The Game

A brilliant northern comedy about love, honour, class and football by Harold Brighouse.

Lancashire. 1913. Match Day!

Blackton Rovers is in need of money.

Owner, Austin Whitworth, sells his star centre forward, local football hero Jack Metherell, to a rival club on the eve of a crucial match that could see Rovers relegated to the 2nd Division.

Will honest Jack do Austin’s bidding when asked to throw the match? Or will he put his professional honour above loyalty to his old club?

Austin’s daughter Elsie, and Jack, are in love or so they think. But Jack still lives at home, firmly tied to his mother’s apron strings.

Will Elsie’s modern ways and feisty temperament win over his domineering mam? Or is this tryst between the classes doomed from the start?