Organisers of the Liverpool Theatre festival announce final four shows to complete the programme for the 11-day extravaganza in July. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool Theatre Festival has announced details of the final four shows that complete this year’s line-up.

Leading Liverpool-born actor Joe McGann will be one of the writers and performers at the festival, which takes place from Thursday, July 20, to Sunday, July 30. Fringe event Liverpool Theatre Festival Of New Works will follow in the autumn.

Both events will once again take place at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church in Liverpool city centre. There will be both daytime and evening shows.

Little LTF will run from Tuesday, October 3, to Sunday, October 8. Performances will be staged within the more intimate marquee at St Luke’s.

LTF’s full programme features 18 shows spanning 24 performances. Genres include comedy, drama, music, opera, musical theatre, drag – and the strongest family line-up to date.

This year’s festival is being staged in tribute to Liverpool playwright Mark Davies Markham, who died earlier this year.

Mark premiered his one-woman play 2Gorgeous4U at last year’s LTF. This year the show is being staged once more in memory of Mark. Funds from the performance will be donated to charity.

In addition to 2Gorgeous4U, the further three shows completing the programme are A Night With Daniel Taylor – His Music And His Friends; Pauline Daniels – Get Me Before The Crematorium Does; and Laughterhouse Comedy – Pride Special featuring Morgan Rees and Bethany Black.

Three shows have been specially commissioned and will be premiered at Liverpool Theatre Festival. Sober Companion starring Joe McGann and Jake Norton and children’s shows The Oogy Boogy Man and Fred The Musical.

Organisers have also announced nine family shows as part of the festival which coincides with the school summer holidays for the very first time.

LTF festival producer and artistic director Bill Elms, said: “Announcing the final programme for Liverpool Theatre Festival is such a key milestone. It means we can finally start the countdown to this year’s exciting event.

“This year’s festival will be particularly poignant as this time we will be without our dear friend and writer Mark Davies Markham, who was highly respected in Liverpool and beyond.

“The ethos of the festival is to provide a platform for new and emerging shows, creatives, and performers – while making live theatre accessible and affordable.”

LTF was created by Bill Elms, who has worked in the theatre industry for more than 30 years. It was started after indoor venues were forced to close down during the pandemic.

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This year’s festival partners are Liverpool BID Company, Edge Hill University, Morecrofts Solicitors, Bill Elms Associates, Ticket Quarter, and The Harrogate Group.

Visit www.liverpooltheatrefestival.com for the latest news updates and full programme. Email bill@billelms.com for sponsorship opportunities.