Nick’s play grapples with wrestling and life

A new play by Nick Ahad delves into larger-than-life world of British wrestling, to grapple with identity and race in multicultural Britain
By Julia Armstrong
Published 18th Mar 2019, 21:31 BST
Updated 18th Mar 2019, 21:38 BST
A scene from new play, Glory, set in a wrestling ringA scene from new play, Glory, set in a wrestling ring
A scene from new play, Glory, set in a wrestling ring

Set in a decrepit gym in the north of England, the stage at venues such as Jump Club in Barnsley will be a pop-up wrestling ring.Hosting theatre in non-traditional venues is part of Moved By Art, a community programme by Barnsley theatre The Civic.

Glory sees faded star Jim ‘Glorious’ Glory and amateur wrestlers Dan, Ben and Sami confronting their demons and each other as their lives collide inside and outside the wrestling ring.

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The play grapples with race, identity and what it means to be British today.

Writer Nick Ahad said: “I still remember the excitement of seeing Giant Haystacks fight Big Daddy at Victoria Hall in Keighley in the 1980s. But I thought British wrestling was a relic of the past. I couldn't have been more wrong. Wrestling is alive, well - and as entertaining as ever.

“With larger-than-life characters and a perfect combination of sport, performance, blood and sweat, it is pure theatre. It is also the perfect arena to explore the Britain we all share today.”

See Glory on Saturday (March 23) at 7.30pm at Jump Club and tonight, Thursday, at Cast in Doncaster.

Related topics:BarnsleyEngland