Offside
*****
Tue 12 Jun, Riverfront Centre, Newport
With football fever taking over the nation prior to the World Cup there couldn’t be a more appropriate time to tour a production about women’s position in the game. Written by poet and playwright Sabrina Mahfouz, and spoken word poet Hollie McNish, Offisde is the story of two amateur women footballers competing for a permanent place on the England team. The narrative – told through poetry and lyrical dialogue – takes the audience from present day back to 1821 when Scotland saw its first professional black female player, then on to 1921 when the FA banned women from using their pitches. But don’t expect a play solely about football because Offside is about so much more than kicking a ball. The script deals with a woman’s right to vote and be to be seen as an independent individual, alongside such concerns as mental health, same-sex relationships and the breaking of stereotypes. It’s a showcase for girl power and a powerful one at that.
Offside is a play of voices – thirteen to be precise from referees to press reporters – all performed by Jessica Dennis, Marième Diouf (Outlander) and Fizz Waller who filled the compact Riverfront stage with energy, enthusiasm and skill – never missing a beat. Every second of the play’s seventy-five minutes is packed with emotion and physicality. No matter that the conflict wasn’t hi-octane or that character’s problems were too easily resolved, this is a play about deeper issues that have threatened women as a whole and women footballers in particular for centuries – misogyny, homophobia and racism. The performance was entrancing and left you feeling uplifted and moved in equal measure.
Every four of five shows of this current tour has a short question and answer session is hosted by the stage director and this was one of those nights. On the panel were Sarah Powell – Sports Wales first female chief executive – and ex-Wales goalkeeper Neville Southall, now patron of LGBT campaign group Just A Ball Game? The aim is to bring awareness to and discuss the issues raised by the play and to reinforce that each positive move we make to abate these issues is a stepping stone for progress. A nice touch but not really needed as Offside does a good job of speaking for itself.
Offside has been touring the UK since the 8th May and you can still catch it around the country until the 30th June.
words Lynda Nash
photo NorthernEdge Photography