In theatre there are sequels and there are revivals, and now we have the revival of the sequel. Dave Kirby’s Lost Soul 2 brought the 2019 return of the key characters from his hugely popular Lost Soul, and it has been every bit as well received, warranting this further comeback.
The show reunites Andrew Schofield and Lindzi Germain as Smigger and Donna, and sees the return of Cath Rice as Pat and Lenny Wood as the Barman, but here the part of Pat’s partner Terry is taken by Paul Duckworth, following the untimely death last year of Jake Abraham, who originally created the role. Taking the stage as daughter Amy and her dodgy boyfriend Charlie are Jennifer Hynes and Michael Hawkins, both making their Royal Court debuts.
A few years on from the mid-life crises of Lost Soul, Smigger’s head is wrecked again, this time by the changing family dynamic caused by the birth of a grandchild. Donna is in full-throttle proud grandma mode, and more than happy to look after baby Fernando every night of the week if necessary, but Smigger’s limited enthusiasm for babysitting doesn’t extend to giving up his Saturday Nights out cutting a rug and soaking up the nostalgia at Soul Train. His patience wears even thinner when he begins to suspect that his daughter Amy’s boyfriend (and possibly 4th in line to be father of the child) is not the fine and upstanding character that Amy and Donna think him to be.
Flashbacks to a holiday at Pontins shortly before the baby’s birth begin to reveal that Smigger’s unease is perhaps rooted somewhere else, and as the story progresses it becomes clear that becoming a granddad is having a profound effect on him, and he’s feeling the years slip away. His emotional meltdown leads to some increasingly uncharacteristic behaviour, and a voyage of discovery for everyone.
Kirby’s ability to blend boisterous comedy with heartfelt honesty is matched by director Bob Eaton’s deft balancing of the two sides of the writing, and it is clear that whilst raising plenty of laughter in all the right places, the show really does connect with its audience, whose reactions audibly reveal a rapport with the characters.
There is a great deal of extremely fine physical comedy, mainly from Schofield and Wood, who are priceless in many of the bar-room scenes. Duckworth slots seamlessly into the role of Terry, while Germain and Rice both deliver keenly judged performances as the long-suffering wives of errant husbands. Hynes segues neatly from innocence to righteous indignation over her boyfriend Charlie’s behaviour, while Hawkins is brilliant casting for him - watch out for the perfectly executed ‘Alan Ladd Lad’ scene between him and Wood.
Lost Soul 2 is a worthy sequel to its predecessor and this revival restages it with splendid comic precision and a big heart. It plays at the Royal Court until 14th September with tickets available here.
Star Rating 4½ stars
This review was originally written for publication
by Good News
Liverpool
Production Photography by Andrew AB
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| Paul Duckworth, Cath Rice and Andrew Schofield |
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| Lenny Wood and Andrew Schofield |
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