Imagine returning to Liverpool to join native Scousers and other Merseyside folk in experiencing a show poking fun at them in a comedic manner, based around their heritage, dialect and way of life, but set on an exotic tropical island. Believe me there is nothing quite like it but it is blooming amazing and a thoroughly enjoyable night out.
The theatre: The Royal Court. The show: a local-adapted version of the musical South Pacific (that premiered here nine years ago). The cast: truly amazing, and their talents multiple each! The title: Scouse Pacific (of course, as with many of the theatre’s comedy shows about the city).
Loosely based on the TV series Lost, writer Fred Lawless’ brilliant script is more of a pantomime concept and execution than a traditional musical, but, having seen a few ‘jukebox musicals’ recently, it certainly fits the bill and makes for a highly entertaining night out, even feeling part of the action (and there is a lot) with the ‘breaking down the fourth wall’ approach. As well as being able to take the mick out of themselves, due to not taking themselves too seriously in the first place, the happy people of Liverpool always seem to enjoy things more with expletives.
With a caricaturised static set, that is well-utilised, the orchestra adorn the front of the stage in the pit - complete with matching Hawaiian shirts, and boy do they help bring the show alive! (the band not just the shirts) The clever witty writing, and its delivery by the likes of Scouse comedy legend Michael Starke (from TV’s The Royal and Coronation Street and I saw him in Anything Goes)
We open with Starke as Irish Sister Mersey and his/her two trusty casino-lurred nun companions and the first of an upbeat soundtrack in Hues Corporation’s ‘Rock The Boat’, before references of ‘Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat’ from Guys and Dolls and an adapted ‘Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair’,‘Bali Hai’ and ‘Happy Talk’ from South Pacific, as well as a revised version of ‘The Leaving Of Liverpool’. They arrive on the island from Liverpool and are “the sisters of Mersey (Mercy)”. With many other references to the city, including the Flipper (LIPA) school, Ken Dodd’s Tickling Stick, and those who feature in the in-story tale of Billy Reilly (from the 1800s) and Captain Hoylake [a town on The Wirral opposite Livepool on the other side of The Mersey estuary] and his assistant Smeg, aboard the HMS Bootle. [an area of Liverpool]
Whilst on the island, the nuns discover the Reilly family who are relatives of their distant ancestor Billy: mother Mary (Linzi Germain, who I have had the pleasure of seeing in pantomime), father Terry (Jake Abraham, whose extensive experience includes the film Spike Island and TV’s Red Dwarf, as well as Game Of Thrones!) and their daughter Donna Marie (Jamie Clarke, whose voice is one of the best I have heard in theatre lately, and is daughter of Michael Starke. The majority of her experience is in Liverpool and her mum Lynn and sister Hayely are also Royal Court regulars). Throughout the story we also meet property developer and owner of the Hoylake Holiday resort on the opposite Island, Roger Burke (Stephen Fletcher) who is performed brilliantly as a pompous millionaire, and his nephew Richard ‘Dick’ Head (Guy Freeman, whose stage presence alone takes him from a triple-threat to quadruple, not to mention his dancing, singing and acting). The whole cast are stunning and their comedy timing is flawless.
Roger plans to dig a tunnel under the sea to access the Reilly’s island and turn it into an expansion zone for his resort, thinking that is is uninhabited. The family, in turn, think the same about Hoylake Island until they hear about the resort that features bars, pools, casinos, etc. and they all want to experience it for themselves.. Well all but Terry who remains patriotic to his ancestor Billy who was tricked from rescuing Captain Hoylake - Roger’s ancestor - with a barrel of port. Roger hatches a plan to get the family over to his island, involving love (leading us into ‘Sex Bomb’) and deceit, but it doesn’t work out as Richard really does love Donna Marie; Sister Mersey has the ‘holy spirit’ hidden in her driftwood chapel and uses that for the prenuptial festivities; and a volcano on another island halts everything anyway, prompting the cast to sing ‘Lava’s In The Air’!
Before the eruption, we also hear such songs as Hot Chocolate’s ‘I Believe In Miracles’, Len Barry’s ‘1 2 3’, Robbie Williams’ ‘Let Me Entertain You’ (which serves as Roger’s entrance), Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, Jimmy Soul’s ‘If You Wanna Be Happy (for the rest of your life)’, Andy Williams’ ‘I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, Harry Belafonte’s ‘Banana Boat Song (Day-O)’, Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse (Of The Heart)’, Coolio’s ‘Gangster’s Paradise’ and an extremely impressive ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, before the finale of Lionel Ritchie’s ‘All Night Long’, post standing ovation.
The continuity and consistency is great, as is the choreography by Beverley Edmunds - mainly by dancers (nuns) Abby Middleton and Mia Molloy who both performed in the Royal Court’s original production of Willy Russell’s Our Day Out. The music, under the supervision of Howard Gray is superb and fitting, as are the costumes, supervised by Marie Jones. Execution by director Bob Eaton and design by Mark Walters is innovative and to be commended (as are the many hands who put the show together and made it happen.
On until 10th August, the show is suitable for ages 15+ but will be enjoyed by Scousers and outsiders alike, no doubt about that. Don’t delay!
Reviewer - John Kristof
on - 17/7/19
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