ENG-ER-LAND at the King’s Head Theatre
★★★
“There are some lovely moments in this one woman show, but it doesn’t quite get below the surface of the subject matter”
This endearing exploration of a teenage football fan’s identity ultimately feels a little toothless.
Lizzie is an English Coventry supporter. But she’s also half Scottish, and half Indian, and a 13-year-old girl in a very white town in 1996. These parts of her identity clash together, as she struggles to find her place as an atypical football fan.
The premise is clear but the story goes exactly the way you’d expect. Hannah Kumari’s script is littered with 1990s references, from CK1 perfume to a dance number from the U.K.’s ‘96 Eurovision entry. It’s grounded in its world, but the decision to set it in this era feels a little random and does nothing to avoid inevitable Bend it Like Beckham comparisons.
Nikhita Lesler’s performance is charming, but its peppy naivety leaves little room for the introspection which might bring more depth and complexity to the show. There is a warmth to her performance though, which sets the tone and means the play isn’t overwhelmingly bleak. Equally, it makes it feel tame.
This is amplified by Max Lindsay’s direction which lacks any pause for reflection. There’s a gut punching revelation, which isn’t quite earned in the general tone up until then and so somehow feels like a cheap reveal. The range of characters, and caricatures, is deftly handled, and there are some witty moments as Lizzie struggles around other people in her life. There are also some genuinely moving moments, but the strongest are when Lizzie interacts with others, rather than her slightly forced audience asides.
The play is produced by FSA and Fans for Diversity which explains why there are moments that feel like an advert for watching football. There’s a nod to the future, to 2024 when football culture (especially women’s football culture) has changed. I would’ve been more interested to see a contemporary take on this story and look at how much it really has changed for this character to go to football games, given the game is still so interlinked with racism and nationalism.
There are some lovely moments in this one woman show, but it doesn’t quite get below the surface of the subject matter. It’s sweet, and charming, but a little empty.
ENG-ER-LAND at the King’s Head Theatre
Reviewed on 31st July 2024
by Auriol Reddaway
Photography by Jack Jeffreys
Previously reviewed at this venue:
DIVA: LIVE FROM HELL! | ★★★★ | June 2024
BEATS | ★★★ | April 2024
BREEDING | ★★★★ | March 2024
TURNING THE SCREW | ★★★★ | February 2024
EXHIBITIONISTS | ★★ | January 2024
DIARY OF A GAY DISASTER | ★★★★ | July 2023
THE BLACK CAT | ★★★★★ | March 2023
THE MANNY | ★★★ | January 2023
FAME WHORE | ★★★ | October 2022
THE DROUGHT | ★★★ | September 2022
ENG-ER-LAND
ENG-ER-LAND
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