Royal Court Theatre

The Royal Court Theatre is the venue I attended my first gig many, many… many moons ago and while music acts may have moved on to any of the city’s plethora of dedicated music venues such as The Arena or O2, The Royal Court still holds an important place in the city’s cultural landscape.
The RC doesn’t rely on public or arts funding so has to hold it’s own and I think deserves praise for what it does. The theatre pieces here might not be high brow — Slappers and Slapheads being a notable example! — but these shows are mainly penned by local writers and performed by well known faces from across the Northwest.
The RC has also become synonomous with stand up comedy as a venue for big touring acts and a regular comedy night slot.

For better or worse, there’s nothing quite like a night at the theatre. On the one hand you can see your favourite personalities up close as they mess up their lines and wipe their faces on towels. The downside? The clapping. There’s so much clapping. God, I’m so ungrateful.
The Royal Court is a pleasantly shabby playhouse of tan and purple that is unfortunately plagued by cheap-​looking plays, the kind you see in the back pages of free newspapers with raving quotes from Pete Price or the director’s mum. However, when somebody actually interesting decides to show up, it can make for a wonderfully intimate night out.

hmm. I want to be kind; this place is old, it’s small and quaint and rather less popular than the Empire or the Playhouse, for example, however I’m not much of a fan of the Royal Court; there’s never anything on that appeals: ‘Our Day Out’ is guaranteed to be showing, as is ‘Ladies Night’ and «Brick up the Mersey Tunnel», but these seem to be the only offerings. There is, of course, the Rawhide Comedy Club, very popular and well advertised in Liverpool, however I have heard a few bad reviews; the bouncers are extremely rude, for example, not allowing a party of six into the venue fifteen minutes before the start of the show, apparently their entrance would disturb other guests (despite early exiting being permitted!) The food and dinner service has also been criticised.
Occasionally there are some good shows; I took my niece to the Cinderella Christmas panto which was very entertaining for children and adults, there was a great atmosphere and some famous faces too. All in all, a little variable.

The thing people talk about when it comes to the Royal Club is its Rawhide comedy night. It’s ridiculously popular and very cosily laid out in the downstairs bar with reasonably priced drinks, but beware that it is an open mic night and thus can be a bit cringeworthy. Never mind though — the staff are very friendly and helpful and that can make up for a multitude of untalented sins onstage!
As for the theatre part itself it’s terrifically atmospheric and the performances are eclectic. The venue could perhaps do with a fresh coat of paint but I like the ramshackle aspect, it lends lots of character. As well as your classic and modern plays and contemporary performances quite a few bands and artists perform here, and a lot of the drama is very locally based, thus Liverpudlians will find common ground and something to relate to.
The seating can be rather close together so if you’re with a group that’s fine, but you might find yourself bunched up next to strangers — still, what better way to meet people! It’s small and perfectly formed and superb value for money, especially considering you can get a meal here too. The food is excellent, with really down-​to-​earth meals which are locally flavoured such as scouse. A really good night out if you’re looking for something entertaining.

Liverpool is home to quite a few theatres, but this one stands out for me. It’s a cosy little theatre which hosts a comedy club, long running plays and one off shows.
If you like the theatre, this place is a definite must if you’re visiting Liverpool. The atmmosphere is great, and the recetn refurbishment has really brought the theatre to life.
The good is great and really promotes local produce, serving homemade meals such as Scouse. The prices for shows are very reasonable and can be booked in advance, which makes a change as you can often shell out a lot of money for a show.

If you love theatre, and you love Liverpool, you’ll love The Royal Court. In recent years they have been producing shows by Liverpool playwrights, performed entirely by Liverpool actors. This makes it a great night out for residents, as well as an extremely popular tourist attraction.
Many famous actors and actresses have performed here, including Vivien leigh, Lawrence Olivier, Yul Brynner, and Dame Judi Dench (Lady Catherine De Bourgh of Pride and Prejudice fame, 2005), who made her debut on the Royal Court stage in 1957.
My husband and I attended a performance of Night Collar at the Royal Court in 2009. Night Collar is tragicomedy about the life and times of a Liverpool taxi driver.
The quality of acting was outstanding, and I really enjoyed the local flavour of the play itself, the accents, and the costumes. I will say I didn’t fully appreciate the amount of foul language in the play, and some of the crude references, but I’m sure most people wouldn’t mind that at all, and naturally it was realistic for a play set in Liverpool.
You’ll definitely get your money’s worth from a play at the Royal Court. You can also purchase a «dining ticket,» and order a meal to eat while you watch the performance.
The theatre also sponsors a comedy club, Rawhide, which performs every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.
The box office is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-​Saturday, and until 8:00 p.m. on show nights.

The Royal Court Theatre has always been a landmark building in Liverpool and has seen truly legendary names perform over the last one hundred years. They are dedicated to producing the very best in comedy, drama and musicals.
Since the summer of 2005 the building has been extensively refurbished — most particularly in the stalls which has been converted into cabaret style seating with tables for drinks and easy access for waiters and waitresses.
The last time I went here, was to see a poetry performance on a school trip. I was impressed by the whole atmosphere and size of the arena as on first glance, it appears small from the outside but it has to be seen to be believed! Since then, it has dramatically changed and now it’s even better.