This is 80s’ Liverpool. Chrissie, Loggo, George, Dixie and Yosser are used to hard work and providing for their families. But there is no work and there is no money. What are they supposed to do? Work harder, work longer, buy cheaper, spend less? They just need a chance.
Life is tough but the lads can play the game. Find the jobs, avoid the ‘sniffers’ and see if you can have a laugh along the way.
40 years after Alan Bleasdale’s ground-breaking television series was essential viewing, Liverpool’s Royal Court and Stockroom Productions are delighted to present an unmissable, powerful new adaptation by James Graham, writer of the hit BBC series Sherwood.
Cast confirmed: Dominic Carter, George Caple, Helen Carter, Aron Julius, Oliver Mawdsley, Nathan McMullen, Lauren O’Neil, Andrew Schofield, Barry Sloane and Mark Womack
A new stage adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s Porno is coming to Liverpool’s Olympia this October, follows a sell-out run at last year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Fifteen years after Trainspotting, what has become of Renton, Sickboy, Begbie & Spud? Disturbing, shocking & extremely funny. Contains swearing, sexual language, debauchery, drug use and even more swearing. As if you’d expect anything else.
Irvine Welsh’s Porno is a full-length stage adaptation of the novel by the same name, which sold out one of the largest Pleasance venues for a month long run at Edinburgh Fringe in 2022, earning rave reviews from audiences and critics alike.
Mark Renton hasn’t been back to Leith since… well, since he robbed his pals and f*cked off to Amsterdam. Life has been… good? But there’s always been something missing. How will Sickboy, Begbie & Spud react to the return of Renton? Have they all settled down and become respectable members of society? Did they choose life? Of course, they f*cking didn’t!
With an acclaimed cast of Scott Kyle (Outlander, Kilo Two Bravo, The Angel’s Share) as Renton, James McAnerney (Outlander, NEDs, Taggart, Rebus, Nightsleeper) as Sickboy, Jasmine Main (The Nest, Scot Squad, BAFTA Scotland Award Nominee) as Lizzie, Chris Gavin (Days That Shook The World, Starcaster) as Begbie, Kevin Murphy as Spud and Jim Brown as Knox. Porno is written and produced by the award-winning Davie Carswell and directed by Jonty Cameron.
Set when The Great Devouring comes home, England & Son is a one-man play written specifically for the award-winning political comedian Mark Thomas by award-winning playwright Ed Edwards (The Political History of Smack and Crack, Paines Plough’s Roundabout, Soho and UK tour).
This is the first play Mark has ever performed in that he has not written himself.
With some deep, dark laughs-and some deep, dark love-along the way, England & Son emerges from characters Mark knew in his childhood and Ed’s lived experience in jail.
Prepare for Mark to take you on a kaleidoscopic odyssey where disaster capitalism, empire, stolen youth and stolen wealth merge into the simple tale of a working-class boy who just wants his dad to smile at him.
Borrowed is a radical story about a pregnant fat girl, a prejudiced healthcare system, and a pineapple.
Triggered by the overturning of Roe v Wade in the United States, Borrowed was born (pun intended).
Centring a fat woman as our protagonist, this play destroys the notion that the sole purpose of pregnant people are to be vehicles for a foetus. It tackles what it’s truly like to grow something inside of you and battle the thoughts of your own inner child, while manoeuvring a medical field like a landmine. At the heart of this play, it is about a person’s bodily autonomy and trying to navigate a world that was not made for them.
This performance will feature a 30 minute long Post-Show Q&A with the creator of the piece entitled ‘Fat Characters Aren’t Just Funny Friends’.
Celebrating a renowned writer and one of England’s first abolitionists, ‘A Portrait of William Roscoe’ will see the man come magically alive and out of his portrait to talk about his life and times.
Using puppetry, physicality and traditional storytelling.
A poet, historian, and patron of the arts, he was responsible for helping to establish the first botanical garden in Liverpool in 1802. In that same year, he wrote a children’s poem, The Butterfly’s Ball and The Grasshopper’s Feast for his son, Robert, which won him international fame.
Roscoe was a social activist throughout his life and an advocate for the environment and racial justice. He became an MP in Liverpool to vote against slavery and this led to the abolition of slavery in 1807. Journey with us back to see Liverpool through the eyes of this distinguished gentleman.
Fresh from a stint at the Shakespeare North Playhouse, Artsgroupie and Playwright John Maguire bring this new play to the Newsroom of The Athenaeum, where it will be performed under the portrait of Roscoe himself!
Due to the configuration of the building, access may not be possible for wheel chair users. It is recommended to contact the concierge desk on 0151 709 7770 to discuss access prior to booking if you have any queries.
Ticket price includes a complimentary glass of Club wine or a soft drink upon arrival, and access to the Athenaeum from 6:00pm. The performance will start at 8:00pm, admittance cannot be guaranteed after this time.
From the makers of the hit play “Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse”.
Celebrating a renowned writer and one of England’s first abolitionists, ‘A Portrait of William Roscoe’ will see the man come magically alive and out of his portrait to talk about his life and times.
Using puppetry, physicality and traditional storytelling.
A poet, historian, and patron of the arts, he was responsible for helping to establish the first botanical garden in Liverpool in 1802. In that same year, he wrote a children’s poem, The Butterfly’s Ball and The Grasshopper’s Feast for his son, Robert, which won him international fame.
Roscoe was a social activist throughout his life and an advocate for the environment and racial justice. He became an MP in Liverpool to vote against slavery and this led to the abolition of slavery in 1807. Journey with us back to see Liverpool through the eyes of this distinguished gentleman.
Produced by: ArtsGroupie
Directed by Margaret Connell
Starring John Maguire
Written by John Maguire
From the makers of the hit play “Kitty: Queen of the Washhouse”.
Celebrating a renowned writer and one of England’s first abolitionists, ‘A Portrait of William Roscoe’ will see the man come magically alive and out of his portrait to talk about his life and times.
Using puppetry, physicality and traditional storytelling.
A poet, historian, and patron of the arts, he was responsible for helping to establish the first botanical garden in Liverpool in 1802. In that same year, he wrote a children’s poem, The Butterfly’s Ball and The Grasshopper’s Feast for his son, Robert, which won him international fame.
Roscoe was a social activist throughout his life and an advocate for the environment and racial justice. He became an MP in Liverpool to vote against slavery and this led to the abolition of slavery in 1807. Journey with us back to see Liverpool through the eyes of this distinguished gentleman.
Produced by: ArtsGroupie
Directed by Margaret Connell
Starring John Maguire
Written by John Maguire
Pillow Talk is a new play that follows a trans man’s journey as he discovers his sexual identity across three different sexual partners.
CONTENT WARNING: Transphobia, depictions of sex, depictions of sexual assault.
Pillow Talk focuses on sex from a trans lens and the importance of communication and consent in the bedroom. The aim is to open a discussion about trans gay sexuality, as well as to provide representation of what sex can be like for trans people, especially trans men and trans masculine individuals – something that is rarely shown in media.
The iconic Everyman Rock ‘n’ Roll panto is back, and they’re delighted to announce that this year they’re telling the story of Cinderella.
With heaps of sass, silliness and sparkle, our awesomely talented actor musicians will bring the classic fairy tale to life in surprising style.
Bursting with banging pop and rock tunes, this is a show that will have you singing and dancing along, no matter what your age.
A musical exploring the highs and lows of having ADHD is embarking on a national tour this autumn. ADHD The Musical: Can I Have Your Attention Please? is the brainchild of Dora Colquhoun, a neurodivergent theatre maker and performer based in Liverpool. With the help of Dolly Parton, Julie Andrews and Cher, the piece attempts to unpack the feelings of shame and failure commonly felt by those with the disorder.
With support from Arts Council England, Dora worked with Professor Joydeep Bhattacharya – a neuroscientist from Goldsmiths University in London – to produce the musical comedy lecture which navigates the challenges of being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. The show – which will travel across the UK taking in dates at venues in Scarborough, Liverpool, Wakefield, Devon, St Helens, Bristol, Warrington, London and Ormskirk – also explores the differences in which ADHD manifests in men and women, something which the medical profession has only relatively recently begun to acknowledge.
Dora herself said: “It is a really important time to be sharing this work. ADHD and neurodiversity only very recently is prevalent in mainstream society. For many years women have been left out of the conversation and research. I hope to provide an honest, eye opening and entertaining account of my experience as a woman with ADHD. My aim is to create acceptance, understanding and open up the conversation as to what having ADHD means. I do not have any answers, but I have stories, songs and multiple wigs.”
The exciting and heartfelt production, which was described as “a beautiful, poignant, moving and incredibly important ride from start to finish” by the Liverpool Theatre Festival, is a journey of self discovery and self acceptance that looks to end the stigma and address common dismissals of ADHD. As Dora herself says of the show, “Let me take you by the hand and explore: Why people with ADHD are drawn to new experiences? Why have I had so many jobs? Why did I drink enough to kill a small horse before a job interview?”
