Simon Ward reviews Coming Home at The Hope Theatre

As we enter the soundtrack swells with the now-familiar England football anthems – Three Lions, of course, along with Vindaloo and Sweet Caroline – all bound to get the heart pumping and the crowd singing along. There is nervous anticipation, in spite of the fact that we know what is to come. Christopher Wollaton’s new play, showing as part of the Camden Fringe, tells the story of Jack (played by Wollaton himself) and Suzie (Lucy Farrar). Jack is an archetypal England football fan – he buys the merch, he follows the ups and downs of the players, and has strong opinions on what the team should be doing and, of course, he hates penalties. Because football is so important to him, he thinks it is something he should share with his girlfriend, even if she is not really interested. They are each trying to make an effort for the other – Suzie is even sporting a retro red England top as worn by the World Cup winning team of 1966; Jack is hanging out with her, not his mates, and trying not to throw up like last time.

We, the audience, are effectively the TV screen as a series of increasingly disappointing matches unfold. Each match is represented by a fresh England top for Jack and the unmistakeable hiss of a new can being cracked open – nicely choreographed by director Michael Parker. The programme explains that the timespan is between England vs Argentina in the 1998 World Cup – cue the inevitable Falklands War references – to England vs Italy in the final of the Euros 2021, so around 23 long years. Every few years England inevitably let the fans down when it comes to the big moments, whilst Jack and Suzie’s relationship repeats the same pattern, almost but not quite progressing and then sinking back, worse than ever.

Where the play is strong is in capturing the passion and emotional intensity that football, and the England football team in particular, can summon up in fans who are otherwise unable to express their feelings. Jack’s outraged shouting at the screen as he is let down time and again is utterly authentic. The nail-biting drama of a penalty shoot-out is captured perfectly. Less successful dramatically is the depiction of the couple’s relationship – frankly, it’s very hard to see why Suzie stays. In her one sustained outburst as the play draws to a close she lists all the reasons why she should leave. And yet stay she does. If she is trapped, or being coerced in some way, we don’t see it. If anything she seems the stronger of the two, certainly emotionally. There are hints that Jack’s jealousy could lead to violence, but what we see is him turning on himself in self-loathing. Yet he, too returns, to re-run the same cycle over and over.

As James Graham explored in Dear England, maybe opening up about their emotions could be helpful for players and fans alike. Wollaton’s play seems to be the flipside – they may want to open up but in fact they are trapped in a vicious cycle and can see no way out.

Coming Home is running at The Hope Theatre, 207 Upper Street, London N1 1RL until Thursday 14th August