By Ade Blackburn
Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre is one of most iconic and welcoming theatres in the city. Housed in a beautifully restored Art Deco building, it’s a venue where modern productions meet historic charm. Known for its laugh-out-loud comedies and musicals, the Royal Court is deeply rooted in the city’s culture — from the stories it tells to the people who bring them to life.
The Royal Court Theatre produces eight long running plays every year, mostly comedies and musicals. The shows have a Liverpool theme with largely Liverpool cast and crew. Sets are built in the city, rehearsals take place in Liverpool and 95% of all money spent by the theatre goes back into the local economy.
If you’re after a scouse night out, The Court is the place to be.
History and Art Deco Grandeur
The Royal Court stands on a site that has entertained the city since 1826, when it opened as Cooke’s New Circus and rebranded in 1831 as Cooke’s Amphitheatre of Arts, presenting opera, music, theatre and ballet. It became the Royal Court Theatre in 1881 and quickly gained a reputation as Liverpool’s leading venue for touring music, theatre, and ballet.
Its Art Deco redesign in 1938 gave it the stylish silhouette seen today — now Grade II listed and lovingly restored by architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris. Over the years, legends like Judi Dench, Laurence Olivier, Fred Astaire, and Ken Dodd have graced its stage. In fact, Dame Judi Dench made her acting debut here in 1957 and is now Patron of the Royal Court Trust.
Theatre Shows
The venue regularly hosted gigs in the 80s, including legendary shows by Kraftwerk, Echo and the Bunnymen and The Specials, amongst many others, before emerging with their own Liverpool-based original theatre productions.
A cast of mainly Merseyside regulars, including former Brookside stars Michael Starke and Suzanne Collins, star in an ongoing season of irreverent comedy with excellent production values. Pre-show dining, cabaret-style stalls seating and a range of drinks are served before and after the show, a feature of a night out at the Court.
The Royal Court also stages Shakespearean productions from the local Lodestar Theatre Company and occasional musical events. In addition, they run a fascinating Heritage Tour, covering the theatre’s history via a backstage tour through set storage, dressing rooms and loft space.
In recent years, the theatre staged their comedy A Thong For Europe and hosted a Eurovision screening, as part of the city-wide Eurovision celebration, and their Boys From The Blackstuff production has played at the National Theatre. Currently, they’re staging the musical Speedo Mick – The Scouse Stomper, an inspiring show about a die-hard Everton fan raising more than a million pounds for disadvantaged young people and the homeless.
Youth Theatre
The Royal Court isn’t just about what happens on stage — it’s also nurturing the next generation of creatives. Their Youth Theatre is open to 11–17 year olds from across the city, this free programme helps young people gain hands-on experience in acting, writing, fundraising, and stage management.
New Writing
One of the region’s largest producers of theatre, Liverpool’s Royal Court has a focus on new writing, with their Stage Write playwright development programme.
The theatre began producing shows in 2006, and quickly developed its own house style. In the early years the programming was a mix of established and commissioned plays but since 2017 all of their work has been written for the Royal Court. As well as their main house works, the 150 seat Studio space is a great place to develop new plays and they commission three new pieces each year.
They are committed to supporting the development of new works and new writers whether for the Royal Court audience or not. As access is an important part of the way they work, all of these initiatives are free to access.
Community Choir
Want to get involved but not quite ready for the spotlight? The Royal Court’s free Community Choir welcomes all abilities. It’s about fun, friendship, and finding your voice — with past performances at events like Liverpool ONE’s Christmas switch-on and Pride in Liverpool. Sessions take place every Monday (except Bank Holidays), 5–7pm in the Studio. Open to anyone aged 16+.
From heritage tours to hilarious comedies, community programmes to inspiring musicals, find out what’s on at Liverpool’s Royal Court via their events listings.