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'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
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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