Roy Williams’s ferocious, funny and disturbing play about racism and football.

Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads play overview

Gina, landlady of The King George pub, has a lot on her plate. The England vs Germany World Cup qualifying match is about to start, the pub football team is about to charge in and the TV’s on the blink.

Over the next few hours, national defeat looms and xenophobic tensions rise, fuelled by the inarticulate fury of the pub team captain, Lawrie, and the insidious propaganda of right-wing extremist Alan. And while policeman Lee struggles to keep the peace, disillusioned squaddie Mark and Gina’s bullied son Glen are fighting their own demons.

Roy Williams’s ferocious, funny and disturbing play takes aim at what it means to be black, white and English in 21st century Britain.

Nicole Charles’s acclaimed production, first staged in Chichester’s Spiegeltent in 2019, returns for a run in World Cup and Women’s Euro year in the Minerva Theatre, part of which will be transformed into a pub setting to create an immersive theatrical experience.

Contains strong language; ages 15+

www.cft.org.uk/sing-yer-heart-out-for-the-lads