Tag: liverpool

REVIEW: Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

Published on by Heather DoquiatanLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Chock-full of charm and whimsy, it’s an unequivocal 5 star performance, and a must-see – again and again.

In Liverpool for the first time in its 16 years running, ‘Showstopper! The Improvised Musical’ is not to be missed, whether you run, walk, bus, taxi, or crawl your way there. I’ve given it 5 stars, which I would feel compelled to do even if the show had been terrible, purely out of awestruck respect for the company’s ability to create a musical out of nothing but thin air and ludicrous suggestions. Happily, this was not the case – the show was absolutely fantastic.

Running at a tight 50 minutes per act (I’m certain it must feel longer to those onstage), ‘Showstopper! begins with a phone call: a musical writer has a very short deadline to meet for a producer, and enlists the audience’s help in writing the show. Crowdsourcing suggestions for settings (“A&E on a Saturday night” having been sensibly vetoed from the off), music styles, and a title, we’re then full speed ahead into a musical journey with a staggering amount of coherence and arc, considering it’s all being made up on the spot.

My programme displayed a crowd of 19 actors and 10 band members – I’m not sure whether it’s a lucky dip per evening, but we got 5 fantastic actors who gave the impression of a full 20 or so people over the course of the evening, and 2 band members, a keyboard player and drummer. While I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like to have a cellist and trombonist in their place, I’m not sure we could have asked for better musicians: they provided a constant sense of steadiness, unflinchingly supporting the actors through raps or ballads as applicable, making it easy to forget that they too were constantly improvising.

It’s hardly worth giving an overview of the plot, since it will be entirely different over the show’s coming performances at the Playhouse (running until May 11th), but I feel it’s important to note that the show covered a massive breadth of musical styles and scenarios, from an Oklahoma!-esque song about the rules of cribbage to a love triangle battle in the style of Hamilton. Some versatile costumes and a relatively bare set, which made good use of different sized frames and entryways to create a variety of placements, worked well in the hands of the exceedingly capable actors, who managed an awful lot by way of only voices, miming and body language.

Special mention must go to actor Susan Harrison, who with the addition or subtraction of a hat snapped instantaneously into a variety of entirely different roles including polyamorous pensioner, member of the Lighthouse Family, and cat. Audience members were encouraged to tweet (or ‘post on X’) their suggestions for second act escapades during the interval, and the sporadic audience interjections were some of the best parts of the show – a solemnly-presented poem was named “I should have shared me Werther’s” by someone in the stalls, which really couldn’t have been better (nor could the actors’ ensuing recital of it).

This show felt like being at a birthday party as a 5 year old in the best way – chock-full of charm and whimsy, it’s impossible to take anything seriously while watching, apart from the very real possibility you might do yourself an injury by laughing. It’s an unequivocal 5 star performance, and a must-see – again and again.

Life of Pi

REVIEW: Life of Pi

Published on by roisinlystLeave a comment

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

A feast for the eyes: stunning, moving and brilliantly crafted

Life of Pi is the epic tale of seventeen-year old Pi, recounting his experience of finding himself on a small boat in the middle of the ocean as the sole survivor of a shipwreck. It’s a classic story known to many people as the book or film, and may in theory not seem the most suited to the stage, but in reality that couldn’t have been further from the truth. This show is an incredible adaptation, and has been designed so brilliantly with no illusion too difficult; the audience were captivated from start to finish.

There are many elements which made this show such a high standard. The animals, including a zebra, an orangutan, a goat, a hyena, and of course Richard Parker the Bengal tiger were all puppets, handled by varying numbers of puppeteers. I have to commend the whole puppetry team: the puppets themselves were exquisite, and their movements were so realistic that it was easy to let the puppeteers fall away and get lost in the illusion. The set and lighting were also fantastic. The set was very cleverly designed to segway between Pi recounting his story from his room and out on the ocean with the animals, but it also folded out into the zoo, the market and the cargo ship, with outstanding attention to detail. It was the lighting and projections, however, which made the atmospheres truly magical. The storm, with the rain lashing down and that stunning starry sky were just two scenes which were completely immersive, transporting the audience to that little boat in the middle of the sea with Pi and the tiger. I particularly loved the colours and imagery throughout. 

Divesh Subaskaran was simply brilliant as Pi. His acting was faultless, and he brought a wonderful youthful energy to the stage. I also found myself laughing, which I wasn’t expecting. There were funny lines and visual comedy dotted throughout, perfectly delivered by Divesh: despite the story being quite a tragic and dramatic one, it wasn’t without humour. I really liked this element, and much of it added to Pi’s character as a naïve teenager.

The show was also choreographed beautifully. It was fluid and graceful to watch, with some impressive lifts by the supporting actors to depict Pi falling or moving through the water, and Divesh’s athleticism made every movement seem effortless, adding to the balletic feel of the production. The boat was often slowly rotating, maintaining the sense of it moving on the water.

One thing which didn’t work was the choice of accents. Whilst Pi had an Indian accent, his sister sounded American, and his Indian mother and both the Canadian and Japanese ambassadors had British accents. It didn’t make sense and was a little jarring for me, and added to Divesh standing out as the best actor.

I don’t think I have ever seen a play quite so beautiful. It was simply mesmerising, and the story had many members of the audience in tears by the end.

REVIEW: The Legend of Nedd Ludd

Published on by Dio MooreLeave a comment

Rating: 3 out of 5.

A worthwhile experience and a great conversation starter, both introspective and entertaining.

A figure shrouded in English folklore, you would be forgiven for asking “who is Ned Ludd?”. Allegedly he was the namesake and founder of the Luddites, but that’s about all we know – a loom smashing rabble rouser, perhaps, but one that was able to inspire people to take action.

Joe Ward Munrow’s ‘The Legend of Ned Ludd’ looks at our reality – how capitalism has shaped our lives and our relationship to work, with the constant push-and-pull of innovation and adaptation undulating beneath it all.

With 256 possible combinations of scenes, it was laudable how well performed this was. Some scenes appear in all the performances – pushing the show forward, returning the audience to something familiar – the Luddite Rebellion. The other scenes are poignant snippets of the work-life relationships of people from around the world and throughout time.

Dominating the stage is the Machine, a metal framework hooked up to some conveyor belts and a ball-drop mechanism. It is this faceless entity the actors turn to when it is time for the scene to change. The soundscape becomes ominous, the lighting has somewhat of a The Weakest Link moment, and the Machine gets to work. It selects the time and place, the relevant props and costumes are dispensed to the relevant cast member, and the show goes on.

The process isn’t the smoothest, but the sound and lighting engineering is well crafted and went a long way to distract from the slight setting and costume changes. Props, set dressing, and costumes were kept to a minimum but utilised effectively.

Especially when considering the structure of Ned Ludd, the cast was brilliant. Age, race, colour, creed, gender – didn’t matter; it felt as though character allocation was as random as the scenes at times, and it was brilliant. Roles were committed to with a good measure of gusto, but not so much that anything felt forced or silly. Context was provided subtly or inventively so it wasn’t difficult to pick up what was going on, but above all it let the audience focus on what was being conveyed without falling back on assumptions about a particular time period or location.

The energy Menyee Lai brought to the stage was palpable, be it tension or excitement, anxiety or confusion. It was clear that Reuben Johnson was in his element while on stage – his Luddite-era performance was faultless, but one can’t help but feel he was done dirty by the Machine’s scene selection. Shaun Mason impressed with his easy characterisation and ability to emote, convincing in even the most unlikely roles. There isn’t a stand-out member of the cast, they all brought something unique and worthwhile to the production and they all gave a performance that made me want to watch them again. It wasn’t perfect – the narrative scenes were a little more polished than the Machine selected ones – but the acting was an enjoyable experience throughout.

Theatre might feel almost like an excess in times like these, but if ‘The Legend of Ned Ludd’ shows us anything it is that our own, modern, relationship with the reality of work and how we interact with is worth spending time examining. It always has and probably always will. It may be preaching to the choir in Liverpool (or most places up north that have long memories), but there is a lot of value the way the structure of this production prompts introspection. It may be a bit clunky in parts, but it’s bearable; nothing doesn’t work.

Take a date, take someone you want to get to know properly, or someone you just love chatting to. Discuss worker’s rights in the pub afterwards, how sad it is that people are perpetually struggling all over the world, that even the arts aren’t safe from AI incursion. Or discuss the deconstruction of traditional theatre, its history, speculate on what innovations are still to come. ‘The Legend of Ned Ludd’ is the sort of theatre that does well in groups. It is a conversation piece, but it has left me curious enough to see it again if I get a chance.

REVIEW: Shostakovich’s Symphony No.5 and more

Published on by Juliet PoneLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

It was a privilege to listen to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, with well-loved classical masterpieces accompanied by a thrilling world premiere of current talent.

It was a privilege to listen to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (RLPO) on Thursday evening. Domingo Hindoyan conducted the already well-loved classical pieces Bacchus and Ariadne, Op. 43: Suite No.2 by Albert Roussel, and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No.5 in D minor, Op. 47 as well as  the exciting world premiere of Eleanor Alberga’s first piano concerto, performed by Leeds International Piano Competition 2021 winner Alim Baisembayev and the RLPO. 

Alberga’s new concerto had to be the highlight of the night. Hearing a new, beautiful piece performed live for the first time by such an accomplished and exciting pianist was quite the honour. The concerto, split into four distinct movements, was commissioned especially for Baisembayev as part of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society Contemporary Prize, and the crowd applauded rapturously for several long minutes as Hindoyan, Alberga and Baisembayev took their bows together before the interval. My favourite was the slow third movement, in which chimes resonated like the call of a large cathedral bell, and the piano often called to mind the sound of running water. Though there is no set narrative behind Alberga’s concerto, it was nevertheless very emotive and it was easy to let your imagination run wild while listening to create a personal narrative to the highly dynamic music.

The three pieces performed across the evening flowed well thematically and were flawlessly performed, in accordance with the RLPO’s reputation. Bacchus and Ariadne is swiftly coming to be considered a signature piece for Hindoyan after its inclusion in his critically acclaimed 2022 debut album, and was the opener of the evening. Composed in 1930 as part of the ballet Bacchus and Ariadne, The Second Suite makes up the second half of the story, where a distraught Ariadne throws herself from a cliff on the island of Naxos after being abandoned by the hero Theseus, but is caught by the god Bacchus. They fall in love, and she is eventually welcomed to Olympus as a goddess. The piece has some beautiful, romantic sections for strings that conjure up the swift, elegant rhythm of the ballet dancers even when listened to in isolation, but is as changeable and full of contrasts as the mischievous trickster god himself, with some big, bold sections interspersed. Shostakovich’s Symphony No.5 is the perfect showstopper. It was composed in 1937 after Stalin himself denounced the composer’s most recent opera. This symphony and its reception was quite literally a matter of life and death for Shostakovich, and this lingering threat can be heard throughout with a dark, menacing first ‘Moderato’ movement including ominous percussion and brass, as well as more mournful string sections in the third ‘Largo’, before finishing with triumphant fanfare. It was a rousing and moving listening experience that showed off the best of the RLPO, making a bold finale to a highly accomplished evening.

Photo by Andrew AB Photography

REVIEW: Boys From The Blackstuff

Published on by williammarsden2002Leave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

An epic ballad of loss, friendship, and the search for meaning, Alan Bleasdale’s Boys From The Blackstuff is a love letter to the city and a true testament to the people of Liverpool’s past

Without spoiling anything, the 3 BAFTA award-winning TV show of the same name takes the audience back to the pre-Thatcher era of Liverpool. We join a group of 5 men who once worked as tarmac layers, hence the name blackstuff. They, along with various family members, try to find work and dodge the ‘sniffers’ from the office of employment who are trying to catch fraudulent contracts. Even before the performance started you could feel the atmosphere in the Royal, this was only increased by a glance at the program. By his admission, the Royal Court’s executive producer Kevin Fearon has been desperate to see this adaptation come to life. Even as a person in my 20’s I felt by the close that I better understood one of the darkest periods in Liverpool’s history.  From a brief glance at the history of the original show, this adaption seems to weave all the stories together, gliding from moments of comedy to deep profound reflections about hopeless situations.  

For those who’ve seen the TV show, no character stands quite as mighty as Yosser Hughes played by Barry Sloane. Sloane unites mania and comedy with the immortal line “Gizza job! I can do that”, with a skill that very few could surpass. Sloane presents Yosser’s mercurial temperament with power and yet also tenderness. Alongside Yosser, another standout performance was George (Philip Whitechurch). He anchored the play and provided insights that will catch you off guard and teary-eyed. Finally, regarding the cast, indulge me with a somewhat personal story. As I enjoyed my delicious pre-show meal I overheard a conversation about Jamie Peacock. He had worked on the Royal staff team during the first run of the show last year and then received a call up to take on the role of the employment office investigator Moss. This call came as such a shock that Jamie had to be repeatedly told that he was in a main role, not an understudy. This becomes personal because in December I had the joy of reviewing Jamie Peacock’s performance in a Christmas anthology called ‘Stocking Fillers’. Suffice it to say, his performance as an investigator demonstrates an understanding of the human condition that I feel will carry him well as the cast take this show on tour to the National and the West End!

The set design was dynamic, and the use of scaffolding helped illustrate the haves and have-nots in terms of employment could divide neighbourhoods. Furthermore, the projections behind key scenes really focused the dialogue, reinforcing one of George’s infamous stories about the pull of the tides. Much has been made of the links between the theme of this story and the current situation in Liverpool. To cut to the heart of this review, this relatability makes it deeply personal. Inflation in October 2022 reached 11.1%, this was the highest level since 1981, a year before our first introduction to the boys. The scenes that depict the 5 men working through the monotony of dole queues and visits to the employment office now occur over telephone lines. Whilst many aspects are different and the situation is no doubt generally better than it was for the 5, this show also cuts into deep themes such as race and alcoholism using comedy as an insight. In summary, be warned that this show will stick to you like the blackstuff long after you leave the theatre, with a fantastic cast and brilliant setting. Catch Alan Bleasdale’s Boys From The Blackstuff in the Royal Court until the 11th of May or when it sets off on tour.

REVIEW: The Kite Runner

Published on by nickjkehoeLeave a comment

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

A phenomenal recreation of a phenomenal story. An artistic delight from start to finish

Reproducing such a widely-known and highly-regarded production, based on a book of similar status, is always going to set standards high for any audience. In this instance, though, those standards are more than met. 

Even before the production begins, as everyone finds their seats, the air is filled with the rhythmic sound of the tabla (Indian drums), building to an appreciable crescendo before the lights come up and the play begins. Being a key inclusion in Matthew Spangler’s original script, the use of the tabla lays an excellent foundation for so much of the play, grounding certain scenes and important developments in the plot within the 1970s Afghanistan of the play. Along with select use of other instruments, such as SInging Bowls and the Schwirrbogen (a zither-like string instrument), the overall soundscape in the theatre is redolent with intriguing and evocative music, even as the drama continues in the foreground.

Also worthy of note – another key in helping immerse the audience in this world and culture – is the extremely clever set design. Efficient and confident use of the backdrop, altered subtly with lighting to simply, yet competently, demonstrate changes in tone or the passage of time, is only complemented by some minimalist additions in the form of projections on cloth hung from the midground. 

With only these (and one or two other) frequent, minor alterations throughout the play the company manages to transport us through the various locations of The Kite Runner with an appreciable ease of effort.

The acting is, for all intents and purposes, stellar. There are one or two moments in the first portion of the play, where several of the main cast are playing children, where some of the “childlike” exuberance of several characters can come across as a little forced, but this is a fleeting and minor concern. There is an undeniable presence to all of the actors on stage, and it is comforting to see them take their time with their parts, allowing character to unfold parallel with plot in a way that seems natural and fitting. Of particular note as a standout performance, I found Dean Rehman’s Baba to be excellently delivered as a complicated, sympathetic character, especially in a relatively moderate role. 

As a whole the play is well paced, taking its time for the first half of the narrative and allowing us to truly engage with these well-written and similarly well-acted characters and understand their relationships. This really allows the production to utilise the events of the plot to great effect as we in the audience immediately understand the weight of certain actions on these characters and said relationships, to understand without needing to be reminded by the play in a way which might feel inorganic. 

Ultimately, the Playhouse production of The KIte Runner is an artistic, evocative and immersive delight from start to finish and really positions itself as a must-see for any fans of either the book or the original West End production. A truly phenomenal achievement for all involved.

Photo by Marc Brenner

REVIEW: I Should Be So Lucky

Published on by roisinlystLeave a comment

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Camp, contagious and hilarious: a musical full of energy and iconic songs

I Should Be So Lucky is a musical which centres around a young bride named Ella, jilted at the altar, who decides not to waste her honeymoon but instead takes her family and friends to the lovers’ paradise in Turkey. The plot was ridiculous, and became increasingly so as the show went on, but the show was undeniably packed with energy, glitter and fun.

The whole cast were fabulous and played their roles to the maximum, even Kylie Minogue herself, who appears on a screen as a figment of Ella’s imagination. She acts as a sort of fairy godmother to Ella throughout the story, which added yet more cheese to the storyline, but for all the Kylie fans in the audience was probably a great addition. For me, the stand-out actor was Giovanni Spanò, who played Ash, the best man. His charisma, comedic timing and mannerisms had the audience howling with laughter – but he wasn’t the only one. The whole show was funny from start to finish and there was never a dull moment, which can’t always be said of other musicals. Jamie Chapman, portraying Spencer, the fussy, camp manager of the resort, was also a favourite, and Kayla Carter, who played Bonnie (Ella’s best friend) was the stand-out singer, bringing the house down with ‘You’ll never stop me loving you’. 

Alongside this were dozens of iconic Stock Aitken Waterman songs impossible not to sing along to, including ‘Never gonna give you up’, ‘You spin me round’ and ‘Love in the first degree’, which the audience of course lapped up. By the end, everyone was up singing and dancing. I thought the choreography was extremely well-done and certainly one of the reasons this show was full of energy, which made sense when I read it was choreographed by Jason Gilkison: the lead choreographer of Strictly Come Dancing. The band too were faultless, and both the costumes and the heart-shaped set were perfectly suited to the show, with no shortage of pink and sparkles.

I felt the characters were all written taking stereotypes to the extreme: the fussy mum, the wild child Grandma, the flamboyant gay friend and the ‘always the bridesmaid’ best friend were all clearly defined. The zest of all the supporting personalities made the actual bride and groom quite boring characters in comparison. There were many little storylines branching off from the main story which were all somehow predictable, cliché and over-the-top, which was a clear theme to this musical. I wouldn’t describe it as well written, but I can’t deny, I had a great time watching it.I can’t recommend this show to everyone: I know my dad would be rolling his eyes. But while it was mostly middle-aged women in the audience, I would recommend it to anyone who loved ‘Mamma Mia’, is a Kylie fan, or just wants a fun night out and doesn’t mind a bit of cheesiness.

REVIEW: Nielsen’s Violin Concerto

Published on by geegeevonbLeave a comment

Rating: 5 out of 5.

“Neilsen’s Violin Concerto was an hypnotic experience that touches the soul.”

I would like to preface this review – I have very little musical knowledge so cannot comment on the style of music or it’s arrangement – only my enjoyment of it!

Neilsen’s concerto at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall was a masterpiece. The ambiance of the hall was unforgettable, with hushed chatter mixing with the orchestras warming up noises in the brightly lit concerto hall.  This chatter dimmed along with the lights just before the performance started. From the very first note, I was hooked, captivated by the sheer brilliance and emotion the music portrayed. 

The show was made up of three sections: Ruth Gipps’s Song for Orchestra, Nielsen’s Violin Concerto and Borodin’s Symphony No.2.  All were astounding works of art that often transported me through a world of places and emotions. 

This concerto truly is a showcase of talent; both of individual talent, as well as, the beauty of all that talent combining into one cohesive unit that was the orchestra.  I was hypnotised zooming into sections of the orchestra as they played, attempting to single out their sound before zooming out and taking in the whole picture again. From the delicate whispers to the thunderous crescendos, every moment of this concerto was a testament to the composers genius and musicians talent. It’s rare to encounter an experience that leaves such a lasting impression, but this concerto has firmly etched itself into my heart and soul.

Principal Guest Conductor Andrew Manze led the production with skill and assurance, his gestures were big and passionate – drawing the whole piece together.

Neither me nor my plus one had a bad word to say about this performance and left the Philharmonic raving about the whole experience. In short, if you have the opportunity to experience this violin concerto live, do not hesitate for a moment. It is an experience that will stay with you long after the final note has faded away. Bravo to all involved in bringing this concerto to life! 

REVIEW: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra: Sheku Kanneh-Mason performs Weinberg

Published on by nickjkehoeLeave a comment

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

A somewhat puzzling selection buoyed by great performances

The concert at Liverpool’s Philharmonic opens with a rendition of Coleridge-Taylor’s Ballade, a lively and almost playful piece of around ten minutes, which is performed with vivacious enthusiasm by the orchestra. This gives way to the eponymous piece of the night’s event: Mieczysław Weinberg’s Cello Concerto in C minor op.43, in which visiting musician Sheku Kanneh-Mason takes centre stage as lead cello. As both the orchestra and Kanneh-Mason launch into the strident introductory motif that will become the piece’s throughline, the first and most obvious issue with this performance becomes apparent. 

Whilst Ballade was a short and relatively straightforward arrangement, Weinberg’s Concerto is far more nuanced. If the first number lulls you into a sense of surety, then the winding cello runs and abrupt changes in instrumentation will dispel any certainty you might have had about the pace of the performance. Not to say that the piece is not good – Kanneh-Mason delivers spectacularly on the cello, evoking a unique variety of tones and timbres from his instrument, and when the arrangement swells it is tastefully thick, with excellent pizzicato from the double bass section rounding out the accompaniment. 

The tumultuous piece winds its way up and down before a series of cello runs finish Concerto in C minor for the interval. Before the break, we are treated to an honestly impressive and quite pretty solo encore by Kanneh-Mason. This was interesting as, despite not being a part of the evening’s program, it was an excellent time to allow the audience a small decompression period before the break

Elgar’s Symphony No.1 commences after the interval, though it appears a strange choice. Its positioning, immediately following said interval, and relative length, seem to me to take away from much of the impact and importance of the titular piece. 

Though the appearance by Kanneh-Mason obviously sets Weinberg’s Concerto apart, one might almost be left wondering if this arrangement would not be more suitable for a concert focused more on Elgar’s works. 

The symphony itself is also composed of four distinct movements (Andante. Nobilmente e semplice – Allegro; Allegro molto; Adagio; Lento Allegro) which each, in and of themselves, have a distinct feel. Unlike the four movements of Weinberg’s Cello Concerto these are somewhat longer and fluctuate less in timbre and thickness within each individual section (something one might argue reflects more of a traditional take on composition). This leads to a disconnect of a different kind than one may have felt between Ballade and its successor  – following a concerto with such dynamism within each movement, with one whose change lies only between its movements.

Ultimately, it seems a shame that what were obviously such competent (even excellent) and engaging performances by all involved should be let down by what seemed an overly frenetic choice and arrangement of music. Any fans of Weinberg or Elgar would undoubtedly find something here to enjoy, but for a more casual listener it is unlikely to endear either to you when hearing them in this kind of contrast.

Photo by Ellie Kurttz

REVIEW: My Beautiful Laundrette

Published on by Heather DoquiatanLeave a comment

Rating: 4 out of 5.

An authentic exploration of the struggle with personal demons and histories, adding a refreshing complexity beneath a jovial surface

It’s London in the 1980s, and the mood is grim at the top of My Beautiful Laundrette, which opened at the Liverpool Playhouse on March 26th. The dimly-lit stage is all craggy grey-green walls, heady amounts of smoke and some scaffolding, with an auditory background of classic ’80s hits. As the audience sits chatting before the house lights go down, some cast members wander onstage, microcosms of disenfranchised and radicalised British youth in their boots and braces. They look around, they sit, and then they sleep. The ‘real’ start of the play is heralded by man in a sharp pink suit with an incredibly coiffed beard hopping a wall at the back of the stage to clear the squatters, thus beginning two hours of a fairly rollicking show.

Guileless Omar (Lucca Chadwick-Patel), a British-Pakistani teen, lives with his father in London during the Thatcher years. Palmed off to work for his rich Uncle Nasser to get him off the dole, Omar ends up taking on a barely-functioning laundrette. Living amidst the myriad tensions of England in the ’80s, Omar manages to halt a would-be gang attack on him and his Uncle’s right-hand man (the aforementioned pink-suited Salim, played by Hareet Deol), because he knows one of the gang members: Johnny, an old childhood friend, played by turns damaged and sweet by Sam Mitchell. The two are spotlit for this encounter, with Johnny atop the scaffolding and Omar looking up at him, a visual unavoidably reminiscent of Shakespeare’s famous balcony scene. Omar manages to recruit Johnny to work at the laundrette with him, and so begins their love story.

This is a show with no pause for breath – there are no end of plot lines, dealing with the massive topics of class, immigration, racism, women’s issues, and sexuality. These issues, all of which are as relevant today as when Hanif Kureishi wrote the original screenplay, are ably handled by a cast brimming with chemistry. They seem like old friends onstage – perhaps not surprising as a number of the cast are reprising their roles, with just a few newcomers slotting in seamlessly. This camaraderie is especially apparent and poignant in the interactions between Papa (Gordon Warnecke, who played Omar in the original Stephen Frears film) and Uncle Nasser (Kammy Darweish); I’d count their one-on-one scene towards the end of the play amongst the more moving of the show. Tending more towards the comedic, despite the heavy subject matter, the play has plenty of double entendres and one-liners to keep the audience entertained. At times the racist gang seems almost cartoonish, looming menacingly onstage brandishing hammers and shouting bigoted clichés – this said, Genghis’ (played by Paddy Daly) rendition of “There’ll Always Be an England” from atop the scaffolding was a key moment of sobering mood shift in the show.

The lenses through which this play can be watched are myriad, but a major through-line seems to me to be learning to shape one’s own life alongside (or despite) the influence of family. In renovating the laundrette, Omar and Johnny are building a life together, for which the decrepit business is a proxy: it’s not much, but it’s a start, and importantly for Omar, it is his. Throughout the play he sees the life paths encouraged by his family – his father values education, his Uncle, money – but must forge his own path. Few of the characters can be seen as purely good or purely bad, not least our cheerful protagonist: their struggles with their personal demons and histories are authentic, adding a refreshing complexity beneath the jovial surface. It’s ostensibly a love story, but that’s certainly not all this show has to offer.