Joanna Scotcher’s extraordinary design starts as you walk through the doors of The George pub in South-West London, the space formerly known as the Minerva Theatre, Chichester. Roy Williams’ 2002 play is just as extraordinary, taking place in real time during the England v Germany world cup qualifying game in 2000. It’s lost none of its relevance or impact twenty years on.
The pub regulars, a mostly young crowd, have assembled to watch the game together, some coming straight from their team’s latest soccer match. Amongst them is local copper Lee and his wilder older brother Lawrie, accompanied by Phil, Becks and Jess and their black team-mate Barry, whose brother Mark has turned up unexpectedly after discharge from the army. Then there’s Alan, a very politicised nationalist prone to stirring things up and exploiting the more fiery younger men. There’s tension between Mark and Lee, who both have history with landlady Gina, who lives there with her dad Jimmy and teenage son Glen.
It starts with banter, but as the drink flows and the football disappoints, it degenerates into sniping, skirmishes, malevolence and insidious racism as skeletons emerging from cupboards. In an important sub-plot, Glen is trying to befriend two local black boys, Bad ‘T’ and Duane, but they taunt him and play with him. When the lads defend Glen, their mother comes to challenge them. It all ends tragically.
As always with Williams everyone has a voice and the character’s views get aired, even nationalist Alan, intelligent but misguided. Lawrie is a ball of visceral anger and people like Alan can light his fuse at any time and no-one can really calm him down, not even his protective brother. Young Glen is learning from these older men, who excuse their behaviour and comments as routine joshing between friends, at the same time exploiting Barry’s generosity. He in turn wraps himself in the English flag in an attempt to belong in the country where he was born, whilst more world weary Mark wants him to return to ‘his people’.
It’s brilliantly staged by Joanna Bowman, the tension building like a coiled spring. It would be difficult to find a better ensemble anywhere, most of them returning from its 2019 run in the tent outside. Richard Riddell as Lawrie and Makir Ahmed are particularly good at conveying their emotions, to the point where you’re genuinely afraid of what they might do.
It would be great to see this play return ‘home’ to London. An unmissable revival.
Gareth's Culture and Travel Blog 
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