Review: VARDY V ROONEY: THE WAGATHA CHRISTIE TRIAL, The Ambassadors Theatre

To many, the idea of having personal WhatsApp messages read out in front of a live audience is a true horror. Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial brings this nightmare to a shocking and amusing reality.

Coleen Rooney's social media revelation of her investigative endeavours to discover who sold fake stories about her to the press ended with none other than... Rebekah Vardy. This adaptation of a well-known cultural phenomenon is an autopsy of the intricacies behind existence as a partner of one of England's highest profile footballers.

Liv Hennessy has adapted hours of court analysis and Instagram posts into a punchy production that awakens our inner gossipmonger. After all, there's something wickedly enjoyable about watching other people's drama unfold into chaos, particularly when they have more money than sense. From football and politics to celebrity scandal, there's something for everyone presented with a theatrical sophistication by director Lisa Spirling and assistant director Lizzie Manwaring.

In keeping with the verbatim nature of the script, the action plays out over a football pitch and transparent court marble backdrop. It's a simplistic combination of the environments that house equally enthralling spectacle. Mateus Daniel's movement work feels at home on this stage, with bold sporting vignettes acting as real time snapshots of football, and political, success.

At times pernicious, Rebekah Vardy is surprisingly charismatic. Lucy May Barker holds attention with a maturity beyond her years. Laura Dos Santos portrays Vardy's nemesis, the WAG-turned-detective Coleen Rooney. By the time Verna Vyas' astute judge, Mrs Justice Seyn, reaches a verdict, it's unclear who to consider the villain. Regardless of whose actions were more shocking, both execute interpretations of their real-life counterparts with equal amounts of drama and authenticity.

Jonnie Broadbent and Tom Turner lead the cross-examinations as Hugh Tomlinson QC and David Sherbourne. Akin to a scene from Jaws, the pair circle their prey and calculate each move with precision, leaving little time for tension to drop. Each delivery of a fatal blow triggers a fanfare of celebration; if you closed your eyes, you might mistake spending a night at the theatre for a roaring afternoon in the football stands.

It comes as a surprise to nobody that football culture is thickly woven throughout the two-hour verbatim libel case. The technical sporting comments arrive thick and fast, with pundit's Halema Hussain and Nathan McMullen invoking frequent cheers of approval. While the comedy is gaudy and direct, there is an almost undetectable undercurrent of ridicule that exists in the script solely for the wives and girlfriends. However, the show isn't sullied with sexism, and the execution of this adaptation is excellent across the board.

Wayne Rooney (Nathan McMullen) is called to testify as part of his wife's defence and on multiple occasions his infidelity is rehashed in front of Coleen's eyes. There is little in the way of sympathy, instead it is McMullen's physicality in likeness to Wayne that stirs response. Make no mistake, a libel case that resulted in a £1.5 million pay-out over the use of Instagram is a complete absurdity, but there should be caution exercised with regards to the association between women and ridiculousness.

Although the source material may be outrageously superficial, the women of this show are anything but. Their depictions of England's most famous WAGs (and their associates) uphold the notion that the humanity is more complicated and dissecting that is far more rewarding than explaining the offside rule.

Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie trial is at The Ambassadors Theatre until 20 May 2023, then touring.

Photo Credit: Pamela Raith

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