Royal Court’s 'Conteh' earns strong reviews; The Stage praises Aron Julius' production

A boxing bioplay can go wrong in two obvious ways. It can turn into a museum plaque with dialogue, or it can lean so hard on local affection that nobody outside the room feels the stakes. *Conteh* seems to have dodged both. The new Liverpool Royal Court production — written by Aron Julius, directed by Mark Womack, and built around the life of former world champion John Conteh — has picked up a run of warm reviews since opening in late April, with critics praising both the emotional sweep and the crowd connection. ### What is *Conteh* actually about? Basically, it tracks John Conteh from boyhood boxing in Kirkby through Commonwealth gold at 19 and the WBC light-heavyweight world title at 24, then into the messier part of the story — fame, temptation, and the personal fallout that came with being one of Liverpool’s biggest names in the 1970s and 80s. The Royal Court bills it very plainly as a rise-and-fall story, not just a victory lap. ### Why are people paying attention to this one? Because it is not just another touring sports adaptation. Julius wrote it as his playwriting debut and also put himself in the ring, playing Conteh onstage. That double role gives the whole thing a little extra risk — if the script feels thin, or the central performance feels like impersonation, the production falls apart fast. Instead, review after review says the opposite happened. ### What are critics actually liking? The common thread is warmth without softness. One review called it a powerful and emotive drama. Another said it had a big heart. The Guardian’s take was that Julius captures Conteh’s charm while still showing the bruising fall. That is the trick with a sports legend piece — you need the dazzle of the rise, but you also need enough damage for the story to feel earned. Critics seem to think *Conteh* gets that balance right. ### Does the staging matter here? A lot. Boxing is hard to dramatize because the obvious version is just people pretending to punch under spotlights. Reviews suggest the production solves that with movement, time-jumps, and a broader theatrical frame around the fights. Arts City Liverpool highlighted how Julius moves backward and forward through Conte the stops.” ### Is this just for boxing fans? Turns out, probably not. The strongest notices keep describing it less as a sports play than as a Liverpool life told through sport. That matters because John Conteh is a specific local icon, but the engine of the piece seems to be ambition, celebrity, self-sabotage, and the city’s relationship with its own heroes. Even reviews steeped in local pride frame it as theatre first, tribute second. ### Who else is in it? The cast around Julius matters more than you might expect. Mark Moraghan appears as Conteh’s trainer George, while Helen Carter and Zach Levene take on multiple roles, including figures from the boxer’s personal and professional orbit. Several reviews single out that ensemble work as part of why the show feels expansive rather than locked inside one impersonation. ### Why does this fit the Royal Court? The Royal Court’s house style is populist but not flimsy — local stories, strong audience rapport, and a preference for recognisable lives over abstract concept pieces. *Conteh* lands right in that lane. It also extends the theatre’s recent run of big Liverpool-rooted work after shows like *Boys from the Blackstuff*, but with a more intimate, biographical focus. ### So what’s the real takeaway? The news is not just that *Conteh* got nice reviews. It is that a very local play about a very local hero seems to be working on harder terms than nostalgia alone. Julius took a real swing — first play, lead role, beloved subject — and the early response says he connected. The run at Liverpool’s Royal Court continues through May 9, 2026.