Interest area: culture

Six savvy scribes have soaked up the scouse spirit at Make It Write’s workshop and are serving up seven slices of storytelling in Liverpool.

Two years ago Make it Write ran workshops for writers and directors resulting in a showcase production headed “Seven Slices of Life”. 

It has now been turned into a weird and wonderful show being performed at Hope Street Theatre, Hope Street, Liverpool on April 22 and 23.

Each play offers a fascinating slice of everyday drama. From the pizza shop to the massage parlour, the nursing home crisis to the good old kitchen sink. 

One writer and director Jay Lally says: “The directors’ programme helped me also as a writer. I have written mostly with film in mind previously and now I can write with my own directing in mind from the conception.”

Mark Kyle Cooper directs “Hello Passions”, Tammy Doyle’s insight into the trials and tribulations of a teenage madam. Sarah runs a massage parlour in the 90s, long before the pandemic, masks were not required but were often included.

Phil the manager of the Crosby branch of a Pizza delivery chain, is alone with the weekend’s takings in the safe, when an unexpected visitor livens up his day in Bernie Winston’s “O Sole Mio”, also directed by Mark Kyle Cooper.

In “Twisted Sister” written by Liz Redwood and directed by Phoebe Dawn McSweeney, Sarah has got the best toy she’s ever had. But she’s got to hide it from her sister Amy, because that bitch has always wanted to steal her favourite toys.

Shaun Daly directs “Her First Time”, Gerry Johnson’s gentle and poignant look at how death in a nursing home can affect staff deeply and differently.

Martha is breaking the rules but she doesn’t know how. Lucy’s there to stop her but she’s not sure why. Both are trying to make sense of things in Nia Thomas’ “The Watchers” directed by Phoebe Dawn McSweeney.

In writer/director Jay Lally’s “Craft” two debutant paratroopers in World War II deliberate existence in a homage to 30s’ style U.S radio. Initially Jay wrote this as a five-minute, one scene radio play as an exercise, then decided to adapt into a theatre piece. 

“Protagonising” from the same auteur is a silent play which sees a man who longs to be a hero start to ponder if a life of nihilism isn’t better for his health, mental and physical. 

 

Frantic Assembly presents its award-winning and electrifying take on Shakespeare’s tragedy of paranoia, sex and murder. Othello’s passionate affair with Desdemona becomes the catalyst for jealousy, betrayal, revenge and the darkest intents.

Frantic Assembly takes Shakespeare’s muscular and beautiful text, combines its own bruising physicality, and presents an Othello firmly rooted in a volatile 21st century. This is a world of broken glass and broken promises, of poisonous manipulation and explosive violence.

As relevant today as it ever was, Othello exposes the tension, fear and paranoia buried beneath the veneer of our relationships and how easily that can be maliciously exploited.

Following highly acclaimed runs in 2008 and 2014, audience favourite Othello returns this autumn with an updated version for 2022.

Everyman Theatre are delighted to present the world premiere of Corrina, Corrina, a new play by award-winning, Liverpool-based playwright Chloe Moss (Love Liverpool).

Directed by Headlong Artistic Director, Holly Race Roughan, this gripping thriller set at sea explores the power dynamics and exploitation on board a cargo ship travelling from the UK to Singapore and opens at Liverpool Everyman May 2022.

Described as ‘a truly gifted stand up’ by The Sunday Times, join Joanne as she revisits her irreverent and critically acclaimed show The Prosecco Express.

Due to a relentless ageing process, Joanne is suddenly in her late thirties with no husband, no kids, no pension and no plan. She is full of questions: if she doesn’t birth anything, who will be obligated to watch her die so she doesn’t have to do it alone?

Can she start a GoFundMe page to get a golden tomb built for single people to get buried in together, or do we all just get thrown into a mass grave and covered in cat hair? When a man on a dating app identifies as ‘spiritual’, is it safe to assume he has the personality of a spoon? If you do all your drinking in the bath, can you write it off as self-care?

Based on J.M. Barrie’s timeless classic about the boy who never grew up, Peter Pan is the second Spring panto from Regal Entertainments, promising a family friendly swashbuckling show featuring fabulous flying scenes!

With a sprinkling of fairy dust, audiences are invited to join Peter, Wendy, John, Michael, Tinkerbell and friends as they leave St Helens behind, flying past the second star to the right and straight to Neverland, to enjoy daring adventures battling the evil Captain Hook and his hapless henchman. Along the way, theatregoers will also meet Pirates, Fairies, Lost Boys, Indians, and of course one tick-tocking crocodile. 

The title role of Peter Pan will be played by Harrison Vaughan from television show The Greatest Dancer. He will be joined by a whole host of St Helens favourites returning to the stage for another spectacular panto.

Showtimes vary, see here for full listings.