All Scousers Should Visit The Royal Court Theatre Liverpool
If there is one thing that Liverpool and Scousers are known for, it is putting on a show. That is why there are so many theatres in the city, offering people numerous different places to head to in order to see some entertainment.
More than that, each of them offers something slightly different.
If you want to see a big touring show, for example, then you’d head to the Empire. If a more niche experience is what you’re after, you might want to go to the Playhouse. Meanwhile, if you fancy a show probably best described as “bawdy”, that is where the Royal Court comes into its own.
The History of the Royal Court
In the 12th century, the site where the Royal Court now stands was a water well. So it remained until John Cooke, a circus owner, bought the land in 1826 for his circuses. He also hosted the likes of plays, concerts and operas on the site, which soon became known as Cooke’s Royal Amphitheatre of Arts.
In 1881, Henry Sumner redesigned the venue in order for it to become a regular theatre, seeing it reopen under the name of the Royal Court. Robert Arthur, a theatre proprietor from Glasgow, took it over in 1896 and a year later put all of his venues into Robert Arthur Theatres Ltd.
@merseyfocus Visit Liverpool’s Royal Court to see how this city provides fun local-based performances! #liverpool #merseyside #theatre #liverpoolroyalcourt ♬ Lo-fi hip hop – NAO-K
When Arthur went bankrupt in 1912, all of the theatres were put in the care of Michael Simons, who was later followed by A. Stewart Cruikshank. A fire destroyed the theatre in 1933, resulting in its demolition and the building of a new venue on the same site. That new theatre opened in the October of 1938, having been rebuilt in an Art Deco style.
The combination of its splendour and opulence made it the best theatre in the city, with the interior having a nautical theme in keeping with Liverpool’s history. Whilst buildings around it were destroyed during the war, the theatre itself remained untouched.
36 years ago today
In memory of Pete de Freitas, drummer for Echo & the BunnymenPete died in a motorcycle accident on June 14, 1989 at the age of 27
📸 Liverpool Royal Court Theatre, January 26, 1985
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Numerous big names appeared on the stage during the war, whilst a then 22-year-old Judi Dench made her professional debut at the Royal Court in the role of Ophelia in 1957. In 1980, the venue was taken in a new direction by two taxi drivers, eschewing the typical plays in preference for rock and pop concerts.
It was made a Grade II listed building in 1990, then in 2005 it was taken over by Rawhide Comedy Club. After two years of stand-up comedy performed there, the success of Bricking up the Mersey Tunnel meant that they switched back to producing plays on a full-time basis.
The Theatre Today
A trip to the Royal Court in the modern era will see you take a seat in either the Stalls, the Circle or the Balcony, each of which will have a different ticket price associated with it. The Stalls are now laid out in a cabaret style, offering seating for just shy of 300 people with tables and chairs that allow for dinner to be sold before the show.
There is also a bar at the back of the Stalls. In total, there is room for a little over 1,100 people inside the Royal Court. In 2010, the Variety Lunch Club series began, allowing for lunch, a cuppa and a singer or comedian for a cost of £6 per person.
Groups like community choirs and Youth Theatres get free tickets to certain shows, with everything from Council Depot Blues, The Royal and Mam! I’m ‘Ere! shown on the stage. The theatre is arguably best known for its Christmas shows, which usually offer an adult-themed twist on a classic pantomime.
Think the likes of Little Scouse on the Prairie, Scouse Cinderella and Scouse Snow White and you’ll have a fair idea of what to expect. Lots of swearing mixed in with storytelling and songs to provide the audience with a good laugh, even if not one that’s child-friendly.
The Studio
In 2017, the basement part of the Royal Court was converted in order to become a performance space that was aimed at small-scale theatre productions. It is also somewhere that the likes of musical acts and comedy nights can be hosted, with a small performance space and backstage area suitable for no more than ten people or so.
As with other parts of the theatre, Arts Council England helped with the conversion. There is enough room in the Studio for 150 people or so, playing host to both in-house productions and small visiting companies. The Rainbow Connection was the Studio’s first in-house production.
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The Royal Court also hosts a writers’ course, allowing local writers to take part in training in order to become professional writers. Some have gone on to have shows produced by the Royal Court in both the main theatre and the Studio space. The theatre itself is often used to host productions from local writers, such as Ian Salmon’s Girls Don’t Play Guitars, which tells the story of the Liver Birds.
Andrew Schofield, the renowned Liverpool actor, is often seen in productions put on at the Royal Court, whilst there is something of a clique of actors who tend to appear in most things put on there.
