And Did Those Feet – Bolton Octagon

Writer: Les Smith & Martin Thomasson

Director: Mark Babych

Reviewer: Matthew Nichols

The Public Reviews Rating:

Sometimes, when I visit the theatre, I can feel particularly ignorant. If the play in question involves philosophy, politics or sport, then I feel way out of my comfort zone. In a pub quiz, the sport round is my chance to get to the bar. Of course, good drama about sport isn’t usually about the sport itself, but rather a chance to view the world at large through the refraction of the game in question.

The game in And Did Those Feet, is the “beautiful game” itself, and, in particular, the historic Bolton Wanderers 1922/23 season. Bob (Martin Barrass) is our narrator and guide through the ups and downs of the season, as we follow the underdog team on their road to…I won’t spoil it for those not in the know. The play is also about Alf (Huw Higginson) and Hilda (Susan Twist), coming to terms with the death of their son, Billy (Chris Finch), and unlucky Martha’s (Naomi Radcliffe) attempts to plan her wedding around the season’s own holy fixtures.

First shown at the venue in 2007 (as part of the 40th anniversary season), I am slightly mystified that a revival has come so soon. There are better Lancastrian dramas (Hindle Wakes, for example) that haven’t had a recent airing, but the audience around me adored the play’s earthy humour, its balance of poignancy and ribaldry, and its use of clog dance and early cinema pastiche.

Mark Babych’s production does a fine job of pinning down Smith & Thomasson’s problematic script. An abundance of short scenes, and a repetitive approach to exposition (monologue, anyone?) are given flavour and variety by the director and the production itself. Foxton’s design is reliably wonderful, and it’s a real coup to have Arun Ghosh’s compositions, even if they do tend to be slightly overused.

Though some accents wander back down the East Lancs to Manchester, the cast nail this one. Naomi Radcliffe is a touching and confused Martha, doomed to play second fiddle to eleven men and a ball. In particular,Susan Twist (always excellent) and Huw Higginson are very impressive, as two parents unable to come to terms with or articulate their grief. For these performances alone, it’s worth seeing.

Snappy and well-paced, the play is a copper-bottomed popular hit…about football. If anyone tells you that the play’s “not really about football,” then they’re fibbing. The politics, and social history take a back seat to the Wanderers’ epic season, and even a ‘sportophobic’ like me was gripped. As a piece of homegrown drama, as well as entertaining history lesson, this is a thoroughly agreeable night out.