Letter To Brezhnev at Royal Court Liverpool Review
Image: AB Photography
41 years ago, Letter To Brezhnev was created as a screenplay by a daring group of friends and creatives in Liverpool, with permission from no one, a budget of £50,000 (worth about £196,653 in today’s money)- and went on to win 2 BAFTA awards. Now, in September 2026, the beloved story comes home to the heart of Liverpool- onstage for the very first time at the Royal Court Theatre.
In this production, Ellie Clayton takes on the leading role of Kirkby girl Elaine Spencer, tired of being skint, jobless and leading a life of no adventure. However, after one fateful night on the razz with Teresa (Angela Simms) her scream of a best mate- the pair meet exactly the kind of adventure they’d been craving: two handsome sailors from the Soviet Union. While Teresa finds a night of thrills with the charming, although non-English-speaking Sergei (Liam Powell-Berry), the lovestuck Elaine becomes infatuated with Peter (Thomas Cotran) and her life is never the same. Their rendezvous is short-lived as Peter must sail away the following day- and after some desperate months apart, Elaine decides to write a letter to Leonid Brezhnev, President of the Soviet Union, in hopes of reuniting with her love.
The play is riddled with scouse charm, humour and 80s nostalgia- which the Liverpool audience takes and wraps you up in laughter. While it may be impossible to be born in Liverpool without a funny bone, I couldn’t write about this play without mentioning the hilariously captivating performance of Michelle Butterly as Betty alongside Reginald Edwards as Charlie, who had the audience cackling and wrapped around her finger with as little as a step onstage.
The staging of this much-loved tale has been in discussion between writer Frank Clarke and Royal Court’s Executive Producer, Kevin Fearon, for over a decade. As a foundation of Liverpool’s film scene, the sense of pride is rich throughout the production- as Liverpudlian creatives represent an iconic story from their own, for their own. Even the overwhelming seagulls resident by the docks got a mention!
With Frank Clarke’s blessing- his “baby” was trusted in the capable hands of Liverpool-born director Nicole Behan, alongside Musical Director Rob Green, set and costume designer Mark Walters and second costume designer Mitch Fujii-Williams to create the retro world of 1985. The team include iconic pieces like Elaine’s red flannel jacket from the picture, as well as the fence for the famous kiss- but also add their original flair and interpretation. Including songs like “Come on Eileen” and “This Charming Man” between scenes had both a modern and 80s feel to it, as famously older tracks that have made their comeback through the likes of social media.
The intricate set design of suspended and winding furniture made most theatregoers gasp as they entered the auditorium- mixing a sense of homeliness and disorientation, and complete with a blinking CCTV camera to create the unease that someone’s always watching. The wired fence from the famous kiss scene is revealed later, revolving like many other surprises along the way- as seamlessly as an impressive magic trick.
In such a hilarious and fast-paced piece- it’s also worth mentioning the moments that made us feel like we were standing still- particularly Elaine and Peter’s first meeting, with stunning movement directed by Beverley Norris-Edmunds and breathtaking lighting designed by Ian Scott.
Reminiscing on the film, made with scouse grit and an utter devotion- and I believe that knowing the story taking place is half of the experience Letter to Brezhnev can offer you. As excitement grows for this production, stories from the making of the film are evoked- such as the original Elaine and Peter, Alexandra Pigg and Peter Firth, falling in love and getting married in real life. You can learn plenty from “Road to Letter of Brezhnev” on YouTube- a documentary commissioned to celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary last year.
I went into this play with a slight knowledge on President Brezhnev, and while I understood there was a film with this title- I had no understanding of why it was of particular significance to Liverpool. I believed Brezhnev passed away in 1982, before the film was even made- and was expecting to walk into a theatrical telling of his life, or political conflict he worked through. Perhaps a comparison of Thatcher’s England and Brezhnev’s Russia- rather than the story of love belonging to people, regardless of the place they come from.
Instead, I learned that Letter to Brezhnev has always been a service to Liverpool.This theatrical run serves as an invitation for scousers to reminisce, or for non-Liverpudlians like myself, to learn about the city we’ve been welcomed to. As a young person having never known Liverpool to be anything short of a magnificent pool of culture, music, and life, I believe this play was an opportunity to appreciate the work, creativity, voices and lives that harboured the city to the triumph we know, love and walk through today.
Letter to Brezhnev runs at the Royal Court Theatre until 17 October 2026. Tickets Available at: Letter To Brezhnev - Royal Court
Watch the Documentary here.
★★★★
Written by Séana for Theatre and Tonic, September 2026.
