By Susan Wallace
If you miss illustrious 70s Liverpool nightclubs Chequers, The Babalou, The Beachcomber, Ugly’s and Flintlocks, or just love 70s music and a good laugh – this one’s for you.
Feeling old after becoming a grandfather, cheeky, Scottie Road Scouser, Smigger (Andrew Schofield) escapes weekend babysitting to boogy on down to his favourite 70s disco when the realities of life do his head in. He’s wrecked.
This very funny, toe-tapping treat is the latest production in the popular, ‘Lost Soul’ series by plasterer turned successful playwright, Dave Kirby at Liverpool’s Art Deco, Grade II listed Royal Court Theatre – which offers a unique, cabaret-style, ‘Dining Experience’ option in the stalls. It has some matinees and is five minutes walk from Central – and Lime Street Station for wooly backs!
Life’s gotten stale. Where did the years go? The 70s music heyday and Liverpool nightlife, gone faster than ‘Chicken in a Basket’.
Smigger misses attention and sexy play time with wife, Donna, (Lindzi Germain), who’s doting on her new grandson and not been up for their traditional over 40s Sunday pub night in town lately, let alone anything else.
So they ditch domesticity and do the hustle off to Pontins Prestatyn for a saucy weekend.
The cast of seven also includes their daughter, new mum Amy (Jennifer Hynes); her laddish, scally boyfriend, of sorts, Charlie (Michael Hawkins); family bessies, couple, Terry (Paul Duckworth) and Pat (Cath Rice) with hapless, young barman (Lenny Wood) watching the seniors strut their funky stuff at the weekly ‘Soul Train’ 70s night disco for oldies.
At Pontins, Donna is all poised in red negligee set. But hopes of any inventive, raunchy role play are soon dashed as Smigger’s mucked up the packing.
On stage, the rotating set returns us home where crazy antics continue to conspire. Smigger’s had enough. The eternal teenager loves his family, but he’s off to have some time away by himself. He goes to the Riviera – Guest House, that is. He wants to go on Love Island for the over 50s.
Meanwhile, back at the disco, there’s hot drama and uncool dancing – with a comedic, clapalong performance on the dance floor when the barman has a go – more Morris than Motown!
In the house, Donna tanks up on paracetamol to cope without her wayward ‘Peter Pan’ husband and a madcap plan is hatched to hopefully reunite the devoted pair – always and forever.
With its 70s Liverpool nightlife nostalgia, catchy soul soundtrack, strong language, goofy gags and puns and indigenous one-liners, we smile in the face of the angst of love, life and loss.
A dab of pathos, and altered pace, doesn’t distract from the fun of the slapstick action – sharply, yet warmly directed by Bob Eaton – as we see Smigger comically lament the scary passing of 40-odd years at the speed of a disco inferno and the inevitability of having to let the music play.
As the script reveals through one hilarious altercation, just don’t ever mention the actor Alan Ladd to a Liverpool Lad. You’ll be there all day!
Lost Soul 2: Running until 14 September. Tickets from 0151 709 4321, liverpoolsroyalcourt.com and in person.