Gerry and Sewell, a Tragicomic Search for a Newcastle United Season Ticket, Falls Short of Its Full Potential.
A rags-to-riches tale with a dash of comedy, this West End adaptation of Jonathan Tulloch's novel, The Season Ticket, follows two hard-up friends from Gateshead as they embark on a series of misadventures to secure a season ticket for their beloved Newcastle United. With its vivid characters and in-your-face commentary on the region's economic struggles, the play has all the makings of a powerful drama.
Dean Logan shines as Gerry, bringing to life the character's charismatic yet troubled nature, while Jack Robertson brings a sense of vulnerability to Sewell, his partner-in-crime. The duo's antics, from scrounging for scraps on the banks of the Tyne to pulling off dodgy burglaries, are both hilarious and harrowing.
Despite its ambitious tone, however, Gerry and Sewell struggles to find cohesion. Jamie Eastlake's script veers wildly between comedy and tragedy, with moments of poignant family drama getting lost in a sea of toilet humor and meta-comedy. The addition of song and dance, while vibrant and effective at times, often feels like a desperate attempt to inject some life into the narrative.
One of the few areas where the play truly shines is in its exploration of themes such as poverty, domestic violence, and sexual abuse. Chelsea Halfpenny's standout performance as Gerry's sister Claire brings a sense of authenticity to these heavy topics, while Erin Mullen's monologue about Bridget, Gerry's elusive sibling, is both powerful and moving.
Despite its flaws, Gerry and Sewell remains a heartfelt and soulful production, full of sparks of brilliance. Its potential for depth and complexity, however, is left unrealized, leaving the audience with a season ticket that feels more like a ticket to a shallow feel-good show than a genuine exploration of the human condition.
As it makes its way to Newcastle Theatre Royal, Gerry and Sewell offers a timely reminder of the struggles faced by communities in the North East. While it may not quite live up to its full potential, this tragicomic tale is still worth watching for its raw emotion and unflinching portrayal of life on the margins.
A rags-to-riches tale with a dash of comedy, this West End adaptation of Jonathan Tulloch's novel, The Season Ticket, follows two hard-up friends from Gateshead as they embark on a series of misadventures to secure a season ticket for their beloved Newcastle United. With its vivid characters and in-your-face commentary on the region's economic struggles, the play has all the makings of a powerful drama.
Dean Logan shines as Gerry, bringing to life the character's charismatic yet troubled nature, while Jack Robertson brings a sense of vulnerability to Sewell, his partner-in-crime. The duo's antics, from scrounging for scraps on the banks of the Tyne to pulling off dodgy burglaries, are both hilarious and harrowing.
Despite its ambitious tone, however, Gerry and Sewell struggles to find cohesion. Jamie Eastlake's script veers wildly between comedy and tragedy, with moments of poignant family drama getting lost in a sea of toilet humor and meta-comedy. The addition of song and dance, while vibrant and effective at times, often feels like a desperate attempt to inject some life into the narrative.
One of the few areas where the play truly shines is in its exploration of themes such as poverty, domestic violence, and sexual abuse. Chelsea Halfpenny's standout performance as Gerry's sister Claire brings a sense of authenticity to these heavy topics, while Erin Mullen's monologue about Bridget, Gerry's elusive sibling, is both powerful and moving.
Despite its flaws, Gerry and Sewell remains a heartfelt and soulful production, full of sparks of brilliance. Its potential for depth and complexity, however, is left unrealized, leaving the audience with a season ticket that feels more like a ticket to a shallow feel-good show than a genuine exploration of the human condition.
As it makes its way to Newcastle Theatre Royal, Gerry and Sewell offers a timely reminder of the struggles faced by communities in the North East. While it may not quite live up to its full potential, this tragicomic tale is still worth watching for its raw emotion and unflinching portrayal of life on the margins.
. The play has some great moments, don't get me wrong - Dean Logan and Jack Robertson are solid as ever, and Chelsea Halfpenny's performance as Claire is seriously impressive 
. But the whole thing feels like it's jumping around between laughs and tears without fully committing to one tone 
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. And don't even get me started on the song and dance numbers - sometimes less is more, you know? 
. Maybe they just needed a bit more polish to bring out the full potential of the story 
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. Would've liked to see more development on the supporting characters, felt like they got left in the dust 
. Still, Chelsea Halfpenny's performance was EVERYTHING 
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. The addition of song and dance often feels like a contrived attempt to inject some much-needed energy into the narrative 
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. However, the overall effect is somewhat mitigated by the play's inconsistent tone and pacing 
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Their story's like, totally relatable, you know? It's like, we've all been there - scraping by, struggling to make ends meet, and just trying to hold on to our dignity. 
The way the script veers between comedy and tragedy is, like, really interesting... but sometimes it feels like they're trying too hard to balance it out 
She brings so much depth to her character, Claire! It's like, you can feel the pain and the struggle behind her eyes 
#GerryAndSewell #NewcastleUnited #SeasonTicket #TheatreRoyal
. Dean Logan & Jack Robertson are both great tho! And Chelsea Halfpenny's performance as Gerry's sister Claire is so emotional 
. I'm glad it's still worth watching, even if it doesn't quite hit its full potential... maybe the Newcastle audience will help it find its footing?
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. Anyways, Chelsea Halfpenny's performance is actually really strong tho 
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. And can we talk about Chelsea Halfpenny's performance as Gerry's sister Claire? 
. I'd love to see more depth in the story, but it's great that they're tackling tough topics in a honest way 
. I mean, you gotta hand it to them, they're tackling some heavy stuff like poverty and abuse, but it's like they're poking at it with a stick instead of really digging in. And what's up with the song and dance numbers? It feels like they're trying too hard to be clever 