[Muppet]

Our Day Out: The Musical

Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool

Opened Friday 11^th Sept (until 17^th October)

Songs & Music by Willy Russell & Bob Eaton

Cast includes: Michael Starke (Sinbad – Brookside), Andrew Schofield, Bradley Clarkson, Gillian Hardie and over 20 young people.

The musical revolves around a school visit to North Wales. Mrs Kay teaches a group of lower ability children, called the "Progress Class". The whole group - along with a couple of older school bullies Digga and Reilly - are taken on an action packed coach trip to Conway castle, the Zoo, the beach and a fairground. At the last minute, the Headmaster asks Mr Briggs, the very strict authoritarian Deputy Headmaster, to supervise the trip, much to the dismay of the students. He joins Mrs Kay with her young and attractive newly qualified teachers Mark and Katie on an eventful day the children and staff will never forget!! And it’s not just the odd condom in the service station that these Scousers end up stealing either!!

This show is an absolute must see for those who have enjoyed the style of story that Willy Russell has become famous for with the likes of Blood Brothers, Shirley Valentine and Educating Rita. For the majority of the first and second acts I laughed so much tears were pouring down my face and my stomach hurt. However, just when you least expect it, Willy Russell manages to stab you in the chest with a heart-wrenching twist to the storyline that changes tears of laughter to those of sadness.

The songs varied in style from rap, hip-hop and rock n roll numbers to slow ballads. The song lyrics delivered in broad scouse accents were injected with so much humour, it made concentrating and listening to every word so much more important and enjoyable. The 20+ strong cast of young people all aged 12-18 were simply fantastic, their rawness, their energy, enthusiasm and passion came across so strong, it was infectious. What was clear was how much they seemed to be enjoying singing, dancing and performing it! I had the privilege of seeing the ‘Red team’ and they were all superb, particularly the smaller ‘solidly’ built lad and the ginger haired boy who had great facial expressions!! I also liked the two girl ‘clones’ who described everything as “it’s boring, it’s bleedin’ boring!”. I’ve worked with a few kids like them in my time!! The girls who played Carlene & Jackie were hilarious, particularly the former who had a crush on her male teacher and sang “I’m in love with sir...but sir doesn’t care...cos sir’s in love with her...over there...with the hair...the bleedin’ mare”. (In Scouse pronunciation...sir/care/her/there/hair and mare all rhyme perfectly!!).

In the second song ‘We’re Going Out Today (with Mrs Kay)’ the school bullies Digga and Reilly taunt the ‘Progress Class’ calling them every offensive term imaginable like ‘retards’, ‘spastics’ and ‘mongs’. The class move to the song jerkily, transforming their bodies quickly, almost robotically and charicaturing extreme deformity style handicaps. They respond repeating lyrics like “We can’t be arsed!”. It may sound a bit un-PC, but it was actually incredibly funny!!

Whilst Carlene had a crush on the young male teacher, her friend Reilly in contrast has a crush on the young female teacher and Katie’s attempts to discourage his flirting was bellyachingly hilarious! Imagine a young attractive female teacher ripping her dress off to reveal a Baywatch style red bathing suit and then singing ‘Beach Boy’ in a very sexually provocative manner! The teenage boy (an 18 yr old actor playing a 15/16 yr old before you get worried!) walks off stage in absolute embarrassment and holding his crotch!!

Then there’s Les (the blind!)lollipop man whose total incompetence and choice language towards the kids is brilliant!

I had read the play a number of years back and remember reading the directors notes about using stuffed toys as the zoo animals, so when the kids turned around and actually had REAL animals in their hands, both I, and the rest of the audience gasped in surprise! Thankfully they didn’t let go of the snakes though!!

The set was simple, but extremely effective. Video projections and simple props contributed well. What it lacked in effects and scenery it by far more than made up for in a cleverly written, witty and well performed storyline.

The finale song ‘No one can take this time away’ was extremely moving and the CD was on repeat in my car journey home.

The whole audience jumped to their feet with rapturous applause instantly, such was the effect this show had.

I have just booked to go again and I recommend this show to anyone! (except very small children perhaps!!)

9/10 – AWESOME!

By the way, there is a very interesting layout to this theatre! It needs to be seen to be believed!

[capitalofculture]

I've not seen the show as yet so I wondered how Andrew Schofield is in the show?

[capitalofculture]

By the way, there is a very interesting layout to this theatre! It needs to be seen to be believed!

Is that because the stalls have been made into tables and rowed seating?

I'm sitting in the rowed seating when I see the show and I'm a bit worried now

[capitalofculture]

Read somewhere that it got a standing ovation last night

[Muppet]

What's different about the layout of the theatre?
- In the stalls, there are table & chairs at the front where you can have meals served before the show.
Just behind them, there is raked stalls seating - I was on row B and the view was fine.
Behind the raked seating is a bar area with more tables & seating which is open before & after the show. Unlike many theatres, they served drinks in proper glasses and bottles and didn't mind you taking them to your seats!!

I've not seen the show as yet so I wondered how Andrew Schofield is in the show?
- He's okay, the young people steal it though!!

I'm sitting in the rowed seating when I see the show and I'm a bit worried now
- Don't be, I was at the end of a stalls row and the view was fine!

Read somewhere that it got a standing ovation last night
- Yes on it's first night, everyone instantly rose to their feet as soon as the last song finished, such was the enthusiasm of the audience towards this production, there were shouts, cheers, whistling, you name it - we loved it!!

[Muppet]

MD & Keyboard - Howard Gray

Others:
Adam Keast, Paul Mannion, James Newton, Marco Bernardis, Michael Davis

[Muppet]

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did Laura!

I went again last night and saw the 'blue' team perform who were just as good.

When I got home I booked again!! The songs are really catchy.