Hannah Kumari and WoLab present ENG-ER-LAND

“Walking up to Highfield Road for the first time was mind blowing. Seeing all the other people with their shirts and scarfs, feeling like you’re part of that, feeling that excitement in the air.”

1997. Last year England made it to the semi-finals of Euro 96, Gina G came third in Eurovision and 13 year-old Lizzie went to her first in-person football game: Coventry vs. Manchester City. Not the Man City of today, oil and superstars, but the old Man City – a bit rubbish, but with good fans. Lizzie fell in love with the beautiful game that day, and she’s been obsessed ever since. But then something happens to make her question her place in the stands. ENG-ER-LAND is an energetic play about who’s really on your team.

Supported by The Football Supporters’ Association and with public funding from Arts Council England.

REVIEWS

★★★★

“Deceptively subversive… an engaging, kinetically performed monologue about football and identity… a razor-sharp performance”

THE STAGE

“Writer and performer Hannah Kumari shows she’s got real balls… engaging and exciting to watch”

THE PLAY’S THE THING

“45 minutes of unrestrained joy… an insightful and touching story”

LONDON THEATRE1

ABOUT HANNAH KUMARI

Hannah Kumari is a performer, theatre maker and writer originally from the Midlands and now based in Frome. She has worked for BBC, Channel 4, Universal Spain, Little Angel and Horse & Bamboo among others, and been featured on BBC Sportshour, Channel 5 News and BBC Newsnight. Hannah was recently commissioned by Bristol-based Theatre company The Wardrobe Ensemble to develop & present a new piece of theatre; she creates interdisciplinary work inspired by her own experiences. ENG-ER-LAND had its premiere with a sold-out run at Jermyn Street Theatre in London in June 2021.

WoLab is a working laboratory for artists to create. They provide performance makers of all experiences, with the opportunity to have a go. WoLab trains, mentors, nurtures and creatively entitles artists, helping them discover and refine their talents, and then showcases them to the industry – leading them onto other further work and exciting opportunities. Along with ENG-ER-LAND, other work in development includes: Screwdriver by Eve Cowley and Elin Schofield, In the Net by Misha Levkov, TIGER by Tom Kelsey, A Romantic Comedy by Tiwa Lade, A nightmare is witchwork by Billie Collins, Ostrich by Alistair Wilkinson, and The Director’s Development Fund, in partnership with Hannah Joss and Stage Directors UK. Past work includes: First Commissions (Paines Plough); The Actor-Writer Programme (Theatre N16/Bunker Theatre); Man-Cub (RADA/King’s Head); PlayList (King’s Head); happy ever after? (Bunker Theatre); and R&D’s of heavymetalsexyanimal by Sam Rees (Theatre Deli); and Asperger’s Children by Peter Machen (Trinity Laban).

TICKET OFFERS

First 5 tickets: £5

Take advantage of our new early bird special! The first 5 tickets to this and other shows are just £5. The discount will be applied automatically at the last checkout screen, or call our box office on 01392 667080 to check availability.

Save £6 when you book any 3 theatre/dance shows

Explore more of our theatre and performance programme, and enjoy money off your tickets! Save £6 when you book for three shows from our performance programme. Book any three theatre or dance shows and your £6 discount will be applied automatically.

VENUE: STUDIO 1 / THE WORKSHOP, EXETER PHOENIX

*Subject to a £1.50 ticketing system charge. We don’t charge this to make a profit. Find out more >>