Red or Dead E-Book

David Peace

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Serie: NHB Modern Plays
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 126

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

'That's all I ask from anyone. That we try to make the people happy.' Bill Shankly had one aim: to make Liverpool Football Club invincible. As its manager from 1959, he secured the team promotion, the First Division title, the FA Cup and success in Europe. For fifteen years, he defined what it was to be a Liverpool fan, and demanded total loyalty from his players and coaches. A loyalty that Bill hoped would be repaid when he retired... David Peace's iconic novel Red or Dead is the fictionalised story of a game, a life, and a man of two halves. This stage version was adapted and directed by Phillip Breen, and first performed at Liverpool's Royal Court in 2025, with a cast including Peter Mullan as Bill Shankly. The novel was shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize and has been widely acclaimed: 'David Peace brings perfect pitch to this ode to Bill Shankly's Liverpool reign' Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Observer 'A love letter to a great manager, an elegy to the beautiful game' Independent 'So hypnotic that even the football-averse might enjoy it' Guardian

Leseprobe

David Peace

RED OR DEAD

adapted for the stage by

Phillip Breen

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production Details

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Characters

Red or Dead

About the Authors

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Red or Dead was first performed at Liverpool’s Royal Court on 21 March 2025. The cast was as follows:

JOHN SMITH/TOM WILLIAMS

Les Dennis

KEVIN KEEGAN/CHRIS LAWLER

Matthew Devlin

JOHN MORGAN/ROY PLOMLEY/ PETER ROBINSON/TV COMMENTATOR/ BRIAN CLOUGH

Paul Duckworth

JIMMY MCINNES/JOCK STEIN/ ERLAND CLOUSTON/ANDY BEATTIE

Keith Fleming

IAN ST JOHN

George Jones

MATT BUSBY

Gordon Kennedy

ERIC SAWYER/HELENIO HERRERA/ EMLYN HUGHES/MAN IN ROME/ MR HOLLAND

Oliver Mawdsley

NESS SHANKLY

Allison McKenzie

BILL SHANKLY

Peter Mullan

TOMMY SMITH/PHIL TAYLOR/ RON YEATS

Liam Powell-Berry

BOB PAISLEY

Dickon Tyrrell

NURSE/CILLA BLACK

Jhanaica van Mook

All other parts played by the ensemble

COMMUNITY COMPANY

Adnan Shaan, Asli Dualeh, Beatha Amerissa Sunjaya, Bobby Owens, Charlie Diable Toner, Charlie Mae McKevitt, Conor Morris, Dan-Jude Robinson, Erin McGowan, Gary Rogers, Georgia Taft, Helen Jones, Jack Eaton, Jade Fortune, Joshua Williams, Keith Usher, Kieran Gregory, Laura Purcell, Daniel Duffy, Luke Hill, Malcolm Peet, Mark Nelson, Matthew Berry-Swinnerton, Nicky Browne, Michael Roberts, Nathan Evans, Ostin Ronald-Price, Pat Brewin, Paul Armstrong, Paul Wise, Paula Cullinan, Reice Carmichael, Sacha Hales, Sean Robinson, Susan Segar, Sylvia Rogers, Tabby Thomas, Yvonne Leonard

Director

Phillip Breen

Design

Max Jones

Music

Paddy Cunneen

Associate Director

Nicole Behan

Lighting Design

Ian Scott

Sound Design

Kate Harvey

AV Designer

Jamie Jenkin

Fight Director

Renny Krupinski

Casting Director

Helena Palmer CDG

Producers

Jess Bolger and Kevin Fearon for Liverpool’s Royal Court

Company Stage Manager

Lizzie O’Sullivan

Deputy Stage Manager

Chloe Wilson

Assistant Stage Manager

Charlotte Jones

Production kindly supported by Charles Holloway OBE and Leia Peddie

Acknowledgements

I’d like to thank for their help (in no particular order)…

Peter Mullan, Kevin Fearon, Jess Bolger, Dominic Hill, Gemma Bodinetz, Victoria Rope, Dr Frank Peschier, Tim Key, James Rigby, Robbie O’Neill, David Fairclough, Peter Hooton, Paul Khan and Spirit of Shankly, Ian Salmon, Meredydd Barker, Stefan Golaszewski, Becky Hope-Palmer, and Freddie Lynch. Billy, Martha, Kit and Kenny Dogleash. Asif Kapadia, Paul, Kelly and Sir Kenny Dalglish. Andrew Eaton. Howard Gooding.

Nicole Behan: the brains of the operation.

The ‘A’ team: Paddy Cunneen, Max Jones and Ruth Hall.

And of course Eva Rice, spot on as usual.

P.B.

Dedicated to my mother

For her passion, her graft, her wit and her sacrifice

Special thanks to David Peace, Charles Holloway OBE,Raiyah bint Al Hussein, and my friends from the match for allthe support

Home. And away. Red or Dead.

Characters

THE CHORUS, the people of Liverpool, men and women, fromeight to eighty

BILL SHANKLY, from forty-six to his death at sixty-eight

BILL’S HOME

NESS SHANKLY, Bill’s wife, from thirty-nine to Bill’s death atsixty-one

BARBARA SHANKLY, Bill’s daughter, fourteen

JEANETTE SHANKLY, Bill’s daughter, eight

THE BOOT ROOM

PHIL TAYLOR, outgoing manager of Liverpool Football Club,forty-two

BOB PAISLEY, Liverpool Football Club coach, then assistantmanager, then manager, forty to sixty-two

JOE FAGAN, Liverpool Football Club coach, thirty-eight tosixty

REUBEN BENNETT, Liverpool Football Club coach, forty-fiveto sixty-seven

RONNIE MORAN, defender for Liverpool Football Club, latercoach, twenty-five to forty-seven

ARTHUR RILEY, works for Liverpool Football Club, fifty-six

ANDY BEATTIE, Liverpool Football Club scout, fifty-seven

LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB BOARD AND STAFF

TOM WILLIAMS, Liverpool Football Club chairman, sixties

HARRY LATHAM, Liverpool Football Club board member, sixties

JIMMY MCINNES, Liverpool Football Club secretary,forty-seven to his death at fifty-three

ERIC SAWYER, accountant for Littlewoods and financialgenius, fifty-seven

PETER ROBINSON, Liverpool Football Club secretary afterJimmy McInnes, thirty

MAY, tea lady for Liverpool Football Club, fifties

THE PLAYERS OF LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB

CHRISTOPHER LAWLER, a skinny kid, later a Liverpoolplayer, seventeen to thirty-seven

IAN ST JOHN, forward for Liverpool Football Club, twenty-twoto thirty-two

RON YEATS, defender for Liverpool Football Club, twenty-fourto thirty-four

KEVIN LEWIS, forward for Liverpool Football Club,twenty-three

TOMMY SMITH, midfielder for Liverpool Football Club andcaptain, seventeen to thirty-three

EMLYN HUGHES, midfielder for Liverpool Football Club,nineteen to thirty-one

PHIL BOERSMA, forward for Liverpool Football Club,nineteen to twenty-six

KEVIN KEEGAN, a forward for Liverpool Football Club,nineteen to twenty-nine

SIR KENNY DALGLISH, as himself

OPPOSITION PLAYERS

BILLY BREMNER, midfielder for Leeds United, thirty-two

JOHNNY GILES, midfielder for Leeds United, thirty-four

BILLY MCNEILL, captain of the Celtic Football Club,thirty-four

ROY VERNON, forward for Everton Football Club, twenty-six

HANS STURM, the Captain of FC Cologne in 1965, thirty-one

OPPOSITION MANAGERS

MATT BUSBY, former Liverpool player, Manchester Unitedmanager and Bill’s friend, fifty to seventy-two

HELENIO HERRERA, Argentinian manager of Internazionaleof Milan, fifty-five

JOCK STEIN, manager of the Celtic Football Club, forty-sevento fifty-four

BRIAN CLOUGH, manager of Derby County, Leeds Unitedand Nottingham Forest, thirty-six to forty-six

REFEREES AND OFFICIALS

HERR SHAUT, a Belgian referee, forties

MR HOLLAND, a referee, fifties

UEFA OBSERVER, fifties

MEMBERS OF THE FA COMMITTEE, sixties

OUTSIDE FOOTBALL

CILLA BLACK, a Liverpool singer, twenty-three

EAMONN ANDREWS, presenter of This Is Your Life, fifty

A NURSE, at Broadgreen Hospital, twenties

A BOY, a kid from the streets of the city, a singer, later playsthe role of Max Thompson, nine

A BRUMMIE VOICE, looking for tickets for the 1965 FA CupFinal, forties

MAN, supporter of Liverpool Football Club in Rome, 1977,forties

MEDIA

HORACE YATES, journalist for the Liverpool Daily Post,thirties

ROY PLOMLEY, presenter of Desert Island Discs, fifty-one KENNETH WOLSTENHOLME, BBC commentator, forty-six

ERLAND CLOUSTON, journalist for the Liverpool Daily Post,forties

JOHN MORGAN, reporter for BBC Panorama in 1964,thirty-six

All other roles played by the chorus

Note on Play

Broadly, each new chorus line is taken by a new member of the community chorus. Passing, faster, always forward, always to a red shirt.

The action of the play takes place largely in the city of Liverpool, from 1959 to 1981.

Passion: From the Latin, patior, patī, passus sum. To suffer, bear or endure.

This ebook was created before the end of rehearsals and so maydiffer slightly from the play as performed.

THE FIRST HALF: EVERY DAY IS SATURDAY

ACT ONE

An implausible number of people enter the stage. They aredressed as though they are going to Anfield today, wearingshirts and scarves from the last sixty years of match-going.They look at the audience for a moment. A woman, NESS SHANKLY, steps forward and lights a cigarette.

NESS. O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us

To see oursels as ithers see us!

It wad frae monie a blunder free us

An’ foolish notion:

What airs in dress an’ gait wad lea’e us

An’ ev’n devotion!

Projection: The First Half

A cold wind whistles. The house lights dim.

Projection: 1′

CHORUS. In the winter-time

In the night-time

They remembered him

And then they came to him

In the winter-time

In the night-time

A man steps forward. This man is BILL SHANKLY. Fromnow on referred to as BILL.

Not cap in hand not on bended knee

Not this sort

But still they came

Here to Leeds Road Huddersfield

Here on October the seventeenth 1959

They came

Liverpool Football Club were in the Second Division

And Liverpool Football Club had never won the FA Cup

They listened to this man cajole his players

They listened to this man encourage his players

They saw the way the players of Huddersfield Town listened to this man

The way they listened to this man and the way they obeyed this man

His every word and his every instruction

His every word the voice of God

TOM WILLIAMS. My name is Tom Williams and I am the

Chairman of Liverpool Football Club

And this is Harry Latham, one of our directors

BILL. I remember

TOM WILLIAMS. I wonder whether we might have a word?

BILL. They’re not for sale

TOM WILLIAMS. We’re not here for Denis Law or Ray Wilson

We’re here to talk to you, Mr Shankly

To ask you a question

BILL. Then ask it

TOM WILLIAMS. How would you like to manage the best football club in the country, Mr Shankly?

BILL. Matt Busby packing it in, is he?

TOM WILLIAMS. Very funny, Mr Shankly

You know what I’m talking about

BILL. I thought you didn’t want me for your football club I thought you didn’t think I was good enough for Liverpool Football Club

TOM WILLIAMS. We never said that, Mr Shankly

BILL. You didn’t need to

TOM WILLIAMS. I wasn’t the chairman then, Mr Shankly

But I am the chairman now

And so now I’m asking you

How would you like to manage Liverpool Football Club, Mr Shankly?

BILL. I thought you already had a manager

What about Phil Taylor?

TOM WILLIAMS. Mr Taylor is, uh, between you and I

Not a well man

CHORUS. Suddenly laughter

Joking

From the Huddersfield Town dressing room

BILL. We might have lost today

But we’re not doing too badly here you know, Mr Williams

TOM WILLIAMS. We know that

We can see that

And that’s why we want you, Mr Shankly

BILL. I’ll not be rushed

But I will consider it

CHORUS. In the winter-time

In the night-time

TOM WILLIAMS. Thank you, Mr Shankly

That’s all I ask

Projection: 2′

BILL’s two daughters enter. They have Yorkshire accents. NESS stares out at the garden.

JEANETTE SHANKLY. Where is Liverpool, Daddy?

BILL. It’s by the seaside, love

The GIRLS exit. BILL looks to NESS.

NESS. We’re happy here

We have a nice house

We’ve got good friends

The girls like their school

BILL. But think of all that time lost

NESS. …

If it wasn’t for the war we’d have never met

BILL. I know

…

I’m forty-six

NESS. They’re happy here

I’m happy here

BILL. I know, love

I know

The sound of a telephone. Distant. Echoing.

CHORUS. In his car

At the wheel

Driving down this road

Driving up that road

Bill saw a telephone box

And

BILL. I’m interested

But I have a number of conditions

TOM WILLIAMS. Go on, Mr Shankly

BILL. I have to have total control of the playing and coaching staff

I have to decide on the training methods and the playing style

I have to select the team without any interference from you or the directors

And if I feel we need new players then you and the directors must make the money available for me to buy the players

I want

And I want a salary of two-and-a-half thousand pounds

TOM WILLIAMS. The board have always selected the team, Mr Shankly

BILL. If you cannot accommodate all these conditions

Then I’m afraid I’m not interested

TOM WILLIAMS. May I ask what Huddersfield Town are paying you, Mr Shankly?

BILL. Two thousand pounds

TOM WILLIAMS. I understand

And there’ll be no trouble from your end, Mr Shankly?

BILL. What do you mean, Mr Williams?

TOM WILLIAMS. No unforeseen obstacles

At Huddersfield Town

Or at home for example

BILL. No

Everything will be fine at my end, Mr Williams

TOM WILLIAMS. Then I think we can accommodate all your conditions

BILL. Then I accept your offer

Silence. Cold, bitter wind. BILL opens his newspaper.

CHORUS. Huddersfield Town were sixth in the Second Division

Liverpool Football Club were tenth

Huddersfield Town had won the FA Cup

In the night and in the silence

Bill read what Phil Taylor had said

PHIL TAYLOR. The strain of it all has proved too much for me

And so great as my love is for Liverpool Football Club

I have decided to resign

I strove for promotion with all my energy

But such striving is not enough

NESS. Bill closed his eyes

And Bill remembered his words

CHORUS. Bill waited for the dawn

Bill waited for the light

Bill ate breakfast with his wife and daughters

Bill kissed them goodbye

Bill got into his car

NESS. And Bill drove across the Pennines

CHORUS. Past Manchester

NESS. To Liverpool

To Anfield

TOM WILLIAMS and JIMMY MCINNES enter. JIMMY McINNES shakes BILL’s hand.

JIMMY MCINNES. Bill

BILL. Jimmy

CHORUS. Jimmy McInnes, club secretary

An Ayrshire man

Played for Third Lanark and Liverpool Football Club

Bill knew Jimmy

Bill liked Jimmy

JIMMY MCINNES hands BILL a piece of paper and a pen.

BILL. What’s this?

JIMMY MCINNES. It’s your contract, Bill

Sign there and there

BILL turns to TOM WILLIAMS. The mood darkens.

TOM WILLIAMS. Would you give us a moment, Mr McInnes?

JIMMY MCINNES. Right y’are, sir

Exit JIMMY MCINNES.

BILL. I thought we had an agreement

TOM WILLIAMS. We do

BILL. Do you think I will break my agreement?

TOM WILLIAMS. Not at all, Mr Shankly

BILL. Then why do we need a contract?

TOM WILLIAMS. It’s, uh, an unfortunate part of the modern game, Mr Shankly

BILL. If I cannot do the job

It is up to the people that employ me to do as they wish

JIMMY MCINNES re-enters.

TOM WILLIAMS. Yes, Mr McInnes?

JIMMY MCINNES. Sorry, sir

It’s just I’m very aware of the time

CHORUS. Jimmy took Bill under the stands

Down a corridor

To a room among the boots

JIMMY MCINNES. The hanging boots

In the boot room, BOB PAISLEY reads the Sporting Life. JOE FAGAN, REUBEN BENNETT and ALBERT SHELLEY are there waiting. They look anxiously at BILL.

This is Joe Fagan

Joe is in charge of the reserves

Reuben Bennett

Reuben takes most of the training

And this is Albert Shelley

He retired last year

But he still comes in every day

Laughter at this idea.

This is Bob Paisley

Bob is the first team trainer

BILL. Bob

BOB PAISLEY Boss

BILL. Me and Bob played against each other on many occasions

I tried to sign Joe when I was at Grimsby

Reuben used to work with my brother Bob at Dundee

And I know Albert lives and breathes Liverpool Football Club

You all do

And I know you’ll all be worried about me coming in

A new feller with new ways

Maybe wanting to bring in new trainers with him

His mates

I’m not going to do that

I will gradually lay down my plans

And gradually we will be on the same wavelength

And in return

I ask for one thing

Loyalty

So I don’t want anyone to carry stories about anyone else

The man who brings the story to me will be the man who gets the sack

I don’t care if he’s been here fifty years

I want everybody to be loyal to the team and to the club

Everything we do will be for Liverpool Football Club

Not for ourselves

Not as individuals but for the team

For Liverpool Football Club

Total loyalty

That is all I ask

Because loyalty makes strength

And strength makes success

I promise you

Now let’s get out to that training ground

Let’s get out to Melwood

JIMMY MCINNES. Now?

Projection: 3′– What Is To Be Done?

An icy wind whistles. They stand and look at Melwood, likea Soviet-era frieze of the great leaders.

CHORUS. It was cold and it was dark

There were trees and there were bushes