Breezeblock Park, set in Liverpool, during Christmas of 1975, following the highs and lows of a Scouse family as they encounter a different class, a shock revelation and try with all their might to maintain their Christmas spirit throughout. Written by Willy Russell, directed by Clayton Travis and performed by Off Topic Theatre Company.
This performance is lengthy, hard hitting and diverse. The cast did extremely well with such a performance and each character portrayed their own morals, characteristics and mannerisms well, meaning the audience had a good grasp of the types of personalities, temperaments and natures which graced our stage.
The story follows rebel Sandra (Chloe Gratton) who is trying to break free from her family class and norms to experience a wider world. Her dysfunctional but steadfast family who consisted of Betty her mother (Rosie Herissone-Kelly) who always wants to be the class above, the testosterone fuelled duo of her father Syd (Sam Bowyer) and Uncle Tommy (Clayton Travis) who played these characters very well and made a good team, with clear chemistry on stage. Auntie Reeny (Ciara Balfour) who shows the snobbery and also compassion when needed of those family members who you love to hate. The meek and suppressed John portrayed by (Joseph Maloney) and his over bearing, comedic father who is constantly trying to prove himself played by (Robbie James-Williamson). Add into the mix quirky Aunt Vera (Danielle Gipps) and you have a match made in chaos. Along comes Tim (Alex Kryslur) the plays major contrast and love interest of Sandra to rattle the cages even more with his sophisticated outlook on life.
Special mentions to Gipps for her funny and lovable portrayal of Vera, one character who I could not stop watching, even when she was in the background due to her excellent physical theatre and mannerisms. Also, Kryslur for brilliant facial expressions throughout the different meetings and scenarios Tim is placed in and also the change in strength and character throughout the performance.
The costumes (Rosie Herissone-Kelly) were perfectly coordinated to portray the 70s vibe and each character’s individual personalities. The set design (Danielle Gipps and Clayton Travis) was very detailed with lots of props accessible to the actors, it was simple in design yet effective in authenticity. The multitude of props meant the characters could remain busy throughout their time on stage even when not necessarily involved in dialogue.
The lighting and sound were well timed and effective for incorporating mood, time period and change of focus within the performance.
It was a good evening, some minor hiccups which can be overlooked due to the difficulty of such a performance. Well done to the Off Topic Theatre Company.
This performance runs until January 26th. Tickets can be purchased at https://hopestreettheatre.com/event/breezeblock-park/
Reviewer: Stephanie Wiswall
Reviewed: 24th January 2025
North West End UK Rating: