Final Score at the Tristan Bates Theatre

Fantastic play about parents of Premier League rising star is both hilarious and tragic

»Friendship, parenthood and football collide in Lisa Fulthorpe’s new darkly comic drama about failed ambition, at the Tristan Bates Theatre as part of the Camden Fringe Festival.

Fulthorpe is known for her sketch show Smack the Pony and this show similarly captures the dysfunctionality of modern life.

Keith and Christie have it made – their son is a rising star of the Premier League – “the” football star of the future. Their lifelong friends Eddy and Samantha have taken a slightly different path – their similarly-aged son excels at nicking doughnuts and smoking dope.

While the two boys go out to celebrate their 16th birthday, the parents decide to throw their own party. But as drinks flow, the truths behind the facades of normal life become clear.

Is the reason for Eddy sticking to the soft drinks really because he is studying martial arts or is there another reason? And what about the latent jealousies, rivalries and pent up emotion that come to the fore as the drinks flow? It becomes clear that all is not what it seems.

And as the night goes into the wee wee hours, disaster strikes and the friendships are brought to the brink.

Tomi May, who will be recognised from his recent part in the BBC’s Line of Duty, excels as the overbearing, jealous alpha male Keith. And Fiona McGee as Sam is highly believable as the Posh Beckham-alike ambitious football mum.

This is a fantastic study of modern day small town life and the status anxiety that goes with it. Hilarious and tragic in equal measure.

* Final Score is at the Tristan Bates Theatre in Tower Street, WC2, as part of the Camden Fringe Festival. Finishes tomorrow (Saturday).