There is no doubt that audiences loved the original Brick Up with its first run in 2006 drawing record audiences to witness (and it’s been said spark) the rivalry between Liverpool and its more affluent (in parts) neighbour ‘over the water’ Wirral. The rivalry escalates to such a point that the Wirral side fundraise to brick up the Mersey Tunnels using Liverpool labour. For the uninitiated in Merseyside local geography, The Wirral is a rectangular peninsular opposite the city of Liverpool with the river Mersey forming a natural divide. The Mersey toll tunnels provide underwater road and train links directly between the two with a controversial new toll Gateway bridge (2017) linking Runcorn (on the outskirts of Liverpool) and Cheshire replacing the previous toll-free Runcorn Bridge. Two thirds of Wirral are in Merseyside with only a third claiming the coveted Cheshire postcode with its county capital Chester.
Coming somewhat late to the hugely successful Brick Up franchise I had no idea what to expect from the second outing at the Royal Court of the 2016 sequel to Brick Up The Mersey so was keen to see what all the fuss was about. The first surprise was that the show was very musical with an array of keyboards, drums and other instruments in the orchestra pit of this glorious over 1000 seated Art Deco theatre. Billy Meall has come out of retirement and designed yet another brilliant set with rooms flying in from either side of the stage representing a Wirral living room complete with Margaret Thatcher picture and a Liverpool greasy spoon café displaying a “Full English Brexit £200billion" sign. The multi-talented cast is lead on one side by the irrepressible Eithne Browne as stalwart Wirralite Ann Twacky from Heswall (which locals will know is technically in Merseyside) and home-grown, much-loved Liverpool actor Andrew Schofield, who never gives less than his all on stage, playing Liverpool builder Dickie Lewis. There is ample opportunity to exercise their comedic talents (not all scripted) as they interact with the rest of the accomplished cast. The show was unashamedly littered with local and political references and took the humour just about as far as it could with Wirral West and now Cheshire Tatton’s MP Esther McVey particularly coming under heavy attack, ‘She was too busy chucking homeless people into the river’. This is where writers Dave Kirby and Nicky Allt succeed, bringing great humour to some serious issues. Yes, there are extreme stereotypes but they make a point and there is fun to be had in Ann Twacky’s blue dress and grey wigged, Thatcher worshipping, Wirral matriarch with her husband Dennis (Roy Brandon) lazing about in a sleeveless vest using street language and trying to be ‘hard’. In fact, language plays a big part in the show with young Liverpool café owner Margaret (‘call me Maggie’) (Suzanne Collins) struggling to maintain her ‘posh’ accent as she moves to the Wirral with businessman boyfriend Elliot Neston (Danny Burns) triumphantly having ‘made it’ to a CH postcode complete with trellised back garden. All is not as it seems and Maggie epitomises the saying ‘the grass is greener on the other side’.
There is plenty of often frenzied action, sometimes bordering on panto, but there were enough reworked popular songs to keep the audience entertained and it is a high energy show throughout. There is no need to have seen the first Brick Up The Mersey to appreciate this bang-up-to-date sequel although regulars enjoyed the continuity of the largely retained original cast. It was a fun-filled evening that had the audience doubled in laughter at one minute and covering their gasping mouths with their hands the next. The jokes come with a fast and furious dialogue and brilliant comedy timing that this seasoned troupe make look easy. A good fun, no holes barred, Liverpool night out that pokes fun at everyone especially at themselves.
Reviewer - Barbara Sherlock
on - 13/3/19
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