- Tickets are currently on sale for Ricky Tomlinson – Retirement My Ar*e Tour.
- At Shakespeare North Playhouse ONLY Ricky Tomlinson will be joined each night by a special guest: Brookside and Royle Family co-star Sue Johnston on Friday 10 July and acclaimed Liverpool writer Jimmy McGovern on Saturday 11 July.
From his time in the building trade to becoming one of Britain’s most-loved television actors and a Freeman of Liverpool, Ricky Tomlinson reflects on his remarkable career in conversation with singer and broadcaster Asa Murphy. Joining Ricky on stage on Friday 10 July will be long-time collaborator Sue Johnston; and on Saturday 11 July it will be acclaimed Liverpool writer Jimmy McGovern. These guests are exclusive to their respective performances at Shakespeare North Playhouse.
Ricky Tomlinson is an actor best known for his television roles as Bobby Grant in the soap opera Brookside (1982-1988), DCI Charlie Wise in Cracker (1993-2006) and Jim Royle in The Royle Family (1998-2012). He also played the title character in mockumentary Mike Bassett: England Manager andhas appeared in films including Nativity! and The 51st State.
The evening will be hosted by BBC Radio Merseyside presenter Asa Murphy, who will interview Ricky and the special guests live on stage. There will also be an opportunity for audience members to ask questions.
Ricky Tomlinson said: “I’m made up to be back in Liverpool at the beautiful Shakespeare North for an evening with Ricky Tomlinson and Friends. And I tell you what, you’ll have a good night! And do you know what? We might even let you ask one or two questions of your own!”*
Sue Johnston, best known for her work in Brookside and The Royle Family, returns to her hometown of Prescot for this special appearance.Her performance as Sheila Grant broke boundaries, cementing the character as a symbol of endurance for working class women. She returns to Shakespeare North, having appeared in a joint-Q&A with Ricky in 2024, as well as visiting the theatre as part of their Channel 4 documentary series Ricky, Sue and a Trip or Two. (Ricky Tomlinson & Sue Johnston Visit Shakespeare North Playhouse). Sue also supported the launch of Prescot’s campaign for UK Town of Culture 2028: Prescot for UK Town of Culture 2028 (3)
Jimmy McGovern is a writer best known for his work on Brookside and Cracker, both of which starred Ricky Tomlinson. He wrote the screenplay for the 1994 film Priest as well as the 1996 TV film Hillsborough. He is known for tackling challenging social issues through his writing. More recently, he has written acclaimed TV series such as Time, Broken and Unforgivable.
Tickets are on sale now, priced at £35.
Ricky Tomlinson – Retirement my Ar*e Tour! | Shakespeare North Playhouse