Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall, Royal Exchange Manchester12th June – 13th July 2014, Manchester Royal Exchange | Book Tickets WINNER Best Actor (Harry McEntire) and Best Newcomer (Emily Barber) at The Manchester Theatre Awards 2015. Billy Fisher is a 19 year-old nobody. He lives at home and has a dead-end job. Yet while the northern lad harbours dreams of running away to London, Billy’s plans are threatened by missing stationery and pocketed postage money, hoodwinked fiancées and, in the end, his own indecisiveness. Keith Waterhouse’s tale of northern life in 1960s Britain captures a country on the edge of seismic change. One of Britain’s most exciting young actors, Harry McEntire, plays Billy Fisher.
Photography by Kevin Cummins Director Sam Yates Reviews4**** THE GUARDIAN | Alfred Hickling “Teenage dreamer is as witty as ever in a fine revival… Sam Yates’ production is played admirably straight to often hilarious effect.” 4**** THE INDEPENDENT | Paul Vallely “Pitch-perfect acting…Harry McEntire as Billy – by turns charming, witty, urbane and profoundly self-deluded – is a reminder that Billy does not inhabit the world of Kingsley Amis’ Lucky Jim but that of the stifling anger of John Osborne with the black humour of Joe Orton… Sam Yates’s ending to the production offers more ambiguity as to why Billy remains trapped than Waterhouse’s novel does. The ending feels bleaker. But it makes it a Billy Liar for our times.” 4**** WHAT’S ON STAGE | Julia Taylor “Sam Yates finds the sadness beneath the humour in Keith Waterhouse’s celebrated text and it works wonderfully well…The poignant moments creep up on you and leave a lasting impact.” 4**** THE PUBLIC REVIEWS | Laura Maley “Billy Liar needs a strong central performance and Harry McEntire brings that… Rebekah Hinds is an understated comic gem as Barbara.” 3*** THE TIMES | Kate Bassett “It’s fabulous…. Revived commendably by rising director Sam Yates… (Harry McEntire’s) physical comedy is highly entertaining. And his waving arms, in the final moments, become frenzied, his body thrashing into a searing blur of complete breakdown.” 4**** THE GOOD REVIEW | Tracey Lowe “The cast are absolutely outstanding… does great justice to a wonderful, witty story.” 4**** THE MORNING STAR “Sam Yates’s excellent direction and a brilliantly engaging cast… Harry McEntire is a wonderful Billy, making what could be an obnoxious teenager into a vulnerable, scared and sad character whose dream world is neither feckless nor malicious.” 4**** NORTHERN SOUL | Lucia Cox “The cast are sublime under the direction of Sam Yates… The sad, lamenting ending is a terrible punch to the guts.” 4**** BLACKPOOL GAZETTE | David Upton “Yates reins the play in from becoming physical farce and instead concentrates on it’s brooding satire.” 4**** MANCHESTER WOMEN “The latest incarnation of Billy Liar, directed by Sam Yates, is perfectly cast with particularly memorable performances from Harry McEntire as Billy and Katie Moore as Rita.” MANCHESTER THEATRE AWARDS | David Upton “Fine care has been taken with casting throughout, and around Billy are family and girlfriends rooted in all-too-apparent reality.” THE MANCHESTER REVIEW | Peter Wild “Jack Deam’s description of a deathbed scene that we are not privy to – is worth the price of admission alone… A strong production with an exemplary cast.” EXEUNT MAGAZINE | John Murphy “The beauty of Sam Yates’ production – his debut for the Royal Exchange – lies in the detailed approach to character and the performances.” MESSENGER | Rick Bowen “A beautifully crafted, laugh out loud funny and poignant piece of writing featuring a memorable performance from Harry McEntrie” Cast
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