Rita, Sue and Bob Too – St Helens Theatre Royal

Writer: Andrea Dunbar

Director : Chantelle Nolan

Based on Andrea Dunbar’s 1987 film adaptation of her two plays ‘Rita, Sue and Bob Too’ (1982) and ‘The Arbour’ (1980), the story draws from her personal experiences growing up on the Buttershaw council estate in Bradford in the 70’s and 80’s. Rita, Sue and Bob Too is currently playing at St Helens Theatre Royal, presented by Regal Entertainments. From the direction by Chantelle Nolan to the programme notes, it’s clear that this production leans more toward the comedic route than straight drama, a decision that seemingly goes down very well with the lively audience.

The cast is led by X-Factor’s Jake Quickenden as Bob, whose portrayal is good but arguably a bit too sexy for a character that’s supposed to be far seedier. Quickenden’s acting is often overshadowed by the audience’s roaring enthusiasm whenever any flesh is on show, even booing when he puts his shirt back on. Despite this, he handles the role with confidence, creates laugh-out-loud moments, and delivers Dunbar’s sharp one-liners and taunts to his wife with both delight and venom. It’s fair to say the modern styling choices of his costumes and aesthetics only adds to a sense of disconnect from the original source material though.

Jessica Ellis from Hollyoaks shines as Michelle, especially in the second act with some excellent comic timing. The deftness of touch in the ‘midnight snack’ scene is particularly good. Warren Donnelly (Shameless, Coronation Street) provides a steady turn as Sue’s aggressive and abrasive Dad, while Britain’s Got Talent‘s Siobhan Phillips delivers a bold slice of ’80s Bradford life as the chain-smoking, hard-drinking Mum. The real standouts are Kay Nicholson as Rita and Jenna Sian O’Hara as Sue, who complement each other beautifully. They work hard for the laughs but also manage to tap into the play’s more moving themes of loyalty, friendship and love in a northern town.

The production’s lighting design by Greg Jones is effective but lacks depth in places. A greater variety in the outdoor scenes could have added more atmosphere, and the occasional bleed of light across the stage when two different rooms were in play sometimes muddied the clarity of the setting. A little more precision in these transitions would have sharpened the overall visual impact.

Sound design, by Jordan Hewitt, is well executed, with the decision to have all cast members on radio mics proving a smart one. This ensured that none of the dialogue was lost beneath the often-explosive audience laughter, allowing every sharp exchange and comedic beat to land as intended.

The set felt somewhat clunky, and the use of fly towers might have streamlined transitions, keeping the energy flowing more seamlessly. That said, the play itself is relatively short, and the bursts of ’80s nostalgia between scenes, complete with era-defining hits, helped maintain the momentum and entertain the crowd.

The production runs in St Helens until Sunday, 9th February, before touring across the UK and concluding in Liverpool on 12th April. Fans of the film or raw northern comedy will love this thick broad slice of ’80s northern nostalgia, topped off with one of Black Lace’s most famous songs banging out as you leave the theatre, ensuring the fun continues even beyond the final curtain.

By turning Dunbar’s story into a broad comedy, the production entertains it’s local audience well but skirts around the complex and unsettling themes that make the original play so compelling. A fun night out but misses the mark for those seeking a more nuanced and dramatic interpretation of Dunbar’s raw and unflinching work.

Runs until 9th February in St Helens and tour concludes in Liverpool on 12th April 2025