Review: SCOUSE RED RIDING HOOD, Liverpool’s Royal Court

Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre are known for their twists on fairytale classics, including this year’s Christmas production of Scouse Red Riding Hood.

Written by Kevin Fearon and directed by Mark Chatterton, Scouse Red Riding Hood follows Red and her best friend Blue, who have to save Red’s Grandma from two villains called Cash and Carry, who want to evict Grandma from her home - all while trying to save their beloved town before everyone turns into werewolves.

The show opens with an energetic musical number, featuring stunning vocals from the cast including Emma-Grace Arends, Lydia Rosa Morales Scully who plays Red and Adam McCoy who plays best friend Blue, accompanied by the brilliant Royal Court band - Ben Gladwin, Jack Hymers, Greg Joy, Chris Nicholls and Mike Woodvine. It is one of many songs throughout the show that has you singing along, including "Rocketman", "500 miles" and "Don’t Stop Me Now".

A highlight was Chantel Cole’s performance of Whitney Houston’s "One Moment in Time". Not only does she deliver an incredible musical number, but her performance as a character called The Stage Manager - who breaks the fourth wall in the show by helping out the characters onstage - delivers some of the funniest moments of the night. Scouse Red Riding Hood is Cole’s first Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre Christmas show and I hope to see her in more shows in the future. She is a brilliant performer.

There are not only brilliant songs, but plenty of laughs too. Lindzi Germain’s hilarious interaction with the audience in the first scene leaves you laughing out loud, while Germain and Liam Tobin as Grandma and Bob The Builder are comedy gold. The quick one-liners in their duologues are perfectly timed and well-delivered, while their physical comedy and musical performances after their characters accidentally drink a potion made by villains Cash and Carry in act one left me crying with laughter.

Another perfect comedy duo are Andrew Schofield and Keddy Sutton as Cash and Carry, whose various disguises to trick the characters in the story are brilliant. However, it was their performances as robots in act two, which is a homage to a very famous TV advert, that received some of the biggest laughs from the audience.

Although the story features lots of great plot ideas, including a plan by Cash and Carry to trick the whole town into thinking they are going to turn into werewolves, sometimes it felt that there was too much happening at once onstage. However, by the beginning of act two, the story becomes clearer and the pace of the production keeps the action moving well from scene to scene.

The story is also brought to life on a beautiful set designed by Ellie Light, while Jamie Jenkin’s video design at the end of act one when Red and Blue are travelling to the moon is well thought-out and excellently delivered.

With a brilliant cast, lots of laughs and songs that will have you singing throughout the evening, Scouse Red Riding Hood is fabulous, festive fun from start to finish.

Read our interview with performers Lindzi Germain and Lydia Rosa Morales Scully here.

Scouse Red Riding Hood is at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre until 18 January 2025.

Photo credit: Atanas Paskalev

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