Since 1999

Trusted News & Reviews

25

years

best of british theatre

Official
tickets

Pick
your seats

Since 1999

25 years

Official tickets

Pick seats

1970s sitcom The Liver Birds inspires new musical

Published on

April 10, 2017

By

markludmon

A new musical based on classic 1970s sitcom The Liver Birds is to be presented for one night only at The Epstein Theatre in Liverpool.

The concert presentation on May 30 promises a West End cast performing all-new songs and lyrics by internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter Barb Jungr and Level 42’s Mike Lindup. The script, inspired by Carla Lane and Myra Taylor’s original TV series, has been written by BBC Radio Merseyside presenter Linda McDermott.

The show is directed by Sarah Tipple whose credits include the stage version of Dirty Dancing and Mike Leigh’s adaptation of The Pirates Of Penzance.

The plot sees two of the “Liver Birds”, Sandra and Beryl, meet at their old flat in present-day Liverpool for the first time since the 1970s when Sandra abruptly left with no forwarding address. Can their friendship be rekindled after this long separation, and what happens when the Liver Birds come back together after 40 years?

The two characters are based on the two flatmates originally played by Polly James and Nerys Hughes, who were the stars during most of the sitcom’s run on BBC1 from 1969 to 1979.

Carla Lane, whose other hit comedies included Butterflies and Bread, personally granted the rights for this musical adaptation before her untimely death in 2016. Since then, the writing team have been busy creating this modern-day story, celebrating Carla’s characters and their home city in a new story.

They won the support of Olivier Award-winning theatre producer James Seabright who is working alongside renowned Liverpool-based promoter and producer George Seaton to bring this show to the stage.

The concert presentation will be the culmination of the show’s first workshop. The creative team will be inviting audience members to share their feedback on the musical before it moves forward to its next stage of a fully staged world premiere production, which will also open in Liverpool.

BOOK TICKETS TO THE LIVER BIRDS IN CONCERT

The BritishTheatre.com website was created to celebrate the rich and diverse theatrical culture of the United Kingdom. Our mission is to provide the latest UK theatre news, West End reviews, and insights into both regional theatre and London theatre tickets, ensuring enthusiasts can stay up to date with everything from the biggest West End musicals to cutting-edge fringe theatre. We are passionate about encouraging and nurturing the performing arts in all their forms.

The spirit of theatre is alive and thriving, and BritishTheatre.com is at the forefront of delivering timely, authoritative news and information to theatre lovers. Our dedicated team of theatre journalists and critics works tirelessly to cover every production and event, making it easy for you to access the latest reviews and book London theatre tickets for must-see shows.