This is our review of The Scouse Dick Whittington at Liverpool‘s Royal Court Theatre!
Synopsis Of The Scouse Dick Whittington
These are trying times in Liverpool. Why, you ask? Because the largely unpopular Mayor, Bradley Fitzwarren, officially steps down as Mayor of the city. Sounds good, right? Well, not exactly. Because the evil King Rat is planning to take over the city. And once he does so, he will have absolute power to run roughshod, from Kirkby to West Kirby and beyond.
But all is not lost? Dick and his trusty cat are here, and soon he’s considered the ideal choice to run as Mayor. Furthermore, he falls in love with Bradley’s daughter Alice. A happy couple indeed! But King Rat isn’t easy to stop, and so the story concerns the power struggle within the city. Meanwhile, Dick also has a conquest to find hidden treasure, which could very well influence his chances of gaining power.
Analysis Of The Scouse Dick Whittington
Kevin Fearon has written a truly hilarious festive show here. There are so many one-liners, ranging from clever quips to local references to the inevitable double entendres. And so many stand out for various reasons. For the younger adults, the wordplay on our hero’s name will garner plenty of laughs. Meanwhile, older attendees will appreciate the daft yet spot-on tributes to pop songs from over the years. And anyone with a Liverpudlian connection will love the endless array of jokes focusing on local areas and landmarks.
All of this would only take the show so far, though. I must point out that the cast does a tremendous job. Lindzi Germain is brilliant in her role as Holly Head, Dick’s mother. Elsewhere, Adam McCoy is fantastic in the starring role, showing versatility and a willingness to do just about anything for laughs. A special mention to Hayley Sheen as Alice and Keddy Sutton as the Cat, both of whom provide plenty of brutal one-liners. And of course, Andrew Schofield has the audience in stitches, often with subtle dance attempts and muttering insults.
Summary Of The Scouse Dick Whittington
I loved this show and felt that it was the ideal way to kick off the Christmas theatre season. I haven’t even mentioned the spectacular sets or the fantastic performance by the four-piece band. And with a feel-good vibe all the way through, this achieves everything that a Christmas production should. I left the theatre with a smile and a spring in my step. Go and see this show when you can as we edge closer and closer to Christmas Day!
