THE MORRIS. To 28 May.

Liverpool

THE MORRIS
by Helen Blakeman

Everyman Theatre To 28 May
Mon-Sat 7.45pm Mat 18 May 1.30pm 28 May 2pm
BSL Signed 20 May
Runs 2hr One interval

TICKETS: 0151 709 4776
www.everymanplayhouse.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 14 May

Fun and dance stepping out from Mersey to North Wales.Well into the second year of the revivifying management at Liverpool's two producing theatres, their Made in Liverpool' stamp distinguishing home-produced work from the rich visiting programme has come to mean a series of immaculate 20th century drama revivals at the Playhouse interspersed with new, local drama up the hill at the Everyman.

If the focus there has been on the social margins, that's stretched geographically in Helen Blakeman's comedy about Our Lady All Angels women's morris-dancing troupe competing at Prestatyn. An exhilarating video sequence at the start gives women's morris-dancing the look of American cheer-leading. Leader here is Margy (the g' is Liverpool hard) and she soon fits into the formula Blakeman's comedy adopts.

It's something of a Stepping Out stepped into the open air. A women's dance team where tensions develop comically for an act before more serious matters threaten disruption, until things come triumphantly together in the last dance. Richard Harris's comedy about a women's tap class has had widespread popularity, becoming both film and musical, and there's little reason Blakeman shouldn't have a degree of such success, though there's a strong Mersey air to both the sound and characters and no token man.

As usual, it's social pretension and ambition that are the easy targets, hit by shrewd shafts from Tina Malone's trainer Lily, the innocent inanity of Leanne Best's Sharon and the differently innocent wonderings of the young women, Kay Lyon as Lily's daughter plus Laura Dos Santos as a team member become young mother, complete on the scene with pram and much cared-for baby.

All these are believable characters, making for good comic clashes. Promotion to the organising team beckons for Margy, there's a late revelation that compromises Lily's motivation. Sharon's side activities unintentionally add to the plot.

There are strong individual performances but, rightly, it's teamwork that triumphs on stage. The Everyman adds to its portraits of working lives at home and play up the Mersey. If the current regime hasn't yet come up with its regional classic, Blakeman's Morris should provide it with a popular hit.

Sharon: Leanne Best
Donna: Laura Dos Santos
Jamie Lee: Kay Lyon
Lily: Tina Malone
Margy: Sarah White

Director: Indhu Rubasingham
Designer: Mike Britton
Lighting: Philip Gladwell
Sound: Crispian Covell
Video Projection Designer: Arnim Freiss
Morris Trainer: Pat Hart

2005-05-16 07:00:58