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New Play Examines Homosexuality in Men's Football

A play exploring the love affair between a male escort and a Premier League footballer opens in Manchester next week.
‘Away From Home’ will premiere at the 24:7 Theatre Festival, Manchester’s annual new writing extravaganza.
It is co-written Martin Jameson, who, with three decades experience in theatre, TV and radio (Casualty, Emmerdale, Holby City and numerous BBC Radio 4 dramas), is also to direct.
Rob Ward, taking the part of Kyle, is also a co-founder of Working Progress Theatre Company:
“I am openly gay and a passionate supporter of Everton Football Club (it was with great pain I pulled on the United red for our publicity photo!) I have struggled for many years to make these two aspects of my life fit comfortably given the homophobia that surrounds football and the fact there are no openly gay players for younger gay fans to look up to. However, with recent developments in other sports it seems now more than any other moment in the history of football people are beginning, slowly but surely, to talk about this issue. The time felt right to put pen to paper.”
Kathryn Worthington (24:7 festival Director) has praised the production:
“Away From Home was unanimously acclaimed as excellent by all who read it: ‘authentic and engaging’,  ‘a joy for an actor to perform’, and ‘captivating – a great theatrical idea’.
We don’t invite many solo shows into the Festival, because it is extremely hard for them to do well, but for this to garner such glowing praise for writers who have never submitted to 24:7 before suggests it really will be one to watch!”
For more details go here