After The Applause

Whilst having an absurd title, this play is full of patriotic joy, love of the game and an unexpected level of depth and emotion

I hope you didn’t open your emails and think this review would be a description of my weekend! I’ll admit a play with a title as strange as this is going to confuse you and perhaps make you apprehensive but it really took me by surprise how brilliantly written it was and the topics it covered in only 1 hour and 15 minutes.

This short, one-man play has been getting a lot of press, winning awards in Australia, America and in the Edinburgh Fringe. I saw it at a West End Theatre in what will be its last ever UK performance, and I am upset I won’t have the opportunity to see it again.

Timed well with the FIFA World Cup 2026, this play, as Alex Hill (the writer and performer) explained to the auditorium at the end, was born after he saw a picture of a teenage England fan at the EURO 2021 Final in Wembley with a flare where the sun doesn’t shine. We follow the story of the fictional Billy Kinley, darting from the moment his grandad gave him a ball signed by Bobby Charlton to him and his best friend’s first ever football game, watching as his love for football grows. Hill writes this play with elegance, performed just by himself, it is a monologue of his inner thoughts as his love of football turns to a love of booze, drugs and fighting.

The play is incredibly funny, most likely furthered by the fact Alex was enjoying himself on the stage often breaking the fourth wall. For example there was a moment some latecomers came in and he decided to do a quick 2 minute recap of everything they missed all in character as Billy and it was absolutely hilarious. Alex has written the character of Billy to be recognisable to a lot of people, he is someone we can identify in our own lives and therefore his journey means a lot more to us.

We watch as he befriends a hooligan firm and him and his best friend are taken away from just having a laugh at the football to being forced to fight and do cocaine. However Billy is unable to stop and it means he messes up his relationship with his first girlfriend, his dad and then ultimately his best friend Adam. The play shifts remarkably when Billy goes to the back of the stage and removes a black suit jacket and slowly shuffles to the microphone as we are now at Adam’s funeral. Billy apologises for never checking up on Adam, and in this moment I began to get emotional. Alex Hill acted it superbly and it is such an important message and analysis of masculinity, you must check up on your friends.

In the final moments of the play we end where we begun, Adam and Billy receiving a football that they co-owned and as Billy breaks down in tears as the lights go out it gives the audience a moment to reflect before jumping to our feet. The play was only 75 minutes but that is all it needed to be, it was absolutely superb. In my opinion the best one man show I have ever seen, everything about it was splendid.

MY VERDICT:

Hill said at the end “3 years at drama school and you come out with a title like that” and I had to laugh but the fact this is not only his debut play but also his debut performance is astounding. He is born for the highest level of both writing and performing. This was certainly a 5* show in my eyes and a fabulous night of entertainment!!

I would recommend if it were to make a return to the UK stages again!

On another note I am very happy to announce i am back for good on After the Applause, after a momentary hiatus due to A-Levels. Now they are done I am booking plenty more theatre so keep your eyes posted for weekly reviews during the summer!!