Vardy V Rooney - The Wagatha Christie Trial

Centenary Theatre Company were back at the Brindley, in the studio space, for their production of ‘Vardy V Rooney – The Wagatha Christie Trial’, which was directed by Beth Warburton, in her directorial debut. The set looked good and was fit for purpose. It instantly took the audience inside the court room, with a raised platform upstage for the judge to sit at, a witness box stage right, and a seating area stage left. Centrally, there was a football pitch painted on the floor, emphasising the football theme throughout. Cleverly, the set was flipped during the interval, as we changed ends. The football references were prevalent throughout, with the whistle blowing, the music used, and the use of yellow and red cards by the judge, added to the comedy of the production. The attention to detail in the props was very good, with notebooks, files of evidence, and the pundit’s microphones (CTCTV was a nice touch that did not go unnoticed!). The direction from Beth was pleasing, and the movements were secure and purposeful. There were nice moments of comedy throughout, which were perfectly pitched. The production worked very well in the studio setting, creating an intimate feel, making the audience feel involved with the action. The costumes were good, and suited each character. The judge and barristers were in cloaks and wigs. Again, the attention to detail here was great, with Ria wearing a medical boot throughout the production, as Coleen Rooney had done during the real-life trial due to a broken foot.

Technical aspects were integrated well into this production. The use of football themed music pre-show and during the performance firmly grounded the audience into the world of football. The music was a little loud during the opening, and the audience struggled to hear the initial dialogue. The lighting was good and natural during the court room scenes. The changes of light when the pundits were delivering their analysis or when the audience were shown flashbacks were a clever way to show that they were happening away from court. The projections were well put together, with WhatsApp messages and various newspaper headlines. Some of the images used added to the visual comedy of the production.

Charlotte Ashton played Rebekah Vardy. This was an impressive performance from Charlotte, who handled the comedy very well. Charlotte’s line delivery was top notch, and she used her facial reactions to great effect. Her interactions with other characters were very good.

Ria Hall played Coleen Rooney. This was a convincing performance from Ria, who was the complete opposite of Charlotte’s Rebekah. Her accent was convincing and she sustained it throughout. Ria’s Coleen was well prepared and had a quiet strength in her demeanour, which worked extremely well.

Mark Murphy played Mr Sherborne, Coleen Rooney’s barrister. This was a strong performance from Mark as he prowled the set questioning Rebekah Vardy. He was line assured, delivering his lines with clarity. Mark was fully engaged throughout, even in the moments where he had little to do. His questioning of Wayne Rooney was funny, with Mark delivering the questions with a look of admiration towards Rooney.

Rosie Shields played Ms Tomlinson, Rebekah Vardy’s barrister. Rosie did well in this role, especially as she stepped into the role late in the rehearsal process. Rosie’s line delivery was good, as she questioned Coleen Rooney. Rosie commanded the space well.

Jacob Grimes played Pundit 1, as well as taking on other minor characters like Wayne Rooney and Jamie Vardy. Jacob brought high energy to his role as Pundit 1, reminiscent of the TV football pundits. Jacob’s portrayal of Wayne Rooney was very funny, creating a suitably over-the-top, yet familiar, character.

Georgia Heyes played Pundit 2, as well as appearing as Caroline Watt. Georgia created a good working partnership with Jacob as the Pundits, guiding the audience through proceedings. Georgia created a good character in Caroline Watt, creating a good relationship with Charlotte.

Jo Lee played Justice Steyn. Jo was fully engaged throughout the production. Her reactions to the action were very good, and the use of the yellow and red cards was used to great comic effect.

Overall, this was a good production. There were some strong performances, the use of technology was good, and there were plenty of laughs throughout.

A big thank you to everyone at Centenary Theatre Company for their kind invite and hospitality.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.