REVIEW: OUR DAY OUT, Liverpool Royal Court, September 24 2009

Our Day Out follows the antics of Mrs Kay's progress class, a special class for those who cannot read or write, as they are taken on a special day trip. However, their planned visit to Alton Towers is only to be spoiled by the cantankerous Mr Briggs who feels a more educational day is in order and alters the destination to Conway Castle. All is not lost, however, as the class are allowed to stop en route at the zoo and head to the beach.

Writer Willy Russell, feeling the show was yet to reach its full potential on stage, alongside director Bob Eaton has updated the 1977 script, bringing it firmly into the modern classroom and a few new songs have been added too. The show is brilliant for its ability to tackle issues of bullying, discrimination and social poverty head on and still have us rolling in the aisles laughing.

Gillian Hardie is great as the understanding and somewhat eccentric Mrs Kay, Andrew Schofield suitably nasty as Mr Briggs and Michael Starke is charming as nostalgic bus driver Ronnie. But, the real stars of the show are the children, who were tremendous - Mia Molloy as melancholy Amy standing out as a real talent for the future.

The show is interspersed with some fantastic frenetic choreography by Beverley Norris-Edmunds which really keeps the show buzzing and includes some great use of the simple block design by Ellen Cairns as the blocks are whizzed across the stage to form coach seats, castle turrets and toilet walls.

This is a feel-good show with heart and verve to boot and it's great to see it realising its true potential back home in Liverpool.

 

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