"Viva The Beautiful Game!"

I love being let go from work early!

Anyway, in commemoration of the FIFA World Cup Soccer 2014 tournament, I decided to try and look up musicals about soccer or relating to it.....and sure enough, there is!

(I was born having a soccer-crazed family and a few of my theatre friends follow the Cup tournaments like I do!)

So this particular musical comes from Andrew Lloyd Webber (I know, not my favorite composer) and it is now called The Boys in the Photograph (its original name that is still used now is The Beautiful Game).

The story takes in Northern Ireland during the 1960's and 1970's, when the country is on the brink of a cultural war (known as the Troubles) and the youth can only rely on their love for soccer. Some of the boys on a soccer team led by Father O'Donnell are introduced and the audience follows the lives of the next mentioned; John Kelly, the star player on the team who is more focused on girls (particularly Mary) than on practicing seriously; Thomas Malloy, John's more driven best friend, a passionate Catholic who wears glasses that have to be taped to his head and believes violence is the key for Catholics to succeed; Del Copeland, the only Protestant on the team (but swears he's Athiest); and Ginger O'Shaughnessy, who wants the tension between Protestants and Catholics to cease and to be called by his real name, which is Gregory. 

Off on the sidelines, the girls are also introduced; Mary, an out-spoken and bright young woman who believes that the conflicts can be resolved through peaceful protests; Bernadette, an overly-religious and prudent girl who has been in love with Ginger since they were kids; and Christine, who is constantly defying her Catholic-upbringing by having relationships with several boys.

John and Mary, although repulsed one another at first, become a steady couple and end up getting married; John wants to become a famous soccer star and Mary is more focused on the conflicts in Ireland. Thomas and Mary often clash with their approaches of improving the position of Catholics in Ireland (Thomas thinks violence and bombs are the key, while Mary thinks peaceful protests are the way).

As the musical progresses, Ginger is mortally wounded by a gang of Protestant boys. Thomas vows for revenge but is quickly talked out of by John. John's friendship with Thomas is tested when on John's wedding night with Mary, Thomas calls and tells John about how he is wanted for IRA activities and lost his glasses while locating the safe house--John finds Thomas and drives him there. Del and Christine marry and have a child named Hendrix and moved overseas. As Mary says goodbye, she informs Christine she herself is pregnant and planned on telling John after the soccer tryouts.

Meanwhile John tries out for a national soccer team and impresses the team scouts. However, right after tryouts John is arrested for helping Thomas reach the safe house and escaping police. John is sent to prison and tries to explain that he is not an IRA volunteer despite the other inmates pretending that John was one of them. While John waits to be released, he laments on how the outside world has failed him and bonds with the IRA volunteer prison mates and soon starts to think like them.

Mary has her child, a boy named Sean, which John almost had no conversation with since his birth. After John was released from prison, he becomes involved with the IRA and plans on going to England for an IRA mission. Mary reminds John of the photograph from his soccer team coached by Father O'Donnell that his own self was the first true victim. 

John, remembering how he never saw Thomas in prison with the other IRA members, goes to Thomas' home and plans on shooting him. Thomas told him that in exchange for not being put in prison himself, he reports others and that he doesn't care if he dies because the cycle of violence will never end. John poises his gun at Thomas. However, after he recalls the comment Mary said before he left, John does not have the heart to kill him. Thomas bids a last farewell to John--as John leaves, a gunshot is heard, assuming Thomas committed suicide. John went back home to Mary and realized what kind of person he really wants to be. (The End)

I am not an ALW fan, but I cannot say I dislike this show--it has a good message and the music is powerful and  The only thing I don't like about it is I cannot find a full soundtrack to it!

This video below is one of the opening numbers for the show titled "The Beautiful Game" (this was put in the rewritten version). I think this is the ultimate song for anyone that loves the sport soccer because these guys sing about how Saturdays are only for soccer and that it's better than sex and beer.