This is our review of Macca & Beth at Liverpool‘s Royal Court Theatre. So, let’s take a look at Macca & Beth!
Description Of Macca & Beth
The premise here involves a Scouse couple with the aforementioned first names. They receive an invitation to a remote Scottish house. A house that has a history in Macca’s family dating back many years as his great uncle owned it. They arrive and quickly notice several problems. So, there are dodgy electrics, it’s cold, there’s no running water, and it’s probably haunted. So far, so bad, then. Furthermore, they meet the strange Miss Glass, who explains that they must stay there for one night as per Macca’s uncle’s will. Did I mention that Macca and Beth had never met before?
Even so, everything will be fine, or at least, that’s what Macca says. But Morag turns up and says they’re doomed! (A nod to Private Frazer in Dad’s Army, I would guess.) In case there weren’t enough problems already, a blizzard is on the horizon to keep them there even longer. And on top of all that, there are further visitors to make the occasion even more difficult. However, as time goes on, the original negatives start to become positives. And as we learn more about Macca’s uncle’s background, we soon discover that perhaps the trip was worthwhile all along.
Analysis Of Macca & Beth
There are various elements in play here. To begin with, there’s the usual Scouse humour that we get in Royal Court plays. For instance, upon their arrival in Scotland, Beth compares their temporary home to a night at the Adelphi. Then, we get the farce elements as the comedy capers become increasingly bizarre, which of course generated plenty of laughs. There is also the neat storytelling that often comes from Royal Court shows as plot points weave together very nicely. The upshot is a climax that may seem totally unpredictable, but upon reflection is actually rather logical.
And then you got the faux horror elements. The main example is the presence of Barry The Hatchet, an escaped prisoner that is on the loose. I won’t give spoilers, but I’ll note that this has the hallmarks of an Only Fools And Horses episode. In between all of the above, we get the usual creative one-liners, and the set was typically authentic and believable. On a side note, I should also mention that the pre-show press night meal was lovely. This started the evening off on a real high, so a Royal Court visit is recommended for that alone!
Summary Of Macca & Beth
It’s not the strongest production that we’ve seen at the Royal Court. That’s due to some moments that were overly nonsensical, and the general story was a bit too familiar. However, as a straight-up night of theatre entertainment, this got a big response and provided sufficient enjoyment. The show runs for a couple of weeks more, so it’s definitely worth checking it out if you can.
