A little before kick-off at the Euros 2020 final between England and Italy, a young man stuck a flare up his butt. It sounds fake, like something out of a movie, but it genuinely did occur. This man went viral, was tracked down by the Sun, and stated that he regretted nothing. The man was a talked-about spectacle for a brief period, following which the world moved on to the next sensational news event. Alex Hill, however, took this event and ran with it. Thus, Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse for England was born. 

Written and performed by Alex Hill, this one-man play creates a fictionalised life for the man that really did stick a flare up his arse. In this universe, the man is named Billy. He is a life-long football fan, a fanatic you might say, finding joy in watching the football every weekend with his best friend Adam. Things start out as innocent fun, but when they meet a new group of friends, what started out as an innocent passion becomes decidedly ugly. This production takes us through the dark side of football fanaticism, guiding us down the slippery slope of ‘lads being lads’ to lads causing harm and inciting violence, inflicting pain and suffering on not only those around them, but ultimately themselves. 

Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse for England examines the mentality of football fanatics with necessary tenderness. It does not shy away from highlighting the overt harm these groups have the potential to cause but takes care not to gloss over the pain simmering underneath. Neither does the play outright admonish football fans. Rather, it celebrates the uniting spirit and unbridled joy that football provides for people all over the globe, while simultaneously analysing how young men typically slide into violent behaviour in the name their chosen or inherited team, under the influence of mob mentality – among a few other things. 

Alex Hill does a phenomenal job both as a performer and a writer. His performance is electric, drawing the audience to the perpetual edge of their seats. He carries this one man show with uninhibited energy and tenacity. The bravado of an eighteen-year-old boy having all his first experiences of adulthood is palpable, as is the underlying fear and vulnerability that characterizes ones’ first steps into life beyond childhood. Hill’s writing, too, is exceptional. Blisteringly funny and at times beyond heart-breaking, we were locked in from the get-go. Different characters were clearly distinguished both by language style and performance, making this one-man piece an ease to follow. Hill holds the play comfortably in his arms, sweeping the stage with an almost athletic pace. 
The audience was left electrified, taken aback by the hour that seemingly flew by. Don’t walk, run (or take the tube or the bus or the train) to see Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse for England at Southwark Playhouse before its close on May 4^th.