00:00Home is about more than just a place.
00:03It's the people, the memories and the dreams that stay with you.
00:08That's the idea behind Take Me Home, County Road,
00:11a brand new comedy at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre,
00:15written by Adam McCoy in his debut as a playwright for the theatre.
00:19I'm from a family of really strong, matriarchal women
00:23who all love Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, even Shania Twain.
00:29I remember my mum playing her album when I was running around the kitchen
00:32when I was younger.
00:33And I think they're really good storytelling songs
00:36and I just think it felt right to put them into the world
00:41of County Road in Liverpool and just weave...
00:46The songs were kind of like the first inspiration
00:49because I was imagining the context of what they could be in this setting.
00:53The show follows Shelly, played by Helen Carter,
00:55a County Road woman who's spent her life surrounded by familiar faces
00:59but wonders if something is missing.
01:02It's joyful and it's hopeful.
01:03And actually I was thinking today, it's full of love.
01:05It's just a show full of love.
01:07It's about loves at the heart for the love they have for each other,
01:10love for people who are here, love for people who have passed,
01:15love for singing.
01:16Like it's, there's so much love on that stage
01:18and I just think it will radiate to the audience
01:22and think everyone, everyone could do with a bit of that.
01:25Like it's a feel-good, joyous show.
01:27Once she had ambitions of becoming a singer
01:29with a dream of making it beyond Liverpool.
01:32Now in her 40s, she begins to question
01:34whether that old ambition could still become a reality.
01:37I didn't think I knew enough country music
01:39but then when I got the song list, I was like,
01:41oh yeah, I know that one, I know that one.
01:43And actually it's like infiltrated so much into popular music
01:46that you don't realise.
01:48And I love, I mean, I love Dolly Parton,
01:50I've always loved Dolly Parton.
01:52But all these other songs as well,
01:55I'm just like, oh yeah, I know that one.
01:57Oh, I love that one.
01:57Oh yeah, Shania Twain.
01:58Adam says music has always been an important part of the story
02:02and he's enjoyed seeing the songs developed
02:04alongside the director and her creative team.
02:08I'm obviously so grateful for the opportunity
02:09to put something that I've like come up with
02:13on this stage that I just love.
02:15It feels like a bit of a second home.
02:18It's just, you know, there's no other theatre like this,
02:21I don't think.
02:23You know, from the really loyal audiences
02:25to the set up here to, yeah, God, I'm getting emotions.
02:30But yeah, it's just been, it's just been like really
02:34filled with pinch me moments really.
02:36And because all the team are just fantastic
02:38and the cast, like it would have been a dream anyway,
02:43having the show on, but having these people
02:45who are like friends on stage,
02:47sharing the experience as the actors in the show,
02:50literally dream cast.
02:52Take Me Home, County Road is running
02:54at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre
02:56until the 29th of August.
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