The Goal – Watch Online!
Lockdown Treat: Watch The Goal For Free
Written by Nick Lane
Premiere: Saturday 16 May 2020, 7pm
Stream online on YouTube @TheCourtyardArts
The Courtyard Hereford’s 2018 production, The Goal, will be available to stream on YouTube from Saturday 16 May 2020! (Please note that The Goal was only recorded for Archive purposes so it is very simply shot from a fixed spot with one camera.)
An inspiring and funny coming of age story, steeped in 70’s history and local folklore, set against the backdrop of Hereford United’s famous FA Cup run and election to the Football League.
Six professional actors play a cast of thousands in a bittersweet, nostalgic comedy, filled with 70’s music, as The Courtyard celebrates Hereford FC’s greatest ever victory.
Whether you’re a theatre fan, a football fan, a Hereford fan or a 70’s fan, there’s something for everyone – you’ll leave feeling inspired, entertained, proud to be local and proud of your local football club!
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James Holmes – Bob “Bobby” Fenton
James trained at The Poor School.
Theatre: Out of Order (National Tour), Boys in the Band (Park Theatre, Vaudeville Theatre), Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Aladdin (Buxton Opera House), Horniman’s Choice (Finborough Theatre), Romeo and Juliet, Wind in the Willows, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre), Portia Coughlan (Old Red Lion Theatre), Rain Man (English Theatre, Frankfurt), The Lady in the Van, The Flint Street Nativity, Happy Now? (Hull Truck Theatre), The Dumb Waiter (Guildhall Theatre, Derby), Twelfth
Night (Ripley Castle Open Air Theatre), and the original production of Anorak of Fire: The Life and Times of Gus Gascgoine the Trainspotter (Edinburgh Festival, Arts Theatre, National Tour).
Television: The 4 O’Clock Club, Sherlock, Miranda, Dani’s House, Psychoville, How TV Ruined Your Life, Love Soup, The Catherine Tate Show (all BBC); Phoneshop, Peep Show, TV Go Home (C4), Coronation Street, Harry Hill’s TV Burp (ITV); I Live With Models (Comedy Central)
Film: Lava, Death Defying Acts, Suspension of Disbelief
Tom Bevan – Chris Brewer
Theatre: All Things Considered (Esk Valley Theatre); Ladies Day (Oldham Coliseum); The Odd Couple (The Mill at Sonning); The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (Chalkfoot); Shadowlands, To Kill A Mockingbird (Salisbury Playhouse); Tales From Europe, Words Words Words (Clwyd Theatr Cymru); Julia Pastrana The Ugliest Woman In The World (Zygo, Theatre Royal Brighton); Therese Raquin, The Three Musketeers, Tartuffe, The Rivals, A Christmas Carol, Neville’s Island, Small Change, Alphabetical Order, A
Passionate Woman (Haymarket Basingstoke); Up’n’Under (Newbury Watermill); Night Must Fall (Royal Theatre Northampton); Jumpers, Romeo and Juliet, Blood Libel and Assistant Director on The Go-Between (Norwich Playhouse).
Radio: BBC Radio Drama Company 1993-4. BBC Radio Dramas include title roles in: The Elephant Man,
Peter Grimes and Robinson Crusoe. BBC Radio Series include: Lifeboat, Victoria Station and Explorer II.
Readings for BBC Programmes: Making History, Woman’s Hour, Yesterday in Parliament, Short Story and Pick of the Week.
Television: What Remains (BBC); Being Human (BBC); Holby City (BBC); Doctors (BBC); and The Keep (BBC).
Film: The Fourth Kind (Gold Circle Films); Promises Made at Night (Junk TV).
Kate Powell – Danielle “Dan” Beech
Kate was awarded a DaDA to train at the Guildford School of Acting, graduating with a BA(Hons) degree in Musical Theatre and furthered her training at Associated Studios, London.
Theatre: Dick Whittington (Rainbow Productions); That’s Love (Ian Dickens productions); Death by Fatal Murder (Ian Dickens Productions); Cinderella (Lincoln Theatre Royal); Another Bite Of The Apple (Frank Vickery); Breaking The String (Frank Vickery); Dick Whittington (Owen Money Theatre Company); Stalking John Barrowman (Patrick Steed); Company Manager and Production Singer, Private Lives and The Opposite Sex, (Adonia Theatre Company P&O); Don’t Dribble On The Dragon (The People’s Theatre Company); The Snow Queen, Hansel and Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood (The Courtyard)
Short film: Brewer’s Droop (Stone Fever Productions.
Ewan Goddard – Phillip “Twig” Wood
Theatre: Swallows & Amazons (Creation Theatre, Oxford); Alice in Wonderland (Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham); Peter Pan (Gordon Craig Theatre, Jordan Productions); James and the Giant Peach (International Tour); What The Butler Saw (UK Tour); Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper Murders (UK Tour); The End of the Affair (UK Tour); Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Bradford Alhambra Theatre, QDOS); Taking Steps (UK Tour); Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Birmingham Hippodrome, QDOS); Less Than Kind (Yvonne Arnaud and UK Tour); The Art of Concealment (Riverside Studios); The Merry
Wives of Windsor (RSC).
Television: Doctors (BBC).
Commercials: Cadbury’s; Crisis; Holland and Barrett.
Audio Drama: Doctor Who: Ravenous 2 (Big Finish); Doctor Who: Maker of Demons (Big Finish)
Matthew Booth – Alan “Yorkie” Ibbotson
Theatre: For Love or Money, When We are Married, Richard III, The Passion, The Mysteries, Samson Agonistes, King John, The Merry Wives, Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, Antony & Cleopatra (Northern Broadsides), Odd Job Men, Royal Flush, Beef (Rich Seam Theatre Co), England, Arise (Bent Architect), Last Train to Scarborough, Lost & Found (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Happy Jack (The John Godber Company), Thick as Thieves, Studs, Gods Official (Reform Theatre Company), The Trackers of Oxyrynchus, Seasons in the Sun (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Hitchcock Blonde, Richard III, Teechers, Bouncers, Up n Under, My Favourite Summer, Me and Me Dad, The Elves and the Shoemaker, Our
House, Christmas Crackers, Wrestling Mad, Unleashed (Hull Truck Theatre Company).
TV and Film: Hollyoaks, Shameless, A Picture of Britain, Emmerdale, Coronation Street, The Royal, At Home with The Braithwaites, Children’s Ward, Masterclass, Crimewatch File, Cardiac Arrest, ID 2 Shadwell Army. Matthew founded Rich Seam Theatre Company with Nick Lane in 2013 which produces and tours new work. Their next production, written by Nick, is “Saucy – King of Postcards” due to tour in the summer next year.
Charlie Quirke – Brian Thorp
Being the son of professional actress Pauline Quirke, acting runs in Charlie’s blood, but so does football. Charlie once played at a high level for clubs including Oxford United & Hayes & Yeading.
Charlie has been involved in the last three series of the Birds of a Feather reboot, as well as two Christmas specials.
He has just finished at the Edinburgh Fringe performing in two shows, Early Birds and Our Boys, the latter of which won the award for Best Overall Show at this year’s festival, with talks of a London transfer.
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Synopsis
FEBRUARY 5, 1972. The day Ronnie Radford lashed a glorious 35-yard shot past a despairing keeper and into the corner of the net at the Meadow End, helping Hereford United to a historic FA Cup 3rd round victory over Newcastle United – one of the FA Cups greatest ever Giant Killings.
Chris, Bob, Dan, Yorkie, Twig and Brian were right there, just likethey were for all the Bulls’ games. Six kids with passion, belief and ill-fitting tracksuits – the ball boys!
The Goal is their story – of that season on the touchlines at Edgar Street watching their heroes, getting to know each other, swapping stories, secrets and more with the audience and each other – a unique insight into growing up in Hereford in the 70’s and what goes on behind the scenes in football.
“This is the one of the best things I’ve seen on a stage. Captures the 70s brilliantly and is supremely funny.” – The Reverend (Twitter)
Well… what a superb play. Full of warmth, nostalgia, sensitivity and laughter. I really wasn’t expecting such a heart-felt and gentle story – so beautifully acted and something that will stay with me for a long time. – Kate La Barre Hereford College of Art
A cleverly structured, wittily written and beautifully acted drama. – The Hereford Times
Read the full Hereford Times Review
I absolutely loved The Goal… beautifully written and played by some very talented (and funny) actors… It didn’t matter at all that I don’t understand (or like) football, it was just a clever backdrop for a brilliant play. What a triumph! It made all of us laugh out loud a lot (way more than I expected) and at the end I wiped away a few tears. I certainly felt the audience really appreciated it with the standing ovation! – Joanna Cobb
The Goal is a charming, poignant, funny and moving night at the theatre. – Sir Derek Jacobi & Richard Clifford
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Producer: Roger Morgan
Directors: Nick Lane & Ian Archer
Writer: Nick Lane
Choreographer: Vicki Beddoes
Production Manager: Carl Hulme
Set & Costume Designer: Carl Davies
Sound and AV Designer: Richard Loveridge
Lighting Designer: Carl Hulme
Production Team
Company Stage Manager: Becky Brown
Stage Manager: Martyn Watkins
Production Electrician/Board Op: Conall Hulme
Set Builder: Lewis Prescott
Fit up crew: Nick Acons, Lewis Prescott, Mark Lewis
Thank You
Thank you to the amazing artists and creatives who have allowed us to share The Goal in this way during this unprecedented time, when so many theatre fans can’t visit their local theatres.
A special thank you to:
John Motson, Ronnie Radford, Martin Brain, Ron Parrott, Colin Addison, Ken Kinnersley, Jamie Griffiths, Warehouse 701, 1990s Chris, Freddie Griffiths, Shooting Reels, Orphans Press, Old Market Hereford, Junior Bulls, all Courtyard and Hereford FC staff and volunteers.
