A perfect start to World Cup (From Tewkesbury Admag)

A perfect start to World Cup

IT is 1990, England is playing Germany in the World Cup semi-final (the one where Gazza cries), and avid football supporter, Bill, is on holiday in Spain with his wife, Monica.

He desperately wants to watch the game on TV; she desperately wants to talk relationships. Sound familiar?

This is the theme of An Evening With Gary Lineker by Arthur Smith and Chris England.

The play is presented by The Playhouse Company at The Playhouse Theatre, Cheltenham.

Joining them to watch the game in their holiday apartment is: Bill's mate Ian, socially inept and desperate for a girlfriend; Birgitta, the lively German holiday rep: Dan, a travel writer, fellow football fanatic, and very close friend of Monica; and, finally, the adored Gary Lineker drops in.

Through 90 minutes, extra time and the infamous penalty shoot-out, the field of battle switches between the hotel room and the Italian football pitch, as the friends and the England team approach the inevitable.

This is a play of two halves - full of quick wit and comical situations, written by well-known TV comedy writers Arthur Smith and Chris England.

2006 is World Cup year, and his play is just as relevant now as it was when it was first produced.

Not suitable for children. Please feel free to wear your favourite football strip.

An Evening With Gary Lineker runs from Saturday, April 22 to Saturday, April 29 at 7.45pm.

Tickets are available from The Playhouse Theatre box office on 01242 522852 costing £8. Concessions are £6 on Monday and Wednesday nights. There's a special offer on Tuesday, April 25 - buy one get one free.