Live Theatre Newcastle – until 21st March 2026
Reviewed by Sandra Little
4****
Shuggy Boats is a debut play written by Jacquie Lawrence and is a North East story set around the coastal town of Tynemouth. The play takes place in 2021 which is when a money lending scheme known as Provident was wound up. Older readers of this review might well remember the “Provvy woman” as Maeve (Phillippa Wilson) is affectionately known in the play.
The action begins in the Shuggy Boat beach bar run by barman Kaz (Soroosh Lavasani ) as Maeve celebrates her sixtieth birthday with friends and family. The party includes a zoom call with old friends and a quiz organised by Maeve’s quiz obsessed husband Jocka ( Dave Johns). Three instantly recognisable local North East celebrities appear on the zoom call as Maeve’s friends. There is Sharon from the Co-Op, Geordie the Geordie, and Helen Harper. Their identity is revealed at the end of this review. We also meet Gladys (Barbara Heslop ) on a zoom call, a long time Provvy customer.
Following the quiz, Maeve shares a secret with her family that she has kept hidden for many years. Maeve reveals to her husband Jocka, sister Angie ( Libby Davison), son Ryan (Benjamin Storey ) and niece Carolyn (Natalie Ann Jamieson) that she is a lesbian and her first kiss was not with Jocka as everyone assumed.
As the story unfolds the complexities of family relationships and the impact of Maeve’s revelation are explored with a great deal of insight. Added to the mix Ryan has his own relationship issues to deal with, there is bereavement from the death of her husband for Angie to cope with and a bombshell for Carolyn the social worker which sets her life on a completely different path!
Despite all of the issues addressed there is a happy ending provided mainly by the arrival of Fingers Foster (Alicya Eyo ) who changes Shuggy Boat into a lesbian bar called Fish Fingers!
The set for this play consists mainly of slatted drift wood, drinks bottles, a deck chair and fishing nets. It serves as The Shuggy Boat bar, a beach, Jocka’s front room and the set of Mastermind! Creative lighting, a sprinkling of imagination and the cabaret style of Live Theatre all work together to provide an effective backdrop to the play.
I thoroughly enjoyed this production for a host of reasons. There were funny moments that were mixed seamlessly with great poignancy and tenderness in places. The conversation between Jocka and Angie about bereavement and family relationships was particularly moving. I also thought it refreshing to have a North East play where people with professions (Ryan is a teacher and Carolyn a social worker) were not portrayed as, “posh” and the characters led lives that didn’t primarily revolve around unemployment and disadvantage. Although there is a place for such drama it wasn’t needed to tell this story. Dialogue used is blunt and includes swearing and quite explicit sexual references but within the context of the play I didn’t find this offensive at all.
I think this play could follow in a Live Theatre tradition ( Pitman Painters, Gerry and Sewell ) and move to a wider audience and bigger theatre. It absolutely deserves further recognition.
N. B. Shuggy Boat is a North East term for a traditional fairground ride known as a swing boat in other parts of the country.
Denise Welch, Si King and Charlie Hardwick appear on zoom calls in the play.