Night Out At: Hillsborough: One boy's story of a tragedy.

“A heart warming, sad story, that somehow manages to wrap feelings of sadness with laughter, in a reflection of how many of us process grief by remembering the good times and making time to laugh”

When I was first asked to review this play, initially I was filled with a huge sense of dread. I've heard a few stories about what happened in Hillsborough in 1989 but the stories I heard were usually tinted with football rivalry. I feared perhaps this meant I couldn't give this play the justice that it deserves, with as passionate a review as somebody who does have a strong personal connection with it. I was wrong!

The idea behind this play is to not only reach the people who already have a strong connection with this tragedy but the ones like me, who don't. To take this away from a mentality of football rivalry and switch the topic from the differences we have and focus on the one thing we all share, humanity.

The show follows the life of young Frankie (Joel Cousins), who lives with his Mum (Deborah Elizabeth), Dad (Mike Newstand), and sister Mary (Lucy Wareing) in their Liverpudlian family home. The family is often visited by Grandad (Don Danks) who tells exaggerated tall tales of his past. Also we have Uncle Terry (Kevin Cubbin) and Aunty Lil (Leah Gloud) who seem to visit at the worst possible moment and whip the kids up into a frenzy of excitement, before swiftly leaving Mum and Dad to pick up the pieces. It also highlights the family bond between parent and child, with a typical Dad who makes silly jokes and a quick witted Mum who quips back, all while the young kids childishly make fun of each other. 

The play begins as a humorous look into a typical 80’s working class family home, filled with nostalgia from the authentic stage props, to the audio of old football matches being played. Suddenly I was transported back in time, living in that moment and watching this seemingly very real story unfold before my own eyes. The performances from Joel Cousins and Lucy Wareing were almost too believable, as they stamp their feet and whine to Mum and Dad but also adapt effortlessly throughout the story, to progress from childhood into adulthood. Mike Newstand who plays Dad, also takes on the role of narrator for various scenes and his articulate delivery helps the audience to easily follow the storylines progression. As the first scenes unravelled, I began to feel a connection with the family and easily resonated with the similarities of my own childhood and somehow, I’d almost forgotten that I knew this play had a tragic end. I could have easily been watching a comedy show about family drama, as the cast drew me in with their funny and charming performances, surrounded by a thunderous laughter from the audience. But sadly this heart warming performance of family life is jolted, when Dad and Uncle Terry begin the fateful day to attend the match at Hillsborough. 

For me there were a few moments that this play really began to hit home and I was struck by the reality of what I was watching. One is where Don Danks and Deborah Elizabeth are portraying a father in law and daughter in law, now trying desperately to work together to overcome the many hurdles they face and make ends meet. Their chemistry during this scene is fantastic and the performance was harrowing. Another impressive scene is when Aunt Lil, played by Leah Gloud, has to jump from one character to another, a feat she achieved seamlessly without any need for explanation. The moment that really stood out for me is when Uncle Terry has returned and is repeating the events he witnessed. The dialogue from this scene is taken from real witness testimony and Kevin Cubbins performance was very raw and emotional. With this powerful performance from all of the cast, I forgot about football, about daft rivalries, or what area people live in. I forgot I was watching people act out past events and I saw only human beings, just like me, suffering through something I struggle only to imagine.The enormity of what happened that day, how easily this could have been me, or anyone of our family members, brought me finally to tears. Somehow, with credit to the writers and actors, even though there are tears, the tears always seem to be wrapped in laughter. It's a real reflection of how many of us cope with grief, by remembering the funny moments and making time to laugh. 

When the performance came to an end and the lights were turned back on, the rapturous applause was followed by hundreds of people on their feet to give everyone involved a very deserving standing ovation. I could see I wasn't the only one with tears in my eyes, tissues were being passed back and forth, family members were embracing each other and I could hear stories ringing out from all over the audience with people talking about their experience and sharing how the show has impacted them. Maybe I was the only one there who felt they didn't have much prior connection to Hillsborough, or maybe I was one of many. But what I can say with confidence is every person who left that show, left it feeling a strong connection with all the victims and families affected that day and with a firm belief that more needs to be done, to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again!