Istanbul: You’ll Never Walk Alone

Zoo Southside (Venue 82)

“I don’t even like football, but this is quite good!” bursts out a Liverpudlian mum during what was arguably the most thrilling football match of modern times involving a British team. For fans of Liverpool FC and anyone who knows their history, Istanbul in 2005 was a fairytale: the club made an unlikely appearance in the Champion’s League final. Few were surprised when they ended up 3-0 down to Italian side Milan by halftime, yet the comeback which followed knocked the breath out of the many millions watching.

Like that mum watching with her family, it’s one of those rare football matches whose story is so perfect that even the entirely disinterested are enthralled. To recount the drama in a year Liverpool reached the Champion’s League final again is an easy

hook, yet the ensemble cast of From the Gut Theatre keep their audience’s attention with a lively and well-worked show marked by exuberant, pop-soundtracked dance sequences.

Its slices of life include a local radio DJ unable to travel while receiving treatment for a brain tumour and a young couple who have made the trip to Istanbul; the boy in the latter pair has misspelled the Bill Shankly quote on his bedsheet banner as “to archive you must believe”, an unintentional reminder of the importance of positive folk tales like this.

Until 18 August. Today 7:45pm..