Lourdes of laughs in Cured at Liverpool's Royal Court

Laurence Clark’s new stage comedy Cured is set to be premiered at Liverpool’s Royal Court next month – and it turns out the award-winning writer and comedian drew on his own life when it came to the inspiration for his plot.

For some, a pilgrimage to Lourdes is all prayers, candles and proper holy contemplation. For the mad bunch of disabled Scousers in Clark's play, it's bevvies, mucking about and getting off with each other… and definitely no bleeding miracle cures.

After cocky wheelchair using lad Connor sees sharp-tongued Rose in the benefits assessment waiting room, he decides to blag his way on to a subsidised Catholic charity coach trip to Lourdes just to try and ‘cop off’ with her.

What follows is terrible hymns, nicked wine, one very brassed-off nun and some dodgy miracles.

Join four young pilgrims as they take on nonsense rules, embarrassing exes, new fancies and the big question nobody ever asks: do disabled people actually want to be fixed, or are we sound as we are, ta?

Clark was inspired to write Cured – which runs on the main stage from May 22 to June 6 – by memories of his own teenage trip to the holy Pyrenean pilgrimage site.

The cast has been announced as Pauline Daniels, Maisy Gordon, Julie Mac, Oliver Mawdsley, Sophia-Adzoa Moore, Reese Pantry and Stephen Smith.

The show is an Unlimited commission, with funding from Arts Council England, and is produced by Liverpool’s Royal Court in partnership with DaDaFest.

Meanwhile following its premiere in Liverpool, Cured is set to be staged at Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre (from June 11-13) and the Hull Truck Theatre from June 24-27.

Cured is at Liverpool’s Royal Court from May 22 to June 6. Tickets HERE