Unity theatre date for award-winning Omnibus

The Unity Theatre will reopen this week after its £845,000 refurbishment and with a prize-winning comedy.

Writer and comedian Katie Mulgrew won the inaugural Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize with her play Omnibus. And now it is getting its premiere at the Hope Place theatre.

The 10-day run starts on Wednesday.

Robert Farquhar is directing the production, which stars Eithne Browne, Danny Burns, Gemma Banks, Alice Bunker-Whitney, Eva McKenna and Joel Parry.

Three housemates are lounging in front of the television on a Sunday afternoon. But their plans for a lazy day are put on hold when a surprise guest bursts in with a gun and a bag full of money.

Omnibus is a collaboration between the Unity and the Royal Court - the theatre which has teamed up with Liverpool Hope University to run the prestigious £10,000 comedy playwriting prize. And both theatres say they are keen for this to be the start of a ‘fruitful partnership’.

Meanwhile Katie Mulgrew, who herself joined the judging panel of this year’s second prize competition, says: “I'm so thrilled Omnibus is going to be performed at the Unity Theatre.

“Since winning the Hope Playwriting Prize, I've worked with a fantastic team to develop the play and I'm made up that it will be the first co-production between the Liverpool’s Royal Court and Unity Theatre.”

The show has been supported by Arts Council England through its Grants For The Arts programme.

Omnibus is at the Unity Theatre from June 7-17. Tickets are available from the website HERE.