The Red Lion
Byre Theatre, St Andrews, June 7 and 8; Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, June 15
Emmerdale and Brookside star John McArdle will be heading to Fife this weekend to star in The Red Lion at the Byre Theatre in St Andrews.
Following a sell-out run in London’s West End, the hit comedy is written by Patrick Marber, who wrote for, and performed alongside, Steve Coogan in Knowing Me Knowing You.
It tells the story of the Red Lion Football Club, a non-league side that has dreams of the big time.
However, the club’s manager, Kidd, will stop at nothing to realise his own ambitions of money and fame, so when a talented young player, Jordan, turns up for a trial, Kidd sees his
golden opportunity.
But Yates, the kit-man and club legend (John McArdle), has other ideas. A battle of wills ensues between Yates and Kidd (Brendan Charleson) over the future of Jordan and the future of the football club.
“I play Yates, the old man who looks after the kit and liaises with the manager if there are any problems. His father played for the club and his life and heart is in the club,” explains Liverpudlian John, who played Billy Corkhill
in Brookside during the popular
soap’s heyday.
“There’s a whole mixture of emotions that passes through this play, and it conveys a lot of the human psyche. Even though it’s about three men, the show is interesting from a female point of view, to see how men think. They don’t show emotions to their wives or mothers but they do to each other and the play catches that.”
So was it challenging playing the part of Yates? “Every role I play is challenging because I want to do justice to the writing,” John reflects.
The Red Lion will also be coming to the Adam Smith Theatre in Kirkcaldy on June 15 and John is looking forward to returning to Scotland.
“I know Edinburgh very well because my son was at university there for four years,” says John, who has also climbed Ben Nevis twice.
“I performed in Brassed Off (which tells of the troubles faced by a colliery brass band following the closure of
their pit) at the King’s Theatre and got a huge welcome. But I’ve never been
to Fife before so I’m really looking forward to it.”
An accomplished actor both on TV and stage, John reveals: “Now I’m older I don’t like being away from home but when I read the script for The Red Lion it completely won me over.”
Suitable for ages 14 and above, free post-show talks will be held after all three performances.
– June 7: Post-show talk with the cast and director of The Red Lion.
– June 8: Post-show talk with writer Patrick Marber and the cast.
– June 15: Post-show panel discussion with the cast and Raith Rovers.
