Two Cities Half a World Away

(A Scouser, A Manc and a 6-Foot Cell)

July 2026 – Epstein Theatre

This is a story about the rivalry between the two great northern cities of Liverpool and Manchester and the fact that they have so much in common, yet it is often football rivalry that separates them.

Set in a police station during the Europa League tie at Old Trafford in 2016, two young lads — Terry, a United fan, and Liam, a Liverpool fan — are stopped on their way to the game and taken into custody for non-payment of fines. With the match about to start, Desk Sergeant Frank places them into the same cell to save time and energy.

As the game kicks off, a story of inter-city rivalry unfolds. The two lads open up about family life and their own personalities. In a tiny cell with football tensions flaring every few minutes, Frank is desperate to get the pair processed so he can attend to an urgent family matter.

Seeing a way past the football-fuelled mindset and wanting their fines sorted so they can catch the second half, Terry and Liam discover they have far more in common than they ever expected.

Written and produced by Nicky Allt & Beyond the Line Theatre Company