Wayne’s forged a magical ring and has proposed to Princess C’leen. It can only be a fairy-tale worthy happy ending from here, right? 

Like the Christmas show but the weather’s better- The Legend of Rooney’s Ring, now playing at Liverpool’s Royal Court, is a gleeful, unfiltered love letter to the city’s mischief, madness and magic- set in Middle-Earth. With direction from Stephen Fletcher and complete with a cast so finely tuned to their comic craft they could make reading out your lecky bill funny- you know you’re onto something special when an audience is howling with laughter before the first pint of interval lager’s even been touched. 

As the title’s namesake, Wayne, John May excels in a role that demands equal parts heroic determination and head-in-his-hands daftness. He delivers a performance bursting with heart and you’re rooting for him from the off- even when the character’s hopelessly out of his depth, which, in fairness, is most of the time.  

But if Wayne’s the heart, Royal Court royalty, Keddy Sutton is the soul. As Nana, she’s the Scouse oracle you didn’t know you needed; sassy, brassy, (gassy), and never more than a page-turn away from a blistering one-liner. Her timing is so razor-sharp you should apply shaving foam before entering the theatre. Supported with a somewhat refined performance by the iconic Liverpool powerhouse, Lindzi Germain- these two are masters of their craft.  

Somewhat unexpectedly, Middle-Earth’s Liverpool is plagued by the visitation of a certain Wotsit-tinted megalomaniac. Terry Mynott’s Tr*mp is spot on. The villain with just enough bluster and bouffant to get the point across without dragging the tone down into political warfare. Juxtaposed by Liam Tobin’s charismatically powerless King Tony and Emma-Grace Arend’s clean-cut vocals as Princess C’leen, it gives pure pantomime energy in the best possible way. 

Elsewhere, Adam McCoy is a multi-roling riot. Swaggering and side-splitting, his performance is all glinting eyes and comic confidence, while Jess Smith brings a spark of grounded charm with her crisp vocals breathing real class into the performance.  

What truly sets Rooney’s Ring apart, though, is its script. Helen Serafinowicz (BBC’s Motherland/Amandaland) has produced a book destined for the venue’s history books. In classic Court style, it’s sweary- but not in that lazy, ‘lob-an-f-bomb-in-for-cheap-laughs’ kind of way, yet in a way that feels utterly real. You know these people. You’ve stood behind them in the queue at Greggs. It’s the kind of writing that trusts its audience to get the joke without being hit over the head with it. There’s just enough bite to keep it bold, and buckets of soul to keep it grounded. 

This is a comedy that understands its city. It doesn’t punch down or pander; it invites you in like your funniest cousin at a family do and keeps the gags coming all night. It knows when to be daft, when to be tender, and when to absolutely let rip. 

In a world stuffed with overproduced, over-serious theatre, The Legend of Rooney’s Ring is a refreshing, fizzy pint of Scouse joy. It’s sharp, it’s silly- it’s must-see. Ring-a-ding-ding! The Court strikes gold! 

The Legend of Rooney’s Ring plays at Liverpool’s Royal Court until Saturday 23rd August. Further information and booking can be found here.

Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review.

Photography by Andrew AB Photography