Mark Davies Markham's 1 Woman Show Starring Lindzi Germain To Open Liverpool Theatre Festival

ORGANISERS of Liverpool Theatre Festival have announced that a 1 woman show starring popular Scouse actress Lindzi Germain and written by acclaimed Liverpool playwright Mark Davies Markham will open this year's event.

Comedy 2Gorgeous4U, From Ladette To Laundrette will open Liverpool Theatre Festival, on Wednesday, 1 September 2021, with 2 performances, at 5pm and 8pm. Tickets go on sale, at 10am, on Friday, 2 July 2021.

Liverpool Theatre Festival runs between:- Wednesday, 1 September and Sunday, 12 September 2021. The 10 day event features:- mainstream and established acts, artists, and productions. The festival will adhere to all Covid19 and Government guidelines required at the time.

Created by Liverpool theatre producer Bill Elms, the festival was 1st staged in September 2020. Bill stepped in to bring entertainment back to audiences after theatres across the country were ordered to close their doors as part of the 1st Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, giving live performance and creatives a platform during the most challenging of times.

Officially opening the 2nd year of the award winning outdoor festival, 2Gorgeous4U. From Ladette To Laundrette promises audiences a show packed with laughter, throw backs to the Nineties, and a soundtrack guaranteed to bring back memories of the decade. Written by Mark Davies Markham and directed by Francesca Goodridge.

Played by Lindzi Germain, Clare is a beautician with her own spa and treatment room, in Waterloo. Happily single, she is online just in case. Her 1 desire in life is a wet room.

Back in the Britpop 1990s, Clare was 1 half of a pop duo 2Gorgeous4U with her best mate Tina, they were wild, but fell out acrimoniously. So when they're asked to reform for a music festival in their hometown of Liverpool, can they put the past behind them and move on, and what was it all about? All set against a musical soundtrack featuring:- Queen Latifa, Blur, Gabrielle, KKlass, and plenty more.

Bootle-born Mark Davies Markham was 1st praised for his writing ability by teacher Mrs Huntington after he penned a short story at Bedford Road Primary School, and thanks to her encouragement he's been writing ever since. Mark performed poetry at Left Bank Bistro with musicians, and his 1st play was Are You Awake for Liverpool Lunchtime Theatre above Chaucer's Tavern, all while still a care worker for Mencap in North Wales.

Mark trained to be a teacher, juggling his writing and teaching for 8 years before going professional. He won a young playwright's competition for BBC Radio 4 in 1990 which was Sony nominated, and has since written more than 20 plays for them including Just A Girl (series 1 to 5); The Liberty of Norton Folgate with Madness; and Goose Breath recorded on location in Liverpool. He has also written for EastEnders; This Life (Writers Guild series award); Band Of Gold; and The Liverpool Nativity Live on BBC3 (9Czech TV Prize). Theatre credits include Eric's at The Everyman; the UK version of Taboo with Boy George (Olivier and What's On Stage awards); and Special Measures, at Liverpool's Royal Court.

Multi talented Lindzi Germain has graced the stages of all major theatres across Merseyside as a performer and writer. A presenter on The Guide Liverpool, she also keeps children entertained with her Storytime channel on You Tube and social media.

Writer Mark Davies Markham commented:- "I 1st met Bill Elms when Taboo played the Liverpool Empire, so when he asked me if I'd like to get involved with Liverpool Theatre Festival I jumped at the chance to do a show back home. I mentioned to Lindzi Germain a couple of years ago that I'd love to write a 1 woman show for her and here it is, 2Gorgeous4U. From Ladette To Laundrette is a post lockdown show to lift our spirits. I'm delighted to be working with super talented director Francesca Goodridge, and it's a real privilege to open the festival, in September 2021."

Producer and artistic director Bill Elms commented:- "I've been a huge fan of Mark's work for many years, so to have him premiere a show at Liverpool Theatre Festival and officially open our 2nd year is a huge compliment. The industry is still going through a very challenging time so to have the support of such an incredible writer like Mark, is massively encouraging and inspiring."

The announcement of 2Gorgeous4U. From Ladette To Laundrette opens the festival's programme which already includes:- The Last Five Years, on Friday, 3 September 2021; Everybody's Talking About Musicals, on Saturday, 4 September 2021; Electric Dreams, on Sunday, 5 September 2021; Opera Beneath The Stars, on Thursday, 9 September 2021; Broken Biscuits, on Friday, 10 September 2021; with Something About George; The George Harrison Story, closing the festival, on Sunday, 12 September 2021. More shows will be announced shortly.

Organisers of Liverpool Theatre Festival will shortly present Little LTF, the festival's new sister event to champion and showcase new talent through 14 new works. Little LTF will run between Monday, 12 July 2021 and Sunday, 18 July 2021, at St Luke's Bombed Out Church, in a different stage set up to the main festival.

Liverpool Theatre Festival is sponsored by Falconer Chester Hall and supported by Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatres.

Visit:- LiverpoolTheatreFestival.Com for the latest news updates.

New trains testing steps up to the next level

TESTING of the new, start of the art trains for the Liverpool City Region is moving to the next level as they are due to head out onto the Merseyrail network during normal service hours, from Thursday, 1 July 2021.

The ₤500m fleet will be will the greenest and most accessible in the country and will be the only trains in the country to be publicly owned.

They are a key part of Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram's plans for a London style transport network, that seeks to make it as quick, easy, and reliable for people to travel around the Region by taking greater local control of public transport and linking different modes of transport together.

This is the 1st time local people may catch sight of the trains in action as up until now test runs have been taking place overnight.

With more than 17,000 hours already on the clock, a further 7 trains already, at Kirkdale depot, will be put through their paces with dynamic testing taking place on the Northern Line, while the current trains are also running. All the new trains will be dynamically tested before they enter service.

Although the new trains will be stopping at every Station, passengers are strongly reminded that they can't board and should stand clear on platforms for safety reasons.

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:- "It's fantastic to see that our new fleet of ₤500m publicly owned trains are going on to the next phase of testing. I know people will be as excited as I am to get them on the tracks. These trains will be the most cutting edge and accessible anywhere in the country and a real statement of intent on the future of transport in our Region. They are a key part of my vision for a London style transport system that makes it quick, cheap and reliable for people to get about."

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is replacing the current 40-year old fleet with new trains being purchased from Swiss manufacturer Stadler.

The publicly owned trains have been designed specifically for the Merseyrail network and are required to undergo a rigorous testing programme both here in the UK and at Stadler's manufacturing plants in Switzerland and Germany.

Thousands of safety and performance tests are carried out to make sure the trains are ready for service covering every aspect of their design from the power supply and braking systems to digital passenger information boards and CCTV cameras.

As part of the testing programme:-

► There are experts from 8 countries involved - UK, Austria, Finland, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Spain,

► Over 100 tests are completed to make sure the train meets UK and European standards

► The trains have reached an average speed of 78mph

► The trains have travelled up to 80 miles per test run.

Markus Bernsteiner, Head of Division Switzerland and Deputy Group CEO for Stadler:- "In the testing phase all corresponding threats of a project run together. Reaching this milestone 1 on time during the Pandemic proves that teamwork is the key to success. We are confident that the good collaboration between the Combined Authority, Merseytravel, Merseyrail, Stadler and the authorities will positively impact the testing phase as well."

Andy Heath, Managing Director at Merseyrail, said:- "This is a significant step forward in the introduction of the new fleet onto the Merseyrail network and gives our customers the opportunity to see the trains in person as vital testing is completed. It's pleasing that we are moving closer to welcoming our passengers onto these new state-of-the-art trains, which will transform journeys across the Liverpool City Region with new features including more room for passengers and sliding step technology offering step-free access to the trains."

Marcus Barnes, senior sponsor for Network Rail, said:- "It's really exciting to see the next phase of testing underway which means passengers are a step closer to benefitting from the brilliant new trains. We continue to work closely with our partners at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Merseyrail on the new trains introduction which will help to transform rail journeys for people across the Region."

Although this phase of testing marks the next milestone 1 in the wider programme, details regarding the phased introduction of the trains into service are yet to be confirmed.

The Combined Authority and partners are still assessing the full impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on the programme and will provide more information regarding the roll out as soon as it has been agreed.