‘The way they’re changing endz is nuts.’
Red Pitch. South London. Three lifelong friends Omz, Bilal and Joey are playing football. Like they always have. Living out dreams of football stardom. Beyond their football pitch, local shops are closing, old flats are being demolished as new flats shoot up, some residents struggle to stay while others rush to leave.
When your local football pitch has been a home from home, a place where you’ve laughed, fought and forged friendships, what happens when it’s under threat?
A coming-of-age story about what it means to belong somewhere, Tyrell Williams’ fast-paced and sharp-edged play tells a powerful story about gentrification, regeneration and the impact of this relentless change on London’s communities.
Red Pitch was first performed at the Bush Theatre, London, in February 2022, directed by Associate Artistic Director Daniel Bailey.
An earlier version of the play was presented in June 2019, as part of the Untold Season at Ovalhouse, London.
‘Fierce, affectionate and effortlessly funny… shares a similar wit and focus to his viral web series #HoodDocumentary’
— Guardian
’90 minutes of end-to-end stuff… the plot is pacy and exciting. The language is rich and vivid. It’s also very funny… It’s still rare to see a play about young, black, working-class youths on our stages: rarer still to see one in which they are celebrated like this’
— Evening Standard
‘Intelligent, nuanced – an unbelievable debut… phenomenal… true mastery of craft. It’s a next-level coming-of-age story’
— The Stage
‘Sharp, funny and deeply poignant… feels wholly authentic… an eloquent love letter to our increasingly threatened public spaces… Tyrell Williams is a rising talent of the first rank. Theatre needs voices like his’
— Whatsonstage
‘A triumphant take on flux and football in a fast-changing south London neighbourhood’
— Independent
