Gerry Linford
Liverpool Royal Court production
Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool
February 14-March 8, 2025
London's Royal Court Theatre wouldn't be seen dead doing a farce - well, unless it had loads of effing and blinding. Which, to be honest, this Liverpool farce does. And surprise surprise; The Peaceful Hour is very funny.
The Court has a strange approach to playgoing. You should have fun; and you should be fed, both spiritually and physically. So I went along to scoff and came out stuffed with scouse (other meals are available) and laughing heartily.
The first signs aren't favourable, though. On comes a broad Kirkby accent (Ellie Clayton) followed by a Hugh Grant-ish type (Jack Whittle) who proceed to throw themselves into a high-rise flat in the manner of Brian Rix (ask your grandad or Google him).
But after three minutes - once tuned-in to the Cur-bee accent - the language comes to life. Writer Gerry Linford, knows his scouse, and in Ellie Clayton the production has someone who can both talk and act the part to perfection.
Okay, this path (undervalued, powerful woman who only needs the right man to show her the way forward) has been trodden before. Cliche it might be, but in the right hands it can be funny, and this is.
Specially as about 50 per cent of the audience seems to have come from Kirkby and appreciates the local references; a bit like being in the crowd at Anfield.
Once the scene is established we meet the supporting players, starting with the redoubtable mother (Julie Glover), all wild hair, attitude and fragility; leaving her husband because he ogles young women and fails to refill her glass with Baileys. Hers is a memorable first appearance, trailing violent language and toilet paper...
Then there's the older sister (Angela Simms), fresh off a Ryanair from Torremolinos with her incomprehensible husband (Lenny Wood) clutching duty free and a sombrero. They are followed by the former boyfriend (Michael Hawkins), all poppycock and froth.
The director, Emma Bird, gets the best out of the cast by the simple expedient of letting them use their acting skills and responding to the audience. What could be easier?
So a straightforward farce is presented beautifully. As always, the dominant females make it such a laugh as they follow in the footsteps of the Bamfords seaside postcard tradition of larger-than-life women and physically small, ineffective men.
And who knew that the skyline of Kirkby could be so beautiful; though it was shown at night...
More info and tickets here
