Not only as he penned this highly amusing two-acter, staged by Wrexham-based Limelight Productions, but he
also directs it and takes one of the leading roles.
Peter explains in the programme notes - nicely headed Terrace Talk - that he wrote the play
back in 2004 as part of a football festival organised by Wrexham Council but, as
he constructed it, was mindful of the fact that too much football content could
turn off people in the audience with no liking for the beautiful game. While it’s still very much about football he manages to keep
it out of the penalty box as far as the uninitiated are concerned.
Action revolves around a simple fellow called Dave, played very
effectively by Mark Andrew Rodgers, who has developed an absolute obsession
with Wrexham FC as a way of escaping his humdrum production line job.
The author has set the play in 1978 as he believes that what
the club was doing on the pitch in the 77-78 season was one of the best times
to watch the Reds, when the famous Dixie McNeil figured large in their
fortunes, and there are plenty of references to “going up, going up” in the
dialogue.
Dave’s pre-occupation with Wrexham doesn’t go down at all well
with his wife Holly who has her mind on higher things, such as the world
political situation of the late 1970s, which was basically dominated by the
actions of the United States.
These vastly conflicting interests lead inevitably to
marital disharmony, with an angry Holly demanding to know at one stage whether
it’s “Dixie or me?”
However, both have their allies: Holly in the shape of lefty
NEWI lecturer Sarah, nicely caricatured by Lyn Aston, and Dave in the form of
Vicar Joe, a man similarly obsessed with Wrexham FC.
The clergyman, brought vividly to life by the author, is
himself in conflict with his Bishop for the way his own obsession with the Reds
colours his work in the parish. Keith Pemberton is Joe’s suitably stern
episcopal boss.
Holly reckons one way to cure Dave of being hooked on
football is to sign him up for a session with a rather dotty counsellor called
Natalie, portrayed to perfection by Christine Dukes.
Of course, that doesn’t go down too well with the plain-talking
footie fan who hardly appreciates that kind of brain meddling and storms out of
her consulting rooms only to charge into more trouble with the missus.
The play goes along at a cracking pace and, even for
non-football aficionados, the gags, which come thick and fast, are very effective.
It’s safe to say that Peter Read has played a blinder with
this one and there’s no way he’ll be left sick as a parrot with the audience
reaction.
It’s a pity there weren’t more people there to watch but
there’s still a chance to catch the play tonight (Thursday) at 7.30pm.
