AS usual, the festive season kicks off early at Liverpool’s Royal Court and, for the second year running, panto director extraordinaire Mark Chatterton does the honours here, leading to a few cheeky in-jokes about the Everyman panto, which he co-wrote and directed for 19 years.
Kevin Fearon’s rambunctious script as ever takes the traditional story and gives it a jolly good shake up, resulting in a narrative that you might say pays tribute to rather than telling the tale of Red and her Grandma. Here is a story that includes a rocket trip to the moon, so it’s one version of Little Red that definitely strays from the path!
There is nothing sheepish about Lindzi Germain’s Grandma, but she is about to be fleeced by sheep in wolf’s clothing Woody (Andrew Schofield) and his sidekick Sue (Keddy Sutton) who are plotting to scam her out of her cottage. It is up to her granddaughter Red, played by Lydia Rose Morales Scully, and Red’s best mate Big Blue, played by Adam McCoy, to save the day, aided and abetted by a couple of wild-card characters. Liam Tobin is Blue’s dad Bob (surprisingly a builder) and Chantel Cole is a Stage Manager – this last being the natural extension of the Royal Court’s recent penchant for including their real stage managers in the action.
Last year’s Scouse Dick Whittington reached previously untapped heights of swearyness in the text, even by Royal Court standards, but for this show the script returns to the more familiar levels of bawdiness. Meanwhile the humour is cranked up with a really good injection of sharp one liners, double-entendre and knowing asides that reference the familiarity of most of the cast, both with each other and their audience.
The cast are all in fine voice and on top of their game in comic timing, and there is something reassuring about seeing what looks like a group of old friends having a whale of a time.
Ellie Light once more makes good use of the revolving stage with her set in an imaginatively asymmetric series of settings, with some lovely cartoon-like design touches that would be perfect in even the most traditional of pantos.
Music Director Howard Gray has divided his band into two sections, each stacked on multiple levels to each side of the main set, and the choice of music is again a nicely judged comic pastiche of what we might expect from the family shows that will be appearing elsewhere.
In a season that will be filled with family-friendly fun almost everywhere we look, the Royal Court offers a welcome antidote for the grownups.
The Scouse Red Riding Hood runs at the Royal Court until 18th January with tickets available via this link, and the dining option includes Christmas dinner in both traditional and plant based choices, alongside the usual varied menu.
Star Rating 4 stars
Review by Nigel Smith
