As we’re counting down to The Greater Game‘s major new run coinciding with the centenary end of the First World War, we were delighted to see that our Mate Helen McWilliams from Entertainment Views nabbed an interview with one of the show’s stars, James Phelps, who swaps his wizard wand as Fred Weasley in the Harry Potter films for a rifle as he moves from the Battle of Hogwarts to the Battle of the Somme. As a “self-confessed Harry Potter fan”, Helen was pretty delighted too! Read on – and then get booking!
The Greater Game, written by Michael Head and based on the book They Took the Lead, tells the story of the 41 men of London club Clapton Orient, who signed up en masse to serve King and Country. This new production, directed by Adam Morley, runs 29 October to 24 November 2018, with a press night on 1 November and a special show on Remembrance Sunday, 11 November – Armistice Day.
Michael Greco plays war hero and football manager Billy Holmes alongside James Phelps, who swaps his wizard wand as Fred Weasley in the Harry Potter films for a rifle as he moves from the Battle of Hogwarts to the Battle of the Somme.
The Greater Game tells the true story of the footballers who served in World War One, focusing on lifelong friends Richard McFadden (James Phelps) and William Jonas (Steven Bush), who travelled from Newcastle to London to play football for Clapton Orient, before swapping England for France to ‘fight for King and Country’ – a fight neither one would survive.
The Greater Games runs 30 October-25 November 2018 at London’s Waterloo East Theatre
Tell us about the piece and your character…
It’s about Clapton Orient who were in the 2nd Division of English football at the time of World War One and really could have gone on to great things on the pitch before the war. However, once the war started, almost all of their players and staff signed up to fight. They were the first English side to do so in such numbers.
I play Richard McFadden, who was their top goal-scorer. In fact, when researching the role, I read the Daily Express had called him the ‘outstanding player on the field’ when he played for the Southern XI vs England and scored the winner.
What was your initial impression of the script?
When Adam Morley (the director) sent me the script, I read through it and loved it. I laughed, cried, and after finishing, it made me want to know everything. I couldn’t believe it’s a true story. The script really has the banter of a dressing room but also the truths about war and life back then.
Football Remembers the players who fought in the First World War
What are the key factors a script must have to entice you to do it?
I want to care about the people in the story, what they do, what happens to them. And, if you are still thinking about their stories hours or days after, you know it’s a good one.
What do you feel your character’s strengths & weaknesses are?
He was a real-life hero, not just on the football pitch, and even before he went to the front. He rescued a pair of kids who were drowning in the River Lea, a man from a burning building. So that’s his strength. I’m not sure if he had many weaknesses.
How much did you know about the Battle of the Somme?
I’m a bit of a history buff. I went on a school trip to the Somme, Passchendaele, Ypres, many years ago now. But the memories of it have never left me, seeing how many graves there are, names on the monuments of those with no known graves. In fact, I have two great uncles whose names are on the Menin Gate. I think it has only been as I’ve got older that I appreciate even more what they all went through and how truly terrible it must have been.
Richard McFadden
What are the challenges of performing The Greater Game?
For me, it has been the accent for the character I play, Mac. He was born in Scotland and moved to Blyth in the northeast till he was 22 when he moved to London. So I’ve had to learn a Newcastle accent with a slight Scottish hint to a few words. I went up to Blyth to hear how the locals speak as I am so determined to get it right. I also decided to lose some weight for the role, and get into shape as footballers would have been in the 1910s. My diet hasn’t seen any sweets or fast food for quite a while.
What can the audience expect?
They can expect to see a production that tells the true story of friends that go to fight for King and country. The impact that it has on their families and friends back home and what a great sacrifice they give.
Why should people see The Greater Game?
I think it’s a great way to honour the 100-year anniversary of the end of First World War. The play will take the audience back to this time and the day-to-day lives of these people as war was breaking out, showing how, although this was the worst conflict in history, they still stayed together as a team and friends. It isn’t a show saying “look how bad war is”, the audience can decide that for themselves. We want to show what happened and how this really should have been the war to end all wars. I hope the audience comes away from it still thinking about these people’s stories and appreciating what they did.
