Lost Soul hit brings in 20,000 to Royal Court

Liverpool's Royal Court theatre has another grass roots record breaker on its hands.

The comedy Lost Soul has proved an even bigger hit for writer Dave Kirby than his first stage outing, Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels, which he co-created with Nicky Allt.

The latest show, directed by Sylvie Gatrill, frequently received “souled out” notices throughout its September run and overall saw 20,000 tickets pass through the Royal Court’s box office, outstripping sales for the first run of Brick Up by 2,000.

The theatre’s marketing manager Iain Christie said it was a vindication of the theatre’s policy to stage plays by local writers using a small repertory-style production team of north west actors and crew.

Kirkby-born Mr Kirby, 48, said the rave reaction to Lost Soul, starring Merseyside actors Andrew Schofield, Eithne Browne, Neil Caple and Lindzi Germain, who play a group of 40-something Liverpudlians caught in 70s pub/club timewarp, had been a pleasant surprise.

“We thought if we’d got only half the success of Brick Up, then we would be very happy indeed.”

He is already writing his next work entitled Council Depot Blues .

Liverpool Echo - October 2nd 2007

© 2007 Kathryn Martin

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