TWO former Brooksiders have a close encounter of another kind next month. Eithne Brown, who played Chrissy Rodgers, and Suzanne Collins, who was Nikki Shadwick, are developing tunnel vision for a showdown between the right and left banks of the Mersey. On the Liverpool side, Suzanne, cast as Maggie, a dock road cafe owner who dreams of riches. On the Wirral side, Eithne, aka Ann Twacky JP, a woman of both delusions and aspirations and more than a hint of Hyacinth Bouquet. Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels is the latest midsummer comedy of the Royal Court Theatre, following in the seasonal mood offered during past years by Scouse farce Slappers And Slapheads and the Mrs Brown plays, produced by visiting Irish comedian Brendan O'Carroll. The action centres on the Kingsway Three - not a 50s pop group, but a reference to the Liverpool/Wallasey road tunnel opened by the Queen and named in memory of her late father George VI (who opened the first Mersey Tunnel, Queensway, in the 1930s). The subject is the eternal divide between Scousers and Wirralians caused by that 60ft deep half mile wide stretch of water. The Kingsway Three are fed up with the snobbish behaviour of the peninsular dwellers and decide to take matters into their own hands by blocking the tunnels. But can the divisions ever be solved, even on comic terms? As Eithne, born Huyton, later of Knotty Ash and Sefton Park, puts it: "I play the Wirral character, so I must be acting." Conversely, Suzanne, playing for Liverpool on this occasion, admits; "I actually live on the Wirral. I moved to Birkenhead to live near to my mum." But all's fair in this particular tug o' war, including a swipe at the car tolls, now £1.30 each way. Once upon a time they had been promised to become absolutely free once tunnel building costs and loans had been paid off. Some hope of that now: "I sometimes think I've paid for the entire construction costs myself," says Suzanne of her necessary daily commute to work in Liverpool. "It's been a laugh a minute," says Suzanne. "Although we've heard the jokes a million times over in rehearsal, we still laugh our socks off." * Royal Court, August 3 to 26. Tickets 0870 787 1866. | 
