This isn’t a sponsored post.
BrumHour was invited to see Would You Bet Against Us? by Birmingham Rep.
By Dave Massey twitter.com/BrumHour
This production contains: strong language, inferred corporal punishment and inferred self harm.
Review: Would You Bet Against Us? at Birmingham Rep
Funny, warm and hugely nostalgic.
Written by Paul Hunter
Set mainly over the very early 80s in Birmingham, Would You Bet Against Us? marks 40 years since Aston Villa won the European Cup (Champions League).
Paul Hunter narrates a largely autobiographical story of his life, his wish to be an actor and how it connects to this huge Aston Villa achievement in his youth. He is joined on stage by Lori Hopkins, Heather Lai and Kyll Thomas-Cole who play a broad range of characters around him.
This production lasts just over 80 minutes and is a very humorous look at how football runs through families veins. The mixture of theatre-goers and football fans was evident last night as the press night took place.
I wasn’t entirely sure how I’d relate to this, but it was warm, funny, welcoming, inclusive and hugely nostalgic. If you are a non football fan taking a fan with you, you will feel connected to the work.
The set is a rising semi circular backdrop, with just a few items on the stage, a piano, a large light-up frame, a chair and a bench. The music is interspersed to bring the early 80s vividly to mind and there is plenty of visual projection too. There’s also some stunning puppetry which creates some very personal and intimate moments on the stage.
The football match re-enactments and the use of puppetry really elevate this one man show into a nod to history. I even heard my own old Secondary School from Erdington getting a shout out!
Would You Bet Against Us? is at Birmingham Rep’s The Door until 4th June 2022. Book tickets here: birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/would-you-bet-against-us.
