A love letter to Newcastle.Rating
Good
This show is a love letter to Newcastle, and the black and white army. It celebrates how football, like theatre, has the power to bring people together, offering hope, resilience, and the belief that life might hold something more. The audience have been encouraged to wear club colours for this press night, and they do so with wholehearted enthusiasm, creating an immediate sense of shared identity before the action even begins.
The story follows two teenagers, Gerry (Dean Logan) and Sewell (Jack Robertson), as they attempt to scrape together enough money to buy season tickets for their beloved Newcastle United. Along the way they find themselves in a series of escalating scrapes, including adopting a dog, played with impressive control by a puppeteer, and stealing Kevin Keegan’s car. It sounds ridiculous on paper, and it absolutely is, in the best possible way. The humour is broad, playful and unapologetic, but it never loses sight of the emotional heart of the story.
The production balances comedy and sincerity with confidence. Some of the funniest moments belong to Sewell, whose frequent breaking of the fourth wall allows him to comment knowingly on the fictional world they inhabit. Jack Robertson’s comic timing is excellent, and his direct engagement with the audience is both charming and sharp. Dean Logan gives a devastating performance as Gerry, the youngest child in a family struggling to survive, navigating grief, loyalty, and the consequences of criminal choices that are not his own. There are moments where the storytelling becomes unclear, and some directorial choices feel as though they assume familiarity with the original film. For audience members who have not seen it, certain plot points may feel rushed or underexplained.
One of the highlights of the production is the ensemble of so-called hooligans, whose physicality, choreography, and sheer energy elevate the show. This is especially true in the opening sequence, when audience members are encouraged to wave black and white flags left on their seats. The combination of chanting, movement, and audience participation creates a thrilling atmosphere that genuinely feels like being at a football match.
Unfortunately, the show over runs by around thirty minutes. This is frustrating, as it feels that at least that amount of material could have been trimmed to create a tighter, more focused production.
At its core, this is a play about friendship, brotherhood and chosen family. Gerry and Sewell’s bond is the emotional spine of the story, reminding us that loyalty, love and hope can exist even in the hardest of circumstances.
Written and directed by Jamie Eastlake
Associate Directors: James Callàs Ball and Rosie Bowden
Movement and Choreography by Lucy Marie Curry and Sean Moon
Musical Director: Declan Flannery
Composed by Aidan Tulloch
Set design by Richard, Rosie and Joe Power
Sound design by Stuart Middleton
Lighting design by Drummond Orr
Gerry and Sewell runs at the Aldwych Theatre until Saturday 24 January.
