Writer / Director: Jamie Eastlake
Reviewer: Christine Stanton
“Passion & Pride“
3.5 / 5
Gerry and Sewell have been dreaming about getting their hands on a coveted Newcastle Utd season ticket since they were young boys, and have decided that this season they’ll do whatever it takes. At £800 a pop and no job between the two of them, it’s a longshot, but they set on a mission to beg, borrow and steal, hoping that luck will finally come their way.
The duo have a friendship full of banter, but with a surprisingly welcome level of tenderness included too. Sewell (Jack Robertson) is practically part of Gerry’s (Dean Logan) family, helping himself to food in the fridge and turning up at every family gathering as Gerry’s sidekick. Gerry is close with his mum and sisters, but his family unit is packed with problems – abuse, medical issues and financial struggles, that mean his escapades with Sewell are often a necessary escape from the hardships at home. The pair aren’t in any way role models, with most of their plans surrounding breaking into houses or stealing cars, but despite their less than desirable money making efforts, it’s hard not to root for them, hoping they can bag tickets not only to the games, but also out of their murky lifestyle.
Jamie Eastlake’s show is undeniably full of grit, heart, passion and pride for Newcastle (both the city and the team), rousing the crowd throughout with impassioned speeches and emotional monologues. The opening scenes of the show are packed with energy – audiences encouraged to wave the black & white flags placed by their seats, chants of Toon Army filling the theatre in a charmingly unifying moment. The first act is mainly comedic, with lots of silly encounters, focusing on the fun aspects of their friendship. The second act in comparison, starts to feel like a completely different show – with much heavier subject matter and intense themes that overshadow the originally humorous, very light watch. It remains enjoyable, though it does feel unexpected, and more time is spent on the emotional woes of the pair than the quest for tickets as originally assumed.
The show itself is put together as a series of snapshot style sketches – although there is a storyline thread running through, they are stitched together quite haphazardly, meaning at points the chaotic tonal changes and snappy, short conversations get lost in the hustle & bustle of it all a bit. With so many plot points and supporting character backstories, it does feel somewhat bloated at points, and could do with some sharper focus within the writing, or a smoother transition between scenes within the direction, to help it flow better and feel less like a patchwork of ideas. The cleverly included nods to theatrical processes such as being trapped in a freeze frame, flashback acknowledgments or finding the Tina soundtrack in the car are brilliantly done, adding a comical extra layer to an already funny script.
Power Props (Richard, Rosie & Joe Power) set is immediately intriguing, posters slapped up on the walls, litter strewn across the streets, and a graffiti covered train occasionally pulling in on stage that help to embed the location into each scene. Logan and Robertson are wonderful as the down-on-their-luck double act, with well-rehearsed comedic timing and endearing interactions. With a large supporting cast, there is constantly energy and movement on stage (some of which isn’t always seen further back in the stalls due to higher parts of the stage not being visible), which keeps the excitable, scrappy atmosphere consistently engaging.
Runs until 24th January 2026
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