Why I had to have TWO Brookside stars in my new Shakespeare North play

It was a love of Brookside that got Shakespeare North’s Lisa Allen into theatre – and why she’s thrilled to have former actors from the close appearing in its latest play.

TWO is the first production Lisa has directed in Prescot since her arrival as CEO and creative director a year ago, and it’s one that has a ‘special place in my heart’.

She explained:

“This is one of my favourite plays and in fact perhaps the reason I work in theatre. I saw TWO at the Octagon in Bolton in 1989 when I was only 16, starring John McArdle and Sue Johnston.

“I was a massive Brookside fan. I grew up with it; I was obsessed with it. And at that time, seeing two actors off the telly in a play was almost unheard of. But I loved it and I remember thinking so that’s what you can do with theatre.”

Jim Cartwright's Two - Shakespeare North — Credit: Les Red/The Guide Liverpool

“Sue and John were amazing in TWO, and I guess that nod to Brookside was important to me in this.

“And Sarah and Michael are just absolutely brilliant.”

‘Sarah and Michael’ are former Brookie stars Sarah White – aka Bev Dixon – and Michael Starke, who played Sinbad in the Channel 4 drama.

The pair play 14 characters in the rollercoaster production that moves constantly through the emotions.

Lisa said:

“TWO is a play by Jim Cartwright, set over the course of an evening in a northern pub – ours is set in Liverpool. And you get to see the relationship of the landlady and landlord in quite close quarters, and what they are going through.

“They’ve had a traumatic experience, and it’s been one of those secrets they’ve kept and not talked about, but it all unfolds.

“Michael and Sarah play a number of characters – including the landlord and landlady – and we get to grips with how people relate to each other, and what other marriages are like.

“What it’s like to be the person left behind if a wife or husband has died, or can’t come out of the house because they’re ill.

“It’s a real insight into relationships and although it’s old and set in the ‘80s, it resonates today. Human life doesn’t change.”

Shakespeare North Playhouse is always going to do Shakespeare, Lisa says:

“And he’s a cherished writer. I’m a massive Shakespeare fan, but it can be a bit of a barrier and put some people off.

“We really want people to find something they like here, and we are trying different things like comedy events, and music events too, because we’re still new.

“There’s a world where we’re going to celebrate northern writing – there are many great northern writers, Jim being one of them, people like Willy Russell, who still speak to people today.

“So occasionally we might throw in something like this to entice a different audience, people who might feel Shakespeare isn’t for them, but who might get used to coming here and try a Shakespeare. You never know.

“We have the best theatre in the country. What an absolute jewel and how amazing that it’s here on Merseyside – the only replica Elizabethan style theatre outside London. We’re so lucky and so it’s not just about bums on seats. I want people to experience this theatre and have that wow factor when they walk in.”

“TWO is a northern class story, a universal story – it’s our story.

“With just two actors it is hard work, but what a gift for them.

“As well as different costumes, Michael and Bev are working on being different physically, with different accents, and they are absolutely superb. They’re great actors.