Everybody Wants To Be Ronaldo – Birmingham Rep

Writer: Sam Butters

Director: Nyasha Gudo

What do you get when you combine grime music and salsa? If you didn’t guess Diego Maradona dancing with an aspiring footballer in his bedroom then you are wrong. This cocktail of wildly contrasting ideas and themes should be difficult to stomach, but in Tectum Theatre’s new production, it somehow works.

Everybody Wants To Be Ronaldo: don’t take my word for it, it’s the name of Sam Butters’ play. Curtis Johnson hopes that one day everybody will want to be him as a blend of hope, naïvety and ambition leaves the sixteen-year-old dreaming of a future where he can call himself a Ballon d’Or champion. Those aspirations are restricted by the trials and tribulations faced by young athletes looking to make their mark in the world of professional football: Curtis is no exception to this brutal reality and when he is left to face devastating news about his future with boyhood club Aston Villa, a downward spiral feels never-ending until the bizarre arrival of Diego Maradona in his bedroom at night.

While the introduction of the Argentinian great is absurd in itself, Tobias Jowett will always be able to look back and tell everyone that he played Diego Maradona. Jowett is hilarious in the role, bringing an abundance of charm and charisma that will both frighten and reassure young Curtis in equal measure. The first interactions between the pair are sure to leave you laughing as Curtis tries to come to terms with the strange encounter.

There is a balance of engaging humour and more serious themes within the play, and this is clear to see through the life lessons delivered by Maradona himself. Curtis’ struggles are laid bare and Jerome Scott does a tremendous job of portraying a relatable and emotional character who is experiencing what many are going through. The connection with Curtis runs deeper when the play explores the relationship with his caring mother, Sabrina, who has sacrificed it all – including her own potential football career – to support her son. The structure of the play works well to delve into the lives of the two from the start but it would have been better to refer back to their relationship more. The dialogue between Curtis and Maradona can feel drawn out as the performance goes on.

Local artist Reisz Amos has composed intelligent, witty and emotional music which is blended into the story at appropriate moments. Both Scott and Kimisha Lewis (Sabrina) do a fine job of performing these in a way that feels natural in each scene. The reprise of one such song at the end of the play after the events have unfolded is hard-hitting and emotional.

A mention must be made for the lighting design by Charlie Powell who has delivered clever and atmospheric lights; this is particularly notable during a transition in Curtis’ bedroom when he is about to face tragedy.

Everybody Wants To Be Ronaldo has it all. There are some flaws but its exploration of important themes such as mental health should be commended and Butters’ injection of comedy at all of the right moments makes it an engaging watch. Tectum Theatre aims to make this play visible to those who don’t usually come to the theatre, and the relatable nature of the story means this could be achievable. Furthermore their work to recruit those working on the production from diverse and working-class backgrounds is also commendable.

Runs until 22 March 2025