Directed by Bryony Shanahan
Written by Robbie Gordon & Jack Nurse
Review by Florence Carr-Jones
Heart-warming and hilarious Same Team is a triumph.
On arrival, Alisa Kalyanova’s set looks straightforward: a third of a football pitch, a strip of green room, five microphones, and some floodlights. However, as the cast arrives for the pre-set, the stage comes to life, revealing the true cleverness of the design. Chloe-Ann Tylor, as Jo, enters first in a full Adidas tracksuit, followed by Hannah Jarrett-Scott as The B, holding a Poundland bag for life. Next, Louise Ludgate arrives as Lorraine, dressed in Hokas and an outfit more suited to a Marchmont yoga studio than the Change Centre she’s attending. Similarly dressed in Hokas, Hanna Greer’s Noor timidly joins, and finally, Kim Allen as Sammi, in a plain white kit, appears almost unnoticed. As Tylor begins interacting with the audience, it becomes clear that we are not just being ushered to our seats—we’re all on trial. These are the trials for the Scottish Women’s Homeless World Cup team. This clever bit of pre-set work not only warms up the audience but also blurs the line between spectators and participants, letting us know we’re not just audience but part of the living fabric of the play.
The cast delivers strong, synchronised performances. The five storylines weave in and out of the play as seamlessly as they pass the ball across the stage, threading through the gaps between the microphone stands. A particularly moving performance comes from Allan, who portrays a mother struggling to provide for her children, highlighted by a poignant moment when she laments over being unable to give her son £4 for school lunch. It soon becomes clear that the football team is a lifeline for each of the characters—a thread they cling to as they navigate chaotic and hard lives. The play offers a gritty and unflinching look at the modern Scottish female experience. Despite this, the play is not without humour, with Jarrett-Scott and Ludgate forming a dynamic duo that provides continual comedic relief.
Bryony Shanahan’s direction is slick and inventive. The use of microphones to vary the tones of performance adds a dynamic layer; the characters commentate on their own matches and recreate phone calls, all live and unfiltered. The involvement of the live audience, who are encouraged to cheer, also further enhances the immersive experience and camaraderie.
The only drawback in Robbie Gordon & Jack Nurse’s script is the pacing towards the end. Jo’s harrowing backstory of addiction and the loss of her best friend and teammate is built up throughout the play but is fully revealed only in the last twenty minutes. While it gets the airtime it deserves, its last-minute placement feels slightly off. Like a football match, this play is an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows, twists and turns—a beautifully written, beautifully performed, and beautifully directed tribute to the beautiful game.
Beautifully written, Beautifully Performed
Review by Florence Carr-Jones (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Florence recently graduated with a degree in History from the University of Edinburgh, where her passion for theatre often took precedence over her academic studies. During her time at university, she was actively involved in many theatre societies, but her deep passion was with Theatre Paradok, the experimental theatre society, where she served as president this past year. She is the director and writer of her own company, Fools and Thieves, and will begin a Master’s in Drama Directing at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School this September. Florence is particularly fascinated by interdisciplinary approaches to theatre and how the medium can evolve in the contemporary world.
