A knockout play about Labour, love and the beautiful game.
Blackpool, a town known for its love of football and proud working-class roots, will soon welcome Love It If We Beat Them to the Grand Theatre on Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 November. This gripping, witty, political drama, written by Rob Ward (Gypsy Queen), unfolds during the dramatic 1995/96 Premier League season, famously remembered for Kevin Keegan’s emotional “I would love it if we beat them” outburst as Newcastle United chased Manchester United for the title.
The play brings to life the intertwining of football dreams and Labour Party ambitions, set against the backdrop of political and social change in the North. As local fans of Blackpool FC will know all too well, football is more than a game – it’s a way of life.
It’s Spring 1996, Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United are riding high in the Premier League and Tony Blair’s New Labour are gathering pace. Hope is in the air and victory seems within reach. Len, a long term hard left activist, has decided to run as a candidate for local Labour MP, but the arrival of Victoria from Manchester as New Labour’s front runner throws a spanner in the works. With loyalties tested and tensions reaching fever pitch, the winning team will be decided in an explosive head-to-head challenge.
Set against the backdrop of the infamous Premier League season when Newcastle United almost won under the management of Kevin Keegan, Love It If We Beat them explores the age-old political questions: What is power without principle? And what are principles without power?
Love It If We Beat Them is a new political drama that explores a time of significant change in the identity of the North East communities and perfectly captures a moment in recent history that defines who we are today.
This knockout play features David Nellist as Len; Jessica Johnson plays Jean, Len’s wife; Eve Tucker plays Victoria and Daniel Watson plays Michael.
Whether you’re a Blackpool FC supporter, a fan of political dramas, or someone who remembers the thrills of 90s football, Love It If We Beat Them promises to be a must-see event at The Grand Theatre.
Love It If We Beat Them: Tue 5 Nov - Wed 6 Nov
33 Church Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 1HT
Further Information & Tickets: Love It If We Beat Them - Blackpool Grand Theatre