Vernons Girls– The Royal Court, Liverpool

Writer: Karen Brown

Director: Bob Eaton

The Royal Court has brought all the nostalgia of the 50s back to the audiences of Liverpool with this captivating new musical journey by local writer Karen Brown. Vernon’s Girls is filled with an array of hit songs from the time and is sure to entertain young and old alike.

The show travels back to 1950s Liverpool, where over 6,000 women work at Vernon’s, checking pools and football coupons along with singing in the company choir. In 1956, Rock ‘n’ Roll takes hold of the nation, transforming the lives of these ordinary scouse girls into musical performers who captivate audiences nationwide and on TV, touring with the likes of Billy Fury and Marty Wilde.

The production plays out on a simple but highly effective set design by Alfie Haywood, multiple platforms which hold the many instruments and a large projection screen help transport us to the many locations from Liverpool to London and Blackpool in an instant. Ian Scott’s lighting design enhances the mood and atmosphere of the scenes with subtle shifts of colour – especially effective in the creation of the stained glass windows.

The performances from the young but highly talented cast is brilliant – the ability to make the performances feel natural and not overly heightened (as usual at the Royal Court) needs to be applauded and the fact that most cast are also playing the music on many instruments including saxophone, piano, chellow and percussion as well as showcasing some exquisite vocal harmonies is nothing short of phenomenal.

In the lead role of Peggy, Abigail Middleton easily breaks the fourth wall to narrate us through proceedings – she infuses the character with a joyful spirit which carries on throughout the show. Rebecca Levy delivers an incredible multi-part performance from her portrayals of Vernon’s manager to dance director – they provide many great on-stage moments.

There were times on press night when some noticeable line slips and occasional accent drops took place – but these rarely distracted from the overall performance.

Vernon’s Girls is a great show, that provides plenty of fun – from the sharp, well-written script by Karen Brown, to the slick direction of Bob Eaton, to the energetic choreography from Beverly Edmunds and the fantastic performances from the talented cast. This is a show not to be missed and proves that there really is room for more traditional productions on the Royal Court stage.

Runs until 8 July 2023