With over 100,000 people coming to see the show, Scouse comedy Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels is back now for the fourth time in as many years.Set in Liverpool, and on the Wirral Peninsular, Brick Up tells the story of three working class Liverpudlian lads who are fed up with being looked down upon by the snobs from the Wirral. Eventually, they take the law into their own hands and the Kingsway Three are born.
There are many name checks to famous Scousers in the show, and after a while it does start to get a bit dull. Saying that, there is one Anne Robinson joke which is definitely on the money.
A lot of the humour in the show is at times can be quite crude. The play is no better or worse as a result, but it does get the audience going. At times the show does overstep the mark and becomes down right offensive, and starts to harbour prejudices. Many people in the audience I am sure would understand that the jokes are tongue in cheek, but for others, one feels that it would firmly back up their thoughts and opinions on minority groups.
Ironically, some of the best humour in the show is when the jokes aren’t offensive. A joke about sun tans and a toaster had the audience in stitches. It just proves that the jokes don’t need to be offensive and crass to get the audience roaring.
The acting on the whole by the majority of the cast is sufficient. Andrew Schofield in particular brings the house down, and shows why he is the Liverpool Legend that he is. Ethnie Brown also stands out as “Wirralian” Ann Twacky, an ex-Scouser who thinks she’s moved up in the world a la Hyacinth Bucket. One of the problems with the show is that the actors don’t exactly look like they’re being stretched. When they’re singing, it seems that the voices are better than the words they’re singing, which generally shows that the substance of the show isn’t actually that great.
This play will always be welcomed by Liverpool audiences, and there is definitely an appeal. It is just a shame however, that in an era where we are trying to welcome people into the city, there are plays being put on which back up stereotypes that the city’s negative and isolated – stereotypes which aren’t necessarily true.
Ultimately though it is a good night out with laughs a plenty – a panto for big kids n the summer, if you will.
5/10
