Romeo and Juliet to be performed as gay love story between Premier League footballers
Romeo and Juliet is set to be performed as a gay love story between two Premier League footballers.
The production, at Union Theatre in central London, will see the two main characters play out their tragic journey as star-crossed lovers on the pitch.
There are currently no out LGBT players in the Premier League.
And the play, which will depict football as a religion with strict, prejudicial ideals, aims to address this issue and the general paucity of out elite sportspeople.
“Currently, not one of the 4000 professional footballers in this country is homosexual. And yet for a large proportion of the country, football is life, love and religion,” the play’s description reads.
“Why is it so difficult to be male and gay in sport? And, what would the consequences of someone coming out be?
“Romeo and Juliet are two young men trying to forge careers in the beautiful game, but their love threatens to undermine the very foundation of their family’s belief and expose the tragic hypocrisy of the world they know.”
The play will use music and physical theatre to create an atmosphere similar to that of a football stadium.
It will be performed at Union Theatre from April 29th to May 20th, with tickets costing 22.50.
Two weeks ago, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said he would “sign a gay player without hesitation” in a first for Premier League bosses.
And Manchester United became the first sports team to partner with Stonewall in March, following on from the success of the Premier League-wide Rainbow Laces campaign over the past two years.
Manchester football clubs have a history of LGBT activism. In 2006, United’s local rivals Manchester City became the first club to join a list of employers which are officially recognised as “gay-friendly” by Stonewall.
According to one MP, three football stars are in talks to come out as gay.
SNP politician John Nicholson previously said: “I understand there are three players in talks with the FA about coming out, and they haven’t done so yet.”
