Love It If We Beat Them at the National Football Museum
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Football, family and politics are the name of the game in this smartly written drama which plays at the National Football Museum’s Pitch Gallery this October.
Set to the backdrop of the infamous 1995/96 Premier League Season, when Newcastle were riding high under Kevin Keegan and Tony Blair’s New Labour was gathering pace, Love It If We Beat Them is a powerful and affecting play exploring love, loss and the power of community.
Written by Rob Ward, the play is beautifully layered to tell four different and authentic stories. Capturing a period of significant change in the identity of North East communities, we are introduced to Len, a hard-left activist and Newcastle fan, who has decided to run as a candidate for a local Labour MP; his friend, Michael, a young lad, who, struggling to find employment, is willing to take the commute to Doncaster to work as a miner, and Len’s long-suffering wife, Jean. Meanwhile, the arrival of Victoria from Manchester as New Labour’s front-runner stunts Len’s political plans.
With tensions reaching fever pitch and loyalties under scrutiny, the play intelligently explores the age-old political questions: what is power without principle? And what are principles without power?
Recommended for ages 14+, audiences can expect a dynamic and brilliantly crafted show packed with humour and some genuinely touching moments. No matter which football team you support or where your political allegiance lies, Love It If We Beat Them brings relatable universal themes and a message of hope for the future.
