Playing footsie in the playground

Fans of Bill Forsyth's footie romance on film will find plenty to cheer about in this Old Town Theatre Company production at the Arts Centre.

It's played by an exuberant young cast who enter into the spirit of things with gusto, even if there is a little understandable nervousness at times.

The play works best when the stage is packed. Indeed, it could do with a little more rowdiness at times, but perhaps the boisterousness will boil over gradually.

There is one lovely scene exploring the rituals of playground courtship, as various couples cross and inter-cross with a hilarious interplay of boy-talk and girl-talk.

Daniel Butt is a real find as the hapless Gregory. He has just the right gangly presence coupled with a goofy charm that makes us really hope he gets the girl.

Holly Partridge is good too as the object of his affections, as smooth as a pass from David Beckham. And I particularly like Briohny Williams as the worldly-wise big little sister we all wish we'd had.

But this is an ensemble effort and everyone deserves credit, all the way from Pete Beard's clever set design draping a set of goalposts with various props to denote each scene.

He keeps things moving well, considering the rather staccato nature of the script. And I almost forgot the Penguin - surely one of the best non-speaking roles about!

The OTTC kick off again tonight and tomorrow night.

Roger Dean
The Evening Advertiser