NO BOOKING FEES ON THIS SHOW

Please note – the bar will close 15 minutes before the advertised start time.
£2 from every ticket bought will be donated to The Royal Court Liverpool Trust. For more details go to www.royalcourttrust.org

Please contact Box Office to book if you are a wheelchair user.

Takeaway

A portion of fun and a big plate of chaos.

Hyltons Caribbean takeaway is a much-loved restaurant at the heart of Liverpool 8. Built by Carol and her late husband into a bustling hub with a mouth-watering menu, it serves great food with a huge side-order of love. But in a world of delivery apps, street food markets and gourmet curry goat, her family are divided about what their future should hold.

The Liverpool they live in is changing too. With a block of luxury apartments about to be built over a local field, anger’s rising and things are getting spicy.

Takeaway is a big bowl of fun, heartbreak and chaos dished up by our creative director, Nathan Powell. Packed with big laughs, family tensions and delicious food, this is a tasty Everyman treat made for our stage, our city, our people – the perfect recipe for everyone who loves a delicious night out.

The Girl On The Train

Rachel Watson longs for a different life.

Her only escape is the perfect couple she watches through the train window every day, happy and in love. Or so it appears. When Rachel learns that the woman she’s been secretly watching has suddenly disappeared, she finds herself as a witness and even a suspect in a thrilling mystery in which she will face bigger revelations than she could ever have anticipated.

Adapted from Paula Hawkins’ novel – an international phenomenon selling over twenty million copies worldwide – this gripping new play will keep you guessing until the final moment.

Health and Happiness: Two Plays for the Human Voice

Following Tom Hall’s successful WoWFest audio plays, Bartleby: A Tale of Wall Street (2023) and Anything for a Laugh (2024), One Hour Theatre Company presents two short plays for radio, as a collective listening experience.

Set in Argentina during economic collapse, but with a British tone, My Own Free Voice features Jane Hogarth as an un-named woman, and the drama explores the centrality of family relationships to the maintenance and projection of happiness, loyalty, and the nation, under military dictatorship.

Both plays are directed by Victor Merriman, featured in I Live Alone as the Protagonist, who takes another man’s turn in an A&E waiting room. Chancing his arm, this loquacious and jocular working-class Dubliner sets in train a series of unpredictable events reminiscent of the dark comedic writings of Flann O’Brien. Sound design, recording, and editing: WeZ Nolan.

Mystery Theatre Club – Ash and Money

After a brief stint away and a few secret screenings, Mystery Theatre Club is back!

This time they’re upstairs at Metrocola in town!

In May we will be screening Ash & Money, a favourite during our residency at Kitty’s Launderette.

Ash and Money is the first film project by Theatre NO99. It is a full length making-of documentary that sheds light into how NO75 Unified Estonia came to be, interviews the people behind the project and also many political figures in office at the time and looks into how the process of creating possibly the biggest contemporary performing arts event in recent European history evolved in real time.

The NO99 Theater announced in March of 2010 that it would use all the tricks commonly used in politics and communications over the following two months to create a new successful and energetic super-party. The theater organized a party convention and staged it with the participation of 7000 people. The documentary film produced about the project and its influences is a study of the state of affairs in democracy, the media and grass-roots society in the Republic of Estonia.

BUT time did it’s work…

Situation changed and people changed.

Or did they?

North by Northwest

Theatre legend Emma Rice takes on a film legend in this riotously funny reworking that turns the original thriller on its head.

With just six performers, a fabulous fifties soundtrack and a lot of suitcases, this production plays with the heart, mind and soul. Join us for a night of glamour, romance, jeopardy and a liberal sprinkling of tender truths.

The Walrus Has a Right To Adventure

A wilder life is closer than you think.

Meet Oskar, Rio and Hazel – three people getting on with their lives in different corners of the globe. They’ve never spoken. They’ve never met. But they’re about to share a startling wild-animal encounter. One that will transform the way they think about their world.

From Norway’s glittering fjords to Colorado’s stunning peaks to Halewood’s majestic Tesco, The Walrus Has a Right to Adventure spins three very human stories into one tender and touching tale.

Funny, surprising and inspired by real animal encounters from around the world, this is powerful, inventive storytelling at its creative best – a swooping, soaring play about instinct, expectation and identity, and what it means to be truly free.

Event type: Theatre