Gerry & Sewell are Painting London Black and White
Living North head south as North East talents paint London's West End black and white
Gerry & Sewell, written and directed by Olivier Award-winner Jamie and co-produced by Newcastle Theatre Royal, tells the tale of two Geordie lads desperate to get their hands on a pair of Newcastle United season tickets. But this play is about much more than football. It’s a story of austerity and fierce local pride.
When the show began in 2022 at Laurels, the 60-seat pub theatre in Whitley Bay, it premiered to sold-out audiences and critical acclaim – and there’s been no stopping it ever since. It transferred to Newcastle’s Live Theatre in 2023 and Living North’s Arts Editor saw the show on an even bigger scale at Newcastle Theatre Royal the following year, where it’ll return to in June this year. Its success amongst northern audiences is well known, but taking this show to the West End is a whole new ball game.
Newcastle Theatre Royal’s Chief Executive, Marianne Locatori, says it’s a really rare opportunity to get a space in a West End venue for any producer. ‘So when we found out about this opportunity and there was this two-week slot at the Aldwych, we had to jump at the chance,’ she says. ‘This was a wonderful opportunity for us to be able to tell the story, for us to be able to have that North East voice on a national stage.’
Marianne says she’s thrilled for Jamie and the company as they’ve worked so hard in developing the show. Newcastle Theatre Royal have been co-producers for this West End production and Marianne hopes to continue supporting creatives and artists from the North East to be able to take advantage of these opportunities. ‘Our involvement has been about supporting him to upscale that work to move it from a small-scale theatre to a large scale,’ she says. She’s particularly enjoyed the audience’s reaction. ‘It's just got so much heart,’ she adds. ‘It's a story about hope. It has these universal themes that, actually, everybody can relate to, whether they're Geordies or not, or whether they're football fans or not.’
Original cast members Dean Logan (Gerry), Jack Robertson (Sewell) and Becky Clayburn (Brabin, and other roles) are making their West End debuts, alongside Erin Mullen (Bridget), who joined the company for the run at Newcastle Theatre Royal. They gel so well and have so much passion for their characters’ stories. Dean and Erin’s emotive performances (particularly in act two) are believable and heart-breaking, and the show would be lost without Jack’s comedic timing and witty one-liners.
New to the company for the West End run are Gateshead’s own Chelsea Halfpenny as Claire – adding a whole new element to the production, and moving vocals – alongside Middlesbrough-born Bill Fellows as Mr McCarten and Jarrow’s Katherine Dow Blyton as Mrs McCarten (who is also making her West End debut).
When we caught up with Katherine before the show she said she loved it from the first read because it’s got a bit of everything – songs, humour, drama, dancers and puppets. ‘It’s literally bursting with everything you could ever want to see on stage,’ she says. Perhaps that’s what makes it so perfect for the West End. ‘What Jamie has done is amazing,’ she adds. ‘What a feat of endurance, passion, and bravery, because I know how hard it is to produce even in small venues, but to produce for the West End is a phenomenal achievement. The opening scene is so powerful, enthusiastic and uplifting. I think you just need to sit back and let it wash over you, all the joy, the good bits and the sad bits.
‘The film's beautiful. It's raw, I think, and obviously the film has all these famous Geordie actors, [including] a friend of mine, Charlie Hardwick [who] plays Mrs McCarten. It's bleak, it’s funny and it's sad and I think that's what you need. It's not sugar coated. It's raw and real. I think the play is as well, with some extra sprinkles of loveliness.’
Bill says what struck him so much about the play was that it could actually be set anywhere. While the NUFC and SAFC rivalry is shown on stage, he can stay out of it off stage as a Middlesbrough fan. He’s decided to play his dark role slightly differently to previous productions. ‘I’m playing a bit more of a Jekyll and Hyde character,’ he says. ‘I wanted to make it more believable.’
Bill has been pleasantly surprised by the reaction from London’s audiences so far, and how many laughs the references have got. ‘It is about football to a certain extent, that's where the story is, but it's all about universal themes, which is people trying to get through life and make something of themselves. Chelsea's character represents that,’ he says. ‘Obviously people like myself are the age group where we had to come to London to create our [acting] lives down here. It all seems to be happening in the North East now.’
Erin says Gerry & Sewell is her favourite show she’s worked on. ‘I just feel so proud to be doing it, to be speaking these words and telling this story,’ she says. ‘I feel really protective over my character. It's difficult because it's quite a dark story but the production is great; it's a real highlight of my career so far and I think will continue to be.’
This production has been adapted for London’s stage with more cast members and new references but they haven’t toned down the swearing or the accents so it hasn’t lost any of its charm (if you can call it that). Wor Flags were dotted around the theatre and everyone got involved in the lively opening scene on Gala night.
‘It does feel like a really lovely evolution,’ says Erin. ‘When I'm backstage, I'm just watching Jack and Dean and I could cry seeing them on stage. I think because they are so passionate about it, it's their baby, that really brings everyone else together. Every single person on that stage wants to be there. This is another little aspect of the North East that people won't have seen before.‘
As for what’s next, Erin says the National. Katherine and Bill suggest Broadway. We say Jamie can tackle anything with this northern masterpiece – just ask one half of the most iconic Geordie duo, Declan Donnelly, or Vera icon Brenda Blethyn, who have both given the show their seal of approval.
