After what seems forever Sarah and I returned to what used to be our fourth home (after internship, university, london house) the BARBICAN. We delved to the depths of the Barbican Centre, which sees no light and goes by the fitting name of THE PIT. We went to watch a performance entitled 'Total Football' by Ridiculusmus. As the title suggests it was about football, but rather than the actual game it looked at the behind the scenes of the Olympic Games and creating Great Britain's football team, as well as getting to the essence of why football is important to Britishness.
Britishness is a topic that thoroughly interests me with my undergraduate dissertation being based on the topic. What is it to be British? One of the characters in the play was preparing for his citizenship test. However, I have had friends who have taken that test and although I am second generation I still struggled with some of the answers. To be honest I think families who can track their British heritage to 1606 would still struggle.
Football is quintessential to British life but why? The sport apparently is loved by 500 million people across the world, but what makes so many people love to watch "22 millionaires ruining a lawn"? The piece suggests that it is because it gives an individual a sense of community, a tribe to belong to. A tribe with a dress code and anthems and rivals. Football gives the individual who is bored with their life a purpose. I found myself agreeing and although I do not like football, it summed up exactly why I loved being a cheerleader.
The two performers played a range of characters and although one of the accents sounded suspiciously like Tony Blair, overall the portrayal of the various individuals was excellent. I particularly liked the role of the DCMS and the concerns of trying to improve the General Well-Being of the nation. It was a simple but effective setting, with a lovely twist Overall, a lovely night in the Barbican Pit. I am not sure I understand the offside rule more than I did before and I am not interested in watching an actual match, but it has reignited my passion for the topic of Britishness. I can feel part 2 of both paper and performance coming soon.
