Fair Play

Ella Road

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781350291621
• eBook ISBN: 9781350291645
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: British Drama

The clocks are set. The line is drawn. They've got a chance to be champions. But at what cost?

When Ann joins Sophie's running club she's thrown into a world of regimented training and pure focus. The two girls couldn't be more different, but soon their shared passion makes them inseparable – dreaming in lanes and lap-times, waking up picturing Olympic medals, each day stronger and faster…

But set head to head in the run up to the World Championships, they find themselves and their friendship put to the ultimate test. As their relationships, their bodies and their very identities are pulled into public scrutiny, does being exceptional come at too high a price?

A gripping exploration of the underside of women's athletics, Fair Play is the new work from Ella Road (The Phlebotomist) – 'the most promising young playwright in Britain' (The Telegraph).

This edition was published to coincide with the world premiere at Bush Theatre, London, in December 2021.

1

Athletics track. Post-collision. Out of breath.

Sophie Stay in your / lane!

Ann I’m so, / so

Sophie / Jesus

Ann Sorry /, I’m

Sophie Christ /

Ann Sorry, I didn’t / see you

Sophie You ran right into me, you / literally

Ann Yeah, no, sorry I was / just

Sophie You have to look before crossing the / inside lane

Ann I know. / Sorry.

Sophie You’ve just fucked up my rep. Fucked it.

Sophie bends to catch her breath.

Ann Sorry, I was just, I wasn’t looking where I was / going

Sophie You’re lucky I didn’t run straight into you.

Beat.

Ann You were going proper fast on that one. Looking proper strong.

Pause. Sophie’s breath slows.

Sophie I’ve never seen you before.

Ann No, I. First session, my first time down here, / so

Sophie checks the time.

Sophie I’ve got one more rep. Keep out of the inside lane.

Ann Well I got another set, three hundreds, we’re using lane one as well, / so

Sophie I mean when you’re not running. Obviously.

Ann Oh. Right. Sure. Sorry . . . Again.

Beat.

You’re Sophie King, right?

Sophie Yeah.

Ann I’m . . .

But /

2

Track outbuildings. Post-session. Cold.

Ann Um. Sorry. D’you know where I can get some / water?

Sophie Good session.

Ann Oh. Oh, cheers.

Sophie You were right up in the mix.

Ann Only on the last one. And it’s just C-group, innit.

Sophie Better than D-group.

Ann Is there a D-group?

Sophie No. But you’re here aren’t you?

Ann Ha. Yeah. No yeah, I mean . . . yeah. / Ha.

Sophie 800 metres?

Ann nods.

Sophie Me too.

Ann Yeah, I know. I mean obviously, I mean I saw you race up in Glasgow? You slayed it! You were / amazing

Sophie Oh / thanks

Ann I mean I didn’t actually see you see you, I mean like I watched online. Such an incredible race, man, the way you just kicked! So tactical, like so / impressive

Sophie Where did Paul poach you from?

Ann Well, he didn’t exactly poach / me

Sophie Like ‘scout’ then, whatever.

Ann English Schools? But Mum wouldn’t let me join, like she wanted me to do first term of A-levels first, / so

Sophie I meant like . . . where did you transfer from?

Ann Oh! Richmond AC?

Sophie You from there then? Richmond?

Ann No, well I’m . . . I’m from . . . Well, Nigerian actually, like I was born in Nigeria, / then

Sophie Oh, no, sorry I meant, I literally, sorry, I just meant like where do you . . . live?

Ann Oh! Ha. We’re in like . . . Hounslow?

Sophie Hounslow? That’s, where is that? That’s . . .

Ann West London? / It’s

Sophie That’s far.

Ann Yeah.

Sophie You travel down here every session?!

Ann Well, gonna see how it goes.

Sophie Nigeria. That’s cool. When did you move here?

Ann Oh, when I was tiny. Mum’s got a bunch of family here, so.

Beat.

Sophie Ann, right? Ann Ayaba?

Ann ‘Ayaba’

Sophie ‘Ann Ayaba’.

Beat.

If you go in ther...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Fair Play
• Credits
• Cast
• Fair Play
• Cast
• Dedication
• Contents
• Prologue
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14
• 15
• 16
• 17
• 18
• 19
• 20
• 21
• 22
• 23
• 24
• 25
• 26
• 27
• 28
• 29
• 30
• 31
• 32
• 33
• 34
• 35
• 36
• 37
• 38
• 39
• 40
• 41
• 42
• 43
• 44
• 45
• 46
• 47
• 48
• 49
• 50
• 51
• 52
• 53
• 54
• 55
• 56
• 57
• 58
• 59
• Epilogue
• eCopyright