If only some TV sitcoms were this funny.

Lost Soul is, in fact, music to the ears of a new generation of theatre-goers.

Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels, which has already made history, was from the pens of Messrs Dave Kirby and Nicky Alt, who strived for years to get their work on stage.

This is Kirby’s first solo venture – an updated version of a previous Unity outing.

It is a bitter-sweet tale of two couples who married in the ’70s and then, three decades on, discover sweet soul music isn’t what it used to be.

Donna, played by Lindzi Germain, is loud and brash but with a heart as big as her hips.

Her sister Pat, played by Eithne Browne, again displays this versatile star's skill at combining serious acting with comedy.

Former Brookside star Neil Caple as her deluded hubby, Terry, ably gets the wide-aged group audience’s sympathy vote when she runs off with a dim toyboy.

The ever-excellent Andrew Schofield as Smigger, Donna's sex-mad husband, is given some magical lines to deliver as well as madcap dances.

Andrew oozes out every nasal nuance from the gags just as Marvin Gaye did the same with sexy lyrics.

The one-liners are non-stop as Mr Kirby refers to his beloved Liverpool FC; Everton FC; The Sun newspaper and Capital of Culture failings. There is blood- letting, emotional and physical, whether in flashbacks to the days of flares and tank tops, or otherwise to the present day when the only thing to look forward to is the past.

Billy Meall’s revolving set works slickly, allowing Bob Eaton’s effortless direction to keep the action focused on the lost souls.

The main four may be the ’70s spotlighters, but there’s also great performances from Danny O’Brien’s brain dead bouncer; Jessica Schofield’s bimbo and the bemused barman played by Lenny Wood.

Lost Souls is another home- grown success.

A Liverpool play through and through, with plenty of local references and jokes that can be topped up as the run goes on and on – and it will.

Expect the "Souled-Out" signs to be outside the Royal Court again.

Peter Grant

Liverpool Daily Post - September 4th 2007

© 2007 Kathryn Martin

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