'Council Depot Blues' is a five star show!

Photographs by Zanto Digital

Royal Court Theatre Liverpool

Wednesday 28th February 2018

As their co-worker Stan prepares for his last day at the depot, a group of Council workers dream of being in his shoes and retiring. 

Council Depot Blues is a hilarious and heartwarming comedy that fuses witty one-liners and brilliant blues music into two hours of five star theatre.

The story’s pace flows well from scene to scene, thanks in part to the revolving stage that takes you to each location seamlessly. At one moment you can be a rainy bus stop, then a deserted house a few seconds later.  The cast utilise the set and props well; using household items and cupboards to store instruments throughout each scene - ready to leave the audience in awe with their fantastic musicianship.

If the cast were a blues band, guaranteed I would go and see them. Their performances throughout Council Depot Blues were worthy of a standing ovation all of their own; each song capturing the atmosphere of the scene. Howard Gray’s (Norman) skills as a pianist and Roy Brandon’s (Jo Jo) saxophone performance were incredibly impressive, while Jake Abraham (Fitzy)  and Andrew Schofield’s (Danny) guitar had me cheering for more. Plus, the cast’s harmonies were nothing short of outstanding from start to finish.

The multi-talented cast are as impressive performing the blues as they are delivering the quick-witted dialogue. Whether it’s the physical comedy between James Nelson-Joyce (Shorty) and Paul Broughton (Harry) as they’re clearing out the house and finding unexpected guests, or the wonderful Lindzi Germain (Vera) whose back and forth arguments with the workers left me crying with laughter, Dave Kirby’s script and Bob Eaton’s direction is captured perfectly by a cast who give a ten out of ten performance throughout.

A little while ago I mentioned the heartwarming moments of the show, many of which are brought to life by Phil Hearne as retiring worker Stan. His physicality and vocal tones capture an unspoken dialogue that is only revealed near the end of the second act, revealing Stan’s true feelings about leaving his job after so many years. Phil Hearne is an incredible actor and his performance as Stan was both thought-provoking and emotive. 

Council Depot Blues is a five star show that will have you laughing and cheering for more throughout the night.

Five stars

By Sarah O' Hara