Following a public reading during TravFest23 and as the final production of the Traverse’s 60th anniversary year, the Traverse is delighted to announce the upcoming production of Same Team – A Street Soccer Story – a tale of five women’s experiences of homelessness, as they come together and set-out to win the Homeless Football World Cup in Milan.
This world premiere Traverse Theatre commission has been written by Robbie Gordon and Jack Nurse and developed through creative workshops with the women of the Dundee Street Soccer team. Same Team – A Street Soccer Story will be brought to life on the Traverse 1 stage by director of the hit Bloody Elle, Bryony Shanahan, and will star Chloe-Anne Tylor, Hannah Jarrett-Scott, Hiftu Quasem, Neshla Caplan and Louise Ludgate.
Five women have come together with one goal; one dream. Coming from very different backgrounds in life, they have to work together as a team if they want to do what no one from Scotland has ever done before – to win the Homeless World Cup and bring the trophy home.
Same Team – A Street Soccer Story is part of the Traverse’s ongoing commitment to delving into Scottish communities to tell thrilling stories that challenge social expectation and push artistic norms and in this production the audience will become the fans.
Traverse Executive Producer/CEO Linda Crooks said “I was introduced to the work of David Duke and Street Soccer at an event supported by Burness Paull on International Woman’s Day 2017. I was particularly inspired when one of the players Sarah Rhind … told her story, and how transformational being part of a team had been to her life journey. Sarah’s story, told with humour and humility, reflected difficulties faced across society by women, drawing attention to homelessness in Scotland and the UK. … I was hooked and the work of Street Soccer and the stories of these women, is a universal and pressing story that needs to be told. So here we are in 2023 five years in the making, we cannot wait to see it light up our Traverse 1 stage this December…”
Director of Same Team Bryony Shanahan said “It’s great to be working at the Traverse again and on such an exciting and timely play as Same Team. Football has been a massive part of my life – both playing and as a fan. As has theatre! I’ve seen first-hand how both can create community, a sense of belonging and improve physical and mental health, as well as provide a brilliantly entertaining event for fans and audiences alike. Seeing these two things come together in Same Team is a dream and working with the women of Street Soccer, alongside Jack and Robbie, we hope to combine the best elements of football and theatre to make something exhilarating, hilarious and with bags of heart.”
Same Team – A Street Soccer Story will run from Tuesday 12th – Saturday 23rd December with previews on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th December. The development of the production was supported by Burness Paull LLP.
Tickets are on Sale Now: https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/same-team-a-street-soccer-story
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 