Three teenagers in East Belfast find out that the same local football pitch that brought them together can be the very same thing to tear them apart. The Pitch is a brand new play by Phillip Catherwood which brings about an urgent conversation around Irish unity, through the lens of a teenage fight with unfamiliarity and an uncertain future.
18-year-old Robbie struggles to find himself in the radical changes around him — his dreams of playing football are on the line because of an injury, his younger sister Melissa doesn’t seem to care about training with him anymore, a looming referendum is challenging everything his dad believes in; but most of all, he struggles with his favourite place in the world being refurbished into a Gaelic football pitch. Then Robby meets Deren, a charismatic GAA player who’s eager to finally have a pitch he can call his own. The two boys, prompted by Melissa, form a hesitant star-crossed friendship.
The minimalism of the set and action not only contrasts, but gives breathing room for the script’s complexity. We only ever see the three actors, a ball and some astro turf, as the political nuance is juxtaposed with mundane adolescent experiences. Important conversations occur while the teenagers are kicking the ball around, as the social unrest stirs in the background. One practical effect that works beautifully in its simplicity is the spray can lightly used against the back wall of the stage to represent the football pitch becoming refurbished. As the characters embrace a stark new change, all senses of the audience become urgently engaged with the sharp aerosol sensation.
While the football playing happens casually and consists mostly of the characters passing to each other, I was very impressed with the actors making this element look entirely smooth. The physicality of the actors at different times naturalistically stores grief, playfulness, and most significantly — tension. As tension between the characters is created, with pause and awkward silences always used to their full advantage, it is always just as easily broken through the game itself.
The teenage perspective is fully believable within the dialogue, with smaller concerns about trivial changes, and questions like “If we rejoined Ireland, which Mr Tayto would we pick?” illustrating the script’s micro approach to the conflict and the possibility of a United Ireland very effectively.
As the performance is an abridged version of the published play text, specifically for the Fringe, I thought some of the fast pacing to fit in as much as possible took away from the impression of the story happening over several months — the last sentiment of Robbie reflecting on how much time him and Deren have wasted in anger is therefore slightly wobbly in its impact.
The Pitch is running until 31 August at the Baby Grand at Pleasance Courtyard, Buy tickets here
Image provided to The Student for press use.
