The party may be over for the Tartan Army, but there’s plenty more football left to enjoy this summer – and not just the action in Germany. As the Euros build to a climax over the next couple of weeks, rehearsals will be in full swing for a host of football-themed and inspired shows lined up for this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The heady highs and heart-breaking lows of the beautiful game are about to be tackled on stages across the festival landscape, in shows embracing drama, comedy, poetry and punditry, as well as the rise of women’s football in recent years. An all-female cast will take to a pop-up pitch in the Traverse Theatre for Same Team – a play inspired by the impact of the Homeless World Cup and the work of the Street Soccer Scotland charity, which works with men and women who have experienced homelessness, mental health issues and addiction. Written by Robbie Gordon and Jack Nurse, Same Team, which has been revived after a brief run at the Traverse in December, brings together a group of Scottish women from different backgrounds as they bid to win the Homeless World Cup for their country. Gordon said: “We’re hoping to see some bounce from the Euros. Football fever is still in the air, and it’s a great time to bring a show like this to the stage. “Football is such a significant part of many people’s lives, and I think there’s a growing recognition of its rich potential for storytelling. “On stage, we can explore the emotional, social, and cultural aspects of the sport in ways that are intimate and impactful. “The increasing interest also comes from a desire to see more diverse stories and experiences represented in theatre, which a play like Same Team is a perfect vehicle for.” Women’s football will also take centre stage in Off the Bench, which has been inspired by the exploits of The Lionesses, England’s national team, who were World Cup runners-up last year. The changing room-set show, which will be performed at the Space on Niddry Street by Norfolk-based theatre company PIAP Productions, will explore the theme of women’s representation in football, as well as the personal struggles of the three female characters, played by Kyla Mae Harwood, Erin Humphrey and Jodie Weller. Weller said: “Women’s football has made leaps and bounds in the last few years but, there is still a way to go. We believe our play shines a light on what it’s like to play football at grass-roots level, but most importantly, the journeys these women have taken to fall in love with the game.” Poet, performer and author Julie McNeill will take Fringe audiences on a “walk through” the history of Scottish football in her show at Gladstone’s Land, which she is staging months after launching a collection of work exploring the “emotional landscape” of the beautiful game in Scotland. Get our Heritage newsletter to help us celebrate Scotland’s rich history It will examine the nation’s claim to be the birthplace of the sport, the controversial long-running “ban” on women’s football in Scotland, the impact of trailblazing player Rose Reilly. McNeill said: “The book has been really well received. It has travelled in sporrans and backpacks to stadiums and venues all over Scotland and Germany this year. It’s been wonderful to see a poetry book embraced so warmly. “This is the first solo show of this length I’ve ever done so I’m excited about bringing football and poetry to new audiences. “I was over in Germany with my children and it was an unforgettable experience (results aside). “I’m hoping the Euros and the summer of optimism hasn’t faded just yet.” This year’s Fringe will see the revival of a much-loved Scottish football-inspired play with an anti-sectarian message. There will also be a spin-off of Singin’ I’m No a Billy, He’s a Tim – which sees a Celtic fan and a Rangers fan locked up together on the day of an Old Firm match – with an all-female cast performing in alternate slots at the ECC to the reunited all-male cast. Actor and producer Scott Kyle said: “Its great to see that more football-based plays are coming to the fringe this year, however with Scotland being out of the Euros already, the shows will probably have a longer run of performances that the national team managed. “The Euros is a great event in terms of engaging more people in football, there were certainly a lot of young faces in the stands in Germany cheering on the national team.” Football-themed comedy on offer at the Fringe include the debut stand-up show from BBC Radio Scotland presenter Tam Cowan and Paul Sneddon’s fictional former football footballer turned pundit Bob Doolally, who are both part of The Stand’s line-up. Comedian Bryony Byrne’s show Fan/Girl, which is part of Summerhall’s line-up, will recall her devotion to 1990s stars like David Beckham and Eric Cantona, as well as explore why
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