Writer/Director – Johnnie Sinnot
Brixton Mondays presents itself as the story of the reunion of the longest running 5-a-side football team in Britain (1985-2012) at the same south London Curry House where they traditionally met every Monday to relive victories and embarrassments.
But what really happens is that the audience get a glimpse into the types of conversations that are happening between individuals and small groups all over the country – some small talk, a bit of banter, needling each other and maybe the opening and closing of small wounds. It is a great concept, and a familiar one.
Despite this show having run in various locations in London previously, the first five minutes felt a little nervy, a few stumbles of lines and dialogue a little stilted. Once the cast eased into their characters however, the scenes and the interactions felt believable and authentic.
The show gets through a lot in an hour – we see Jimmy (James McKendrick), the instigator of the reunion desperately trying to give the team some news, recently retired DJ (Richard Bobb-Semple) trying to navigate what that looks like, and rivalries between Roger (Nick Rutherford) and Mad Al (Jez Frampton), both with the same roots, but having taken very different paths in life.
And then there’s the stranger sitting in the corner – not Deliveroo as the guys initially think – instead it’s a pretty obvious storyline about DNA and possible parenthood. The show may benefit from a second half where all of these tropes and narrative threads are developed even further, but this is the Edinburgh Fringe and the magic hour is all important, so some areas remain slightly underdeveloped.
The cast work hard, and the audience enjoy the closeness and realness of the meal itself and the interactions between characters. Also pleasing is the strong theme of friendship running through the production – this is not a show that decimates friendships built up over years, it is instead a fond and poignant look at the ways in which a group of friends have changed and remained the same.
Is it about football? Not really. Is it about Brixton? Again, not really, and that’s ok as the themes are universal, the characters relatable and this play is essentially a good way to spend an hour that’s an antidote to some of the Fringe craziness.
Runs until 24th August 2025.
