by NANNY RED » Sun Jul 12, 2009 3:59 pm
Im actualy so so gutted i cant go an see it ,.
An woof we sing it better lol
REVIEW: ONE NIGHT IN ISTANBUL
Jimmy Rice 12 July 2009
One of the most dramatic nights in sporting history has been immortalised in a new play - and the results are spectacular.
One Night in Istanbul is already being labelled the biggest selling Scouse production ever at Liverpool's Empire Theatre, where it runs from July 9-18.
The stars of the show are Tommy (comedian John Bishop) and Gerry (John McArdle of Brookside fame), two middle-aged Kopites who travel to the 2005 Champions League final with their sons.
Things start to get interesting when the party finds a stash of fake dollars in their grotty hotel room outside Taksim Square.
The consequences are almost as dramatic as events which unfold on the pitch, which we see thanks to two specially-installed big screens.
Nicky Allt's production - the follow up to his massive hit Brick Up The Mersey Tunnels - is as much about the characters' personal journeys as it is the football and frolics.
Of course, this isn't the first European Cup final for Tommy and Gerry - and their drunken reminiscing prompts much mickey taking from sons Jamie and Joseph. They delight in hearing how Tommy's girlfriend left him for Craig 'Predator' Johnston, while jokes about Titi Camara, 'lucky' underpants and Amy Winehouse also prove crowd-pleasers.
The marvellous Bishop brings some smart physical comedy to the production on what is his first major acting role.
The show is punctuated by fantastic acoustic interludes which get the crowd singing - then there's YouTube sensation Darren Farley, who plays a Sky News reporter who tries and fails to get a decent interview with any of the Scouse invaders.
One of the highlights is a voice-over gag for which Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Rafa Benitez were drafted in.
The trio even made a surprise appearance for the opening night finale, while the audience was treated to a glimpse of ex-Reds captain Phil Thompson on night two.
All in all, One Night in Istanbul is a celebration of life as a Liverpool fan, and Allt has once again achieved an admirable feat - bringing theatre to the masses and leaving them thirsty for more.
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HE WHO BETRAYS WILL ALWAYS WALK ALONE