PROGRAMME

HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE ROYAL COURT LIVERPOOL!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! ‘NUFF SAID! Kevin Fearon

Chief Executive

Has it really been five years since I wrote my first Christmas show for the Royal Court? The calendar doesn't lie, but it doesn't feel that long since the curtain went up on 'Merry Ding Dong' in 2009. That first show was followed in subsequent years by 'Scouse Pacific', 'Little Scouse On The Prairie', 'A Nightmare On Lime Street' and last year's sci-fi romp 'The Hitchhiker's Guide To Fazakerley'. I'm sometimes asked which Christmas show is my favourite and it's always a difficult question to answer. 'Merry Ding Dong', with its Christmas songs, had a lovely seasonal feel to it and each time I saw it it made me feel very festive. But though I've loved writing all those plays, 'Scouse Pacific' will always feel special as it was the first time I'd had the notion to write a Liverpool play, fill it with Scouse characters but not set it on Merseyside. When I saw that a Scouse play set in the South Pacific had been so well received, it then seemed logical to expand the idea, which is why the following year I set the play in the Wild West, and my next two plays paid visits to Bavaria and the planet Venus.

And so to this year, and to the Antarctic! Well actually that isn't strictly true, the show is set in the North Pole, and if I had £1 for every time someone has pointed out to me that the North Pole is the Arctic I'd have enough money to fill a large igloo! This 'error' will be explained during the course of the play. Whenever I write a Christmas show I hope that theatregoers will suspend disbelief and allow me to take them to places where it's absolutely ridiculous to go, I've found though that not everyone appreciates such a journey, so may I take this opportunity to apologise to the person who wrote to me after last year's show explaining that it's impossible for a 1966 Ford Anglia to fly to Venus!

As always there are lots of people to thank, and I'd like to start with the director Howard Gray. Howard has worked with me on all five previous Christmas shows as Musical Director, but this year he's directed the show and I have to say he's done an absolutely amazing job! In addition to directing, Howard's script notes and suggestions have been invaluable, as have those given by Producer Kevin Fearon. It's been great to work again with choreographer Nicola Bolton, and also with Musical Director Alex Smith who is making his Royal Court Christmas show debut. The set designer and set builders have again given us an incredible set, which has been complemented by the lighting and sound designers, and as always our costume designers and wardrobe personnel have made the actors look fantastic. And let's not forget the technical and backstage crews, the front of house crew and of course the marketing and office staff at the Royal Court who all do a brilliant job. Each year I've been blessed to have been able to work with an immensely talented team of actors and musicians and this year is no different. Everyone's worked extremely hard in rehearsals to ensure that 'Scouse of the Antarctic' will be as well received as all our previous Christmas shows. Finally I'd like to thank my son Mike for his help in co-writing some of the songs used in the show.

I'd like to dedicate this year's show to all my family and friends who have supported me during the last twelve months, and to Tilly, who always loved Christmastime at the Royal Court.

A very Merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year to you all.

Fred LawlessWriter

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SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

WORDSEARCHThe Inuit people have 27 words for snow. English only has one, so our Winter-themed wordsearches could be said to be lacking in variety.

SNOWSNOWSNOWSNOW SNOWSNOWSNOWSNOWSNOWSNOWSNOWSNOWSNOWSNOWSNOW

The photograph on the right has been subtly altered in a variety of ways. Can you spot five differences between the two pictures?

Royal Court Liverpool Trust

Adopt a SeatHelp us reach or renovation target by adopting a seat in the auditorium. For a donation of £250 you will have a personalised seat in the circle for 10 years. Pick up a leaflet or adopt online at www.royalcourttrust.org

Thank you to those who have already adopted a seat!Alan and Julia BleasdaleAndrew BeestonAnfield Infant SchoolArchbishop Blanch C.E Voluntary Aided High SchoolBryan and Lillias MillerDame Heather BeattieDenise CosgroveElaine TaylorEvertaut Seating Fred LawlessGeni-i CreationsGillian Miller & Kevin Fearon

Graham GavinHeather HoyHer Honour Elizabeth Steel DLHeritage Lottery Fund Joanna HargreavesElizabeth KenworthyKen & Fiona MillerKen Dodd OBE & Anne JonesLIPALiverpool Society of Chartered Accountants Lousie Ellman MPMark Featherstone-WittyMartyn BestMedicash

Modero LimitedMr J.D Mitchell Esq.Nicholas & Sheena BarberNobles Construction LtdPaul DayRaeanne MillerRice Lane Infant & Nursery SchoolRichard McCullaghRobb Miller & Ryan CareyRobert NadlerStacey Lavery Sue & Jurgen FenneyThe Earl of DerbyWest Derby Boys School Sir Richard StilgoeDame Judi Dench CH, DBEAndrew PearceAlison SteadmanAnn Jones Elizabeth Kenworthy John Entwistle Sylvia Lewis Andrew PearceBilly Meall

As of November 2014, Act 2 of our building improvement programme has begun! It will:• Create a modern, glass extension to the

building • Give the building a new lease of life

during the day• Create a new box office in the extension• Install a lift for disabled people reaching

all levels The project will cost £2.8 million and be completed by summer 2015. The building will remain open throughout the work but there will be restrictions to some areas while work is going on. We hope it won’t spoil your night out while work is underway and promise that were making the building better for you in the long run.The work has been funded by the European Regional Development Fund and a capital loan from Liverpool City Council, owners of the theatre.

We now need your support more than ever to help us continue to make the theatre better. You can find out more about how to support our capital campaign and community & education programmes at www.royalcourttrust.org, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Gillian MillerChief Executive, FounderRoyal Court Liverpool Trust

Royal Court Variety Lunch Club

Provides high quality, accessible, daytime activities for people aged 60+.

Ticket prices are subsidised with

support from HLF, trust funds and foundations and

Liverpool City Council. Since these events began in 2010 over 7000 people have taken part in activities and related workshop events.

Access All AreasProvides opportunities for young people and schools to perform on stage and work with the professional technical team from the theatre.

Over 250 young people have taken part and over 1200 young people have watched Access All Area performances since the project began.

Tours & TalksThe Royal Court is a unique resource for the local community with a rich history and heritage. The Trust runs heritage tours on a regular basis for groups and individuals. Full details of tours can be found on the website.

Open ForumAll of the Trust’s Community & Education programmes are developed in consultation with young people, community partners, funders and other key stakeholders. If you would like to be part of our Open Forum events, please contact us at www.royalcourttrust.org

Royal Court Youth Theatre supporting and nurturing the next generation of Liverpool TalentThe Trust started the first Royal Court Youth Theatre, which is open to all young people 11–25, in January 2011. There are weekly workshops in all aspects of musical theatre as well as opportunities to learn from the professionals who work in the theatre, both technical staff and actors, writers and directors. The Youth Theatre has been free to join from it’s formation. For further information about the Youth Theatre visit www.royalcourttrust.org or call 0151 702 5892.

Royal Court Community ChoirThe Royal Court Trust invites you to take part in our Community Choir. Sessions are open to everyone aged 14+ so bring along the whole family!

Choir sessions are FREE to attend and open to all abilities. Come along, have a laugh, make new friends and enjoy yourself.

If you are interested in coming along, just turn up to a session and if you need more information, contact education@royalcourttrust.org.

Royal Court Liverpool Trust Community & Education

Royal Court Liverpool Youth Theatre

Royal Court Liverpool Trust Supporters

Eleanor Rathbone

We would like to thank the following for their continuing support:

Get In TouchStay in touch with the Royal Court Trust through the web, social media or email.

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Chief ExecutiveFinance Director

Assistant Producer Marketing Manager

Technical DirectorHead Chef

Finance OfficerFront Of House Manager

Sales ManagerBox Office ManagerCostume Supervisor

Resident Stage Manager

Kevin FearonKevin DunnJess BolgerIain ChristieDavid GordonSimon CollardAlison WardSteve SmithJamie JenkinLouise HurdMarie JonesMick Bawden

Box Office AssistantsDanielle Goodfellow, Laura Lees, Isabelle Litwin, Sarah Randle, Katy Skidmore and Angela Varley

Front of House Stephen Briggs, Collette Burgess, Lewis Edwards, Peter Gornell, Kathy Hutson, Jake Jones, Emma Keig, Sven Key, Christopher Kidd, Ricci Kinsella, Melanie Lovett, Hazel Patterson, Siobahn Spear, Adam Thompson, Sophy Vicary, Christina Wiggins and Thomas Wright

Stage DoorAllan Dodd, John Evans

KitchenDavid Assall, Billie Chisam, Carl Chisam, Debbie Chisam, Libby Hind, Alicia Harris, Robert Hughes, Eileen Lawless, George Schott, Doreen Uber

Cleaners Billie Chisam, Carl Chisam, Debbie Chisam, Gillian Stephenson, Doreen Uber

And a big thank you to all of our security staff for their hard work throughout the year

ROYAL COURT STAFF

KylieKowalski / Bolokov

OlgaDaisyJasonBrad

Jimmy

Helen CarterMichael FletcherLindzi GermainHayley HampsonMichael LedwichJohn McGrellisMichael Starke

WriterDirector / Musical Supervisor

DesignerMusical Director

Lighting DesignerChoreographer / Movement Director

Sound Designer / Sound Op AV Designer

Stage ManagerDeputy Stage Manager

Assistant Stage ManagerProduction ManagerCostume Supervisor

Chief LX / LX OpCrew

DresserWorkshop Manager

Carpenters

Painters

Fred LawlessHoward Gray Richard Foxton Alex SmithIan Scott Nicola BoltonKate HarveyJamie JenkinIzzy Circou Elizabeth O’SullivanSnowzie RoseDavid Gordon Marie Jones James Haining Mick GunnigleAndrew LockDebbie FairheadMichael BawdenHoward CookBen GraingerSteve EdwardsGary SollarsAdele Hayter

CAST

THANK YOUSnowman by Entify.co.uk

Snowman movement by Snowzietronics

COMPANY

MUSIC CREDITSUp The Pole and Like Snow music written by Mike Lawless

DrumsKeyboard

GuitarBass

Ross Higginson Jack Hymers Emily Linden Alex Smith

BAND

HELEN CARTERKylie

Born and raised in Liverpool, Helen is thrilled to be back at The Royal Court theatre for Christmas.

Helen trained at LAMDA and her credits include: The Sunshine Boys (Epstein Theatre/ Life in Theatre Productions), Word:Play Tour (Box of Tricks Theatre Company), The Last 5 Years (Life In Theatre Productions),The Gatekeeper (Royal Exchange Studio), Dead Heavy Fantastic (Liverpool Everyman), No Wise Men (Liverpool Playhouse), Hatch (Bolton Octogon), Dad’s Army Marches On (Calibre Productions Tour), Slappers and Slapheads (Royal Court Liverpool), Once Upon a Time at the Adelphi (Liverpool Playhouse), The Flint Street Nativity (Liverpool Playhouse), Top Girls (50th Anniversary, Royal Court Theatre London), The Honest Whore (William Poel Prize, Globe Theatre) TV credits include: Wallander (Left Bank Pictures), Doctors (BBC Television), Beaten (Coastal Productions), Judge John Deed (BBC Television), A470 (S4C)

Film: 96 Ways to Say I Love You (Daisy Aitkens and Georgia Tennant)

Helen is looking forwards to celebrating her first Christmas as a new mum and would like to dedicate this performance to her baby daughter. Merry Crimbo Everyone!!!

MICHAEL FLETCHERKowalski / Bolokov

Michael trained at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, where he won the Philip Holt Prize for Excellence.

Before graduating, Michael was a top 20 finalist for the ITV1 search for a Superstar with Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Professional Theatre: Pete (Departure Lounge- The Unity Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Man 1 (Songs For a New World- The Unity Theatre).

Theatre credits whilst training include: Molina (Kiss of The Spiderwoman), Henry Etches (Titanic the Musical), Saturninus (Titus Andronicus), Roger (The Danny Crowe Show), Various (A Clockwork Orange), Billy Bigalow (Carousel), Action (West Side Story), Nanki Poo (Hot Mikado), Mordy (Three Sisters on Hope Street), Gertie (Fuddy Meers).

He is excited to be a part of this incredible production and would like to thank his family for their support and dedication

CAST

LINDZI GERMAINOlga

A native of Liverpool, Lindzi’s career began at an early age at the Everyman Youth Theatre. She then went on to study in Liverpool. Lindzi is a very well established cabaret entertainer singing everywhere from local pubs to the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall for the Duchess of Kent. In 2004 Lindzi won Merseyside’s funniest woman for stand-up comedy and has appeared on Radio 1, BBC Les’s Liverpool and has opened the Liverpool Comedy Festival at the Royal Court! Lindzi is one of the Royal Court Liverpool’s regulars, the theatre is becoming like a home from home!

Theatre includes: Night Collar, Council Depot Blues, Lost Soul, A Midsummer’s Nights Dream, Two Pence To Cross The Mersey, Ale House, The Entertainer, Bon Voyage, Berserker Boys, Virgin Express, Beauty and The Beast, Merry Ding Dong, A Fistful Of Collars, Her Benny, The King and I, King Lear, Scouse Pacific, Our Bessie playing Bessie Braddock, Little Scouse on the Prairie, Reds And Blues - The Musical and A Nightmare On Lime St.

TV Credits include:Above Suspicion by Lynda le Plante (ITV), Les’s Liverpool (BBC), Bodies II (ITV), Common as Muck (ITV), Emmerdale (Yorkshire), Prime Suspect (ITV), and The Barrymore Show (ITV). Lindzi also plays “Gwladys” in Dave Kirby’s 15 Minutes That Shook The World, Gwladys in Reds Ands Blues: The Ballad Of Dixie And Kenny and Tamla Rose in a Liverpool based Motown film, Adam, a short film with Dave Hart and Ged Hunter.

Lindzi has also worked in panto for Pele Productions in Cinderella (Lowry Theatre, Theatre Royal), Peter Pan (Lowry Theatre), Snow White (Neptune Theatre), Robin Hood (Guild Theatre).

Lindzi has also just played a WAG in the new England song England 7th Best Team In The World.

Lindzi also co-owns Totally U Dance & Drama School in Netherley.

HAYLEY HAMPSONDaisy

Hi, I’m Hayley and apart from becoming a finalist on ITV’s Grease Is The Word, you will probably have seen me serving your drinks and dinners here at the Royal Court Theatre. After recently graduating from the Acting course at LIPA, I am delighted to be making my debut in my home town of Liverpool as part of this year’s Christmas show, Scouse of the Antarctic.

Credits Include: Blue Girl (Shout The Mod Musical), Sophie (Departure Lounge), Miriam (Summer of ‘42), The Actress (Insignificance), Debbie (Three Sisters on Hope Street), Fredrika (A Little Night Music), Fabian (Twelfth Night), Auntie Pasha (Black Milk), Jade (Jacob’s Hammer) SHORT FILMPrincess Jasmine (Aladdin), Cinderella (Cinderella)

I would like to dedicate this performance to our wonderful Front of House staff! (Give ‘em a nice Crimbo tip).

MICHAEL LEDWICHJason

Michael is a born and bred Liverpool actor (Yeah, there’s three of those in this show but it’s ok, I’m the one who looks like a young Bruce Willis incase you’re getting confused). After working from a young age, Michael went on to receive his training at the city’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) (Yeah, there’s two of those in this show but it’s ok, I’m still the one who looks like a young Bruce Willis incase you’re still getting confused). Graduating in 2008, he was fortunate enough to be shortlisted for and then receive the ‘Equity Bursary Award for Drama School Graduates’, since then performing in TV, film and on stages up and down the country.

Theatre credits include; The Undesirable Man, Billy Wonderful (Everyman Theatre); Ladies Night (Royal Court); F.E.A.R. (The Actors Studio); On The Shore Of The Wide World (Black Room); Silver Hammer Man, Cloud 9, The Permanent Way, Somewhere (Unity Theatre), Lord Of The Flies, Eyes Open, Ripper, The Leaving Of Liverpool (Tour); If Trees Could Talk, Greek, Lunch Hour (Arts Centre); Lear, All My Sons, Three Sisters, Macbeth (LIPA); Treasure Island (Sefton Park Palm House); The Secret Garden (Calderstones Mansion); The Creep (Fort Perch)

Musical Theatre Credits include; Our Day Out; The Musical (Royal Court); Once Upon A Time At The Adelphi (Liverpool Playhouse/Trafalgar Studios); Now That’s What I Call Culture (Echo Arena); The Boys In The Photograph, My Favourite Year, West Side Story (LIPA); Jesus Christ Superstar (Arts Centre); Soul In the City (Neptune Theatre)

Television Credits include; Our Beautiful Game, Peaky Blinders, The Audience, Liverpool Culture Launch ‘08 (BBC), BBC’s Liverpool Nativity, Chasing Amy, Hollyoaks, Brookside, Hearts and Minds

Film Credits includes; Month Of Pistols, Murph’s Law, Under The Mud, House Red Wine, Fredonia

Commercial Work includes; Samsung, Santander, Castrol

With the Royal Court he worked on ‘Our Day Out;The Musical’ as an understudy, officially debuted in ‘Ladies Night’ and now he’s back for his first Xmas show with us.

(Can’t ‘bear’ to stay away can I. Wa Hey!!)

JOHN MCGRELLISBrad

Evenin all!

Hope you’re all well and looking forward to Scouse Of The Antarctic! Me and the family are all big fans of this place so I’m really thrilled to be making my debut at the Court! Hope you enjoy watching the show as much as we have working on it.

After deciding to give acting a go professionally in 2004, i studied an HND in theatre at Liverpool Community College, then onto the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating in 2009. Since then i have been lucky enough to dip my feet in theatre, radio, voice over an a bit of telly, albeit three lines and a close up of my cheek, haha!

As well as working across the country, my local theatre credits include Cliff in Bob Farquhar’s Gods Official at the Unity Theatre, Ananias in The Alchemist and Morse in Scrappers both at Liverpool Playhouse. Radio, voiceover and telly include BBCs The Archers, steven gerrard and jamie carraghers autobiographies and Good Cop for BBC One. Big thanks to my amazing family for all the support this last year. ENJOY XX

MICHAEL STARKE Jimmy

Michael began his professional career at Liverpool Playhouse in the 1984 production of Cavern of Dreams by Carol Ann Duffy. The next few years saw him appearing almost exclusively at the Everyman in Liverpool, where he appeared in such shows as The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui, Hamlet, The Winter’s Tale, The Taming of the Shrew, She Stoops to Conquer, Three Sisters, and No Holds Bard. Michael was the first ‘guest star’ in the Olivier Award winning The Play What I Wrote, directed by Kenneth Branagh. Other theatre work includes Be Bop A Lula, Blood Brothers (Leicester Haymarket) Anything Goes (National Tour). Film work includes: No Surrender by Alan Bleasdale, Distant Voices, written and directed by Terrence Davies, The 51st State directed by Ronny Yu and starring Samuel L Jackson. Michael is probably best known to TV viewers as Sinbad, a role he played for fifteen years in Channel 4’s Brookside. He then spent six years playing Ken Hopkirk in Yorkshire TV’s The Royal, and was most recently Jerry Morton in Coronation Street. Michael also played Howard in the Manchester 24/7 Festival production of Dancing To The Sound Of Crunching Snails by Joe Graham and directed by Joyce Branagh.

In 2010 Michael was one of the three Edna Turnblads in the national tour of Hairspray with Michael Ball and Brian Conley. He followed that with the role of Monsignor O’Hara in the Whoopie Goldberg produced national tour of Sister Act.

Since his last appearance here in A Nightmare on Lime Street, Michael has done Special Measures and completed two films: Jack Ryan directed by Kenneth Branagh and a British film, Longtails, produced and directed by Elizabeth Arends.

FRED LAWLESSWRITER

Fred’s previous theatre work includes BEST! a musical about sacked Beatles drummer Pete Best at the Liverpool Everyman Theatre and the Players Theatre Dublin, Sleeping Cities, Distant Dreams at the Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre, Educating Peter and Beyond Benidorm at the Liverpool Playhouse Studio, Slappers and Slapheads (co-written) at the Royal Court, Liverpool Empire and Manchester Opera House and A Fistful of Collars at the Royal Court. This is Fred’s sixth Christmas show for the Royal Court, having previously written Merry Ding Dong in 2009, Scouse Pacific in 2010, Little Scouse On The Prairie in 2011. A Nightmare On Lime Street in 2012 and The Hitchhiker’s Guide To Fazakerley last year.

Radio work includes Close Enough To Touch - a dramatisation of the 1939 HMS Thetis submarine disaster in Liverpool Bay for Radio 4, Radio Merseyside and the BBC World Service, and Paradise People (co-written) a 23 part comedy series for Radio Merseyside.

TV work includes Eastenders, Family Affairs and Crossroads (2001).

HOWARD GRAYDIRECTOR / MUSICAL SUPERVISORFor the Royal Court, Howard has been the musical director for Lennon, Our Day Out, You’ll Never Walk Alone, Eight Miles High, Sons Of The Desert, Council Depot Blues, Reds And Blues, Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels and the last six Christmas shows.

He has been associate artist at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton and was musical director for Blonde Bombshells Of 1943, a co-production with Hampstead Theatre, which won the Manchester Evening News Best Production for 2006. The show has subsequently toured nationally and internationally.

Other work at the Octagon includes: Looking For Buddy, Little Voice, Once Upon A Time In Wigan, Oh What A Lovely War, The Song Of Singapore, Danny, Champion Of The World, and I Just Stopped By To See The Man.

At the Coliseum Theatre in Oldham: Close The Coalhouse Door, Martha, Josie And The Chinese Elvis, Dick Barton Special Agent, Union Street, Women On The Verge Of HRT, Private Lives, Feed, The Road To Nab End, Sweet Charity, and Brassed Off. Also a hatful of rock’n’roll muiscals and pantomimes.

At the New Vic in Stoke: A Taste Of Honey, The Admirable Crichton, and Spring And Port Wine.

Other work includes any number of pantos at the Liverpool Everyman and Harrogate Theatre.

Howard has worked on two of Dave Kirby’s films, Fifteen Minutes That Shook The World and Reds And Blues.

RICHARD FOXTONDESIGNERPrevious design work for the Royal Court, Liverpool: Eight Miles High, Ladies Day.

Design work elsewhere includes: And Then The Dark, Bedroom Farce, A Passionate Woman, Up on the Roof, Noises Off, Vincent in Brixton, The Price, Chimps, A Family Affair, Double Indemnity (New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich), Garage Band, Absent Friends, The Winter’s Tale, Beauty & The Beast, Jack & the Beanstalk, Aladdin (Mercury Theatre, Colchester), Takeaway (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Office Suite (Theatre Royal Bath & national tour), Brassed Off (Sheffield Theatres national tour), Blue/Orange; The Country Wife, Queen’s English (Palace Theatre ,Watford), Blonde Bombshells of 1943, Dumbshow, Deathtrap, Stepping Out, Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis, Return to the Forbidden Planet, Kes, The Sunshine Boys, Perfect Pitch, On the Piste, Good Golly Miss Molly (Coliseum Theatre, Oldham), Equus, Macbeth, The Miser, Dead Funny (Salisbury Playhouse), The Rise & Fall of Little Voice, Jack & the Beanstalk (Harrogate Theatre), Kvetch (West Yorkshire Playhouse), All My Sons, Neville’s Island, Brassed Off (York Theatre Royal), Things We Do For Love, Death of a Salesman (Library Theatre, Manchester), Desperate To Be Doris, Hector’s House, The Importance of Being

Earnest (LipService national tours); The Lighthouse on Shivering Sands (North Country Theatre, tour), Happy Jack, A Kind of Loving (John Godber Co./Wakefield Theatre Royal), Loot, Pub Quiz is Life, Macbeth, The Flags, Ladies Day, Wuthering Heights, 1984, Toast, Up on the Roof, Under the Whaleback (Hull Truck); and over fifty productions for the Octagon Theatre Bolton including And Did Those Feet…, The Crucible, The Caretaker, Four Nights in Knaresborough, Saved, Blood Wedding, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dancing at Lughnasa, The Pitchfork Disney.

He has twice been nominated for the TMA Design Award & has won the Manchester Evening News design award five times, most recently in 2008 for Oh What a Lovely War (Octagon Theatre).

His work was included in the British exhibit at the Prague Quadrennial (1995), he was a judge of the Linbury Prize (1997).

Forthcoming work includes: Chicago (Oldham Coliseum Theatre), Sleeping Beauty (Harrogate Theatre).

ALEX SMITHMUSICAL DIRECTORAlex graduated from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts in 2009 and has been based in the city ever since. It is his second year playing at the Royal Court Christmas show. Alex spent the first half of the year on a national tour of Betty Blue Eyes. Following this he was musical director for the production of Our Day Out at the Oldham Coliseum.

As well as a theatre musician he a member of The Band of The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment. The band performs music at many of the high-profile military events in the North West. These events can take the form of ceremonial and official parades, marching displays and concerts including smaller groups for receptions and dinners.

IAN SCOTT LIGHTING DESIGNIan has designed the lighting for many shows at the Royal Court Liverpool including A Nightmare on Lime Street, Our Day Out, Scouse Pacific, On The Ledge, Eight Miles High and Council Depot Blues. In 2012 he designed the set and lighting for the Lodestar/Royal Court co-productions of Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Other recent projects: Marco Polo (Bergen National Opera), Where The Wild Things Are/Higgelty Piggelty Pop (Aldeburgh Festival, Los Angeles Philharmonic & Barbican), The Victorian in the Wall (Will Adamsdale/Fuel), The Ugly Spirit (Fittings/South Bank), Touch Me (Coisceim Dance Theatre), Blok/Eko (The Wrestling School), The 39 Steps (Criterion Theatre) and Reasons To Be Cheerful (Graeae).

As an Associate Artist with the experimental theatre company Suspect Culture Ian designed the set and lighting for much of the company’s work including Timeless, Mainstream and Lament.

COMPANY

NICOLA BOLTONCHOREOGRAPHER/MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Nicky is pleased to be back at the Court. She was last here as part of the creative team of, ‘A Hitchhikers Guise to Fazakerely’

Choreography credits include: Close the Coalhouse Door (Oldham Coliseum), The Picture of Doreen Gray for Lip Service theatre Company (national tour), The Blonde Bombshells of 1943 (Oldham Coliseum and New Vic, Stoke) ‘CBeebies Panto’ (BBC) Curtain Up at the Coliseum (Oldham Coliseum), Ballroom Blitz (Hull Truck theatre), Inspector Norse (Lip-service Theatre), Looking for Buddy (Bolton Octagon and Live theatre, Newcastle), Desperate to be Doris (Lip-Service UK tour nominated for a M.E.N award), Aladdin (Stafford Gatehouse), Saving Charlotte (Bridewell theatre, London) and My Sister In This House (Union Street theatre, London).

Acting credits: Ladies Night (Royal Court, Liverpool), Oh What a Lovely War and Steel Magnolias (Bolton Octagon, MEN nomination), Stepping Out, The Wizard of Oz and Sweet Charity (Oldham Coliseum), Alice, Tears of a Clown, Macbeth and Return To The Forbidden Planet (Harrogate Theatre), From a Jack to a King (New Vic, Stoke), The Sound of Music (Perth rep), Cinderella (Liverpool Everyman and Theatre Clwyd), Fame The Musical (original West End cast, Cambridge Theatre), Return To The Forbidden Planet (UK Tour), and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK tour).

TV appearences include: Waterloo Road, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, Coronation Street, Fat Friends, The Royal, Heartbeat, City Central and The Life And Crimes Of William Palmer.

Films include: A Muppet Christmas Carol, Julie and the Cadillacs, Room 42 and Honeycomb Lodge. And loads of adverts.

Nicky is also a visiting Professional at L.I.P.A

KATE HARVEYSOUND DESIGNKate was born in Blackpool and at the age of 15 went on work experience at Blackpool Opera House.

At 16 she was offered the job of lighting operator on Danny La Rue’s summer season show and has enjoyed a career in technical theatre ever since. Shows worked there include Blood Brothers, Dr. Dolittle, Grease, Sunset Boulevard and Boogie Nights. She then spent two years at Stageworks Worldwide Productions designing and operating two pantomimes and working many corporate and conference events.

Six months at Butlins in sunny Skegness saw her sound engineer for famous acts such as Slade, Bad Manners, Chesney Hawkes, Sinitta, Right Said Fred and many more. A move to the ocean waves to work as a production technician for Island Cruises let her enjoy four months in Brazil and six months in the Mediterranean before securing a job as production manager for P&O cruises. Mixing sound to the stars all over the world including Jane McDonald, Brian Conley and Petula Clark she then felt it was time to come home.

In June 2008 dry land was calling and Kate is now delighted to be working at Royal Court Liverpool where she recently

designed Night Collar, Shirley Valentine, Our Day Out - The Musical, both the 2010 abd 2013 runs of Lennon, Scouse Pacific, You’ll Never Walk Alone, Little Scouse on the Prairie, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Reds And Blues - The Musical, Ladies Day.

JAMIE JENKINAV DESIGNER Jamie was born in Hertfordshire, moved to Liverpool to study in 2001, and has lived in the city ever since.

He has designed AV for both the Royal Court’s original production and the 2013 reboot of Lennon, A Fistful Of Collars, the second run of Willy Russell’s Our Day Out - The Musical, Ladies Night, the Lodestar Theatre Company productions of Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Nightmare On Lime Street, Down Our Street, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide To Fazakerley, all at Royal Court Liverpool, as well as the Liverpool Football Club show You’ll Never Walk Alone, which has toured internationally.

Other work includes promotional films for shows at the Royal Court Liverpool including Bouncers, Ladies Day, Macbeth, Lennon and A Nightmare On Lime Street, and working with the Royal Court Liverpool Trust on various promotional materials. He is also a freelance graphic and motion designer working with clients in the UK and all over the world.

He is also the guitarist in the band Seawitches.

MARIE JONESCOSTUME SUPERVISORMarie studied fashion and then moved on to theatre costume interpretation at Mabel Fletcher College. Marie’s work as a freelance costumier has included costumes for Oldham Coliseum, The Royal Exchange, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Jimmy McGovern’s film Liam, Beyond Friendship for Mersey Television and the many pantomime dames who have appeared on the Everyman stage.

She has worked extensively at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse and has recently been employed as full time Wardrobe Supervisor. Most recently Marie’s work at the Everyman and Playhouse has included: Much Ado About Nothing, The Electric Hills, The Flint Street Nativity, The Tempest, Unprotected, Billy Liar, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe, Urban Legend, Fly, Breezeblock Park, The Entertainer, Still Life And The Astonished Heart, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Anniversary, Dr Faustus, The May Queen, Cruel Sea and All My Sons.

Marie’s other credits include: Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels, Lost Soul, Good Golly Miss Molly, Stags and Hens - The Remix, On The Ledge, Misery, Eight Miles High, Council Depot Blues, Night Collar, Dirty Dusting, Shirley Valentine, Our Day Out - The Musical, The Salon, Funny Money, Merry Ding Dong, A Fistul Of Collars, Lucky Numbers, Lennon, Scouse Pacific, You’ll Never Walk Alone, Little Scouse on the Prairie, Reds And Blues - The Musical and Ladies Day for Royal Court Liverpool, Brouhaha International Street Festival, Working Class Hero on the recent Imagine DVD, Costume Supervisor for many shows at LIPA, The Splash Project at MYPT and Twopence To Cross The Mersey at the Liverpool Empire.