Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Philip Olivier, Lindzi Germain, Jake Abraham, George Wilson, Nick Birkinshaw, Bernie Foley, James McMartin, Les Doherty, Kivan Dene.
It is an institution almost unlike anything else in the world, often copied, sometimes mocked but never considered sincere or as authentic as the original; the great British public house remains, despite some knocks over the years, still the fabric of everyday life and it is one that should be lauded even as the so called sophistication of palates and life changes.
To bring Tony Furlong’s and Jimmy Power’s 1995 comedy The Ale House into the 21st Century is one that requires great fortitude of spirit and recognition that with so many pub owners and landlords finding the game now at a point where so many are considering closing down great institutions, the memory of such locals are bathed in some golden dream, a past which some might not remember as they make their way into soulless dens of cheap alcohol and non-existent camaraderie.
The Ale House is a play that certainly deserves the airing, the fresh appreciation and valid persuasion that comes with understanding that the local is still the place where community really does come into its own, where people do look out for each other and not ignored when sat invisibly in some large conglomerate hiding hole or sat overbearingly at home drinking more than is ever good for you. It is also a play that has been worked up with great care by two of Liverpool’s much loved acting fraternity, Jake Abraham and Philip Olivier and was with great approval from the Grand Central Hall crowd who took the play on with enthusiasm and vigour.
With the wonderful Lindzi Germain pulling pints and laughter from behind the bar, the cast brought the pub back into the lives of those who perhaps have filtered away from the richness of character that the local provides. All hail the ale might be the catch phrase of a well known comedian but it fits completely when the production settles, when the body is seen to be clear and the head is as smooth as can be, it is a testament to both Mr. Olivier and Mr. Abraham that The Ale House has come of age once again.
It is no wonder that a hearty cheers rang out from the Grand Central Hall crowd as the play finished with great aplomb, a thunderous applause that rang out as true and loud as the publican’s last orders bell but one that sounded with more beauty and enjoyment; another round after all is always greeted with delight.
Ian D. Hall