Review: Jumpers for Goalposts

You don’t have to be a football fan to enjoy Jumpers for Goalposts a five-a-side dressing room based romantic comedy.

Barely Athletic certainly live up to the teams name a mismatch of characters who certainly are not going to be playing at Wembley anytime soon. Viv, lesbian pub landlady is the wannabe team captain, Beardy Geoff is a gay busker looking for that killer song that will make him famous, sports student Danny has a crush on fellow new team mate Luke the Librarian and Luke is just so shy he doesn’t know who he is or what he wants. Making up the team is Viv’s depressed brother-in-law who is either in the team because of his relationship to Viv or to be the “token straight guy”.

Tom Wells script doesn’t build slowly but tackles you full on from the first line. Bearing in mind that it’s set in a football changing room, there’s some strong language. Wells’ comedy writing has already been honoured for his prize-winning 2011 ‘Kitchen Sink’ and with Jumpers for Goalposts he scores another brilliant goal.

The writing is superb, the interpretation by the five-strong cast is first-class, and it’s a pleasure that there is nothing bad to say about this 90 minute play (there’s no half-time oranges so it’s 90 non-stop minutes of action).

Barley Athletic may not be winners, but Jumpers for Goalposts is top of the league material.

— Mark Keable, Ipswich24 —

New Wolsey, Ipswich until 17th October and then continues on UK Tour – see website»