Review: DREAM TEAM, Liverpool Royal Court

The story of the Sandman has been told for generations in song, books and on the stage - and this time, it was the turn of Liverpool’s Royal Court Youth Theatre to bring the tale to life in Dream Team.

And what happened when they did? Well - it was truly magical.

Directed by Vannessa Parks and Zain Salim, the show followed a group of adventurers known as the Dream Team, who searched across the globe for the Sandman. With children unable to go to sleep and a villain called Mr Morpheus trying to take over the world, the Dream Team had to find the Sandman before it was too late.

No spoilers here though. This reviewer will not tell you what happened or if they succeeded on their quest. What I will tell you though, is that Dream Team was two hours of fantastic fun that I have not stopped talking about.

Dream Team used music, dance, acting and media such as a video projection screen to seamlessly take the audience through the story. Whether it was an all-cast dance scene which quickly changed to video narration from Mr Morpheus, all the elements combined to move the story from scene to scene with ease.

As soon as the show began, the cast delivered a flawless dance routine to a remix of the classic song Mr Sandman. Each move was perfectly timed and all the performers were in sync with one another. The slick choreography and energy onstage captured your attention straight away and immediately set the scene, as the audience were taken into the lives of the residents in an idyllic village. 

The subsequent introduction of the villagers left the audience crying with laughter, as a hilarious play on rhyming names in the dialogue made this scene especially memorable. It was a moment of comedy genius that showcased the creativity of these young performers, who had devised this entire show in just three weeks.

Joshua Townsend and Leighton Forrester as Barnaby and Harold were just two performers in this superbly talented cast, whose reactions to the mischief of the children in the village (including shocked facial expressions and high pitched vocal tones) left you chuckling throughout the show. 

Annie McGinn delivered a breathtaking solo song to close act two, with vocals comparable to those you would hear in a West End or Broadway musical. Written by none other than two alumni of the Liverpool’s Royal Court Youth Theatre, the song brought together generations of performing talent whose lives have been and continue to be transformed by The Youth Theatre, showcasing the importance of theatre engagement programmes such as this.

As act two opened with the Dream Team searching across the globe for the Sandman, the way the cast created specific worlds using physical theatre was especially impressive. For 

example in video game world, the cast used their physicality to create objects such as fast cars to excellent effect. The use of physical theatre also showcased the artistic vision of directors Vannessa Parks and Zain Salim, who are both talented movement practitioners.

With a cast of talented, rising stars who I hope to see back on the Liverpool’s Royal Court main-stage in the future, Dream Team was a unique, fun and enjoyable take on the Sandman tale that kept me entertained from start to finish.

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