If there is a victory in Nathaniel Price’s new play, it takes place in extra time. The 45-minute first half ends in a goalless draw and it looks like we will reach the 90-minute mark in much the same way. We know who deserves to win. It is Clayton James, a footballer whose single-minded devotion to the beautiful game has taken him to the brink of being signed. Played by Raphael Akuwudike, he has the charm of a young man whose aim is true – off the pitch as much as on.
But he has a tough adversary. We all know what Coach Lafferty is up to, but he is a master of concealment. The way Arthur Wilson plays him, you would think he was everyone’s best friend. Only occasionally does he reveal his menacing core, the controlling instinct beneath the personable exterior. He is a serial abuser, hiding in plain sight.
