Patrick Marber, known for his sharp interpretations of human interactions most notably with Closer and Dealer’s Choice, returns with an abridged version of his 2011 play set in a non-league football club.
The Red Lion represents the club’s mascot and portrays the relationship between Jimmy, the club manager, Yates, the kitman and a young player, Jordan. All three are brought together by their love of the game but harbour ambitions that are ultimately irreconcilable.
Jimmy uses Jordan to do a deal whereas Yates, deep set in the past of his former football glory, yearns to guide the young player purely for altruism. Yates “the red lion with iron” (literally as we see in the opening scene) is the mouthpiece for heart and soul football – the game that represents the supporting pillar in the community. Jimmy needs to work an angle for everything – his love of the game becomes corrupted through his and the club’s lack of funds. Unfortunately Jordan, the object of both men’s desires as it were, has his own issues and all three end up on the losing team.
Marber’s writing is spot on, the right combination of wit and pathos is packed into 95 minutes. Stephen Tomlinson is superb as Yates and has some of the play’s best lines. At the end The Red Lion depicts all characters backed into a corner, simultaneously fighting football and family demons.
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The Occasional Nut is the blog of Olga, a squirrel lady-about-town who seeks to discover the latest and greatest around London. From eateries and fine-dining to the latest films, plays and musicals. If it's public, she's there.
