Following on from yesterday's banner blog, remember seeing a few of those waved around by the rest of the cast of "Zigger Zagger"? You must have been involved in a school play by that name or used the chant(s) that were drama-ed out from a school hall at some time during your education. The dramatist, Peter Terson (once known as Patterson, but he objected to the stuttering nature of the surname so he shortened it) died on April 8th 2021, aged 89. He specialised in writing plays about working-class life in his home town, Newcastle-On-Tyne.
He attended grammar school in Heaton, served National Service in the RAF as a wireless mechanic and then taught PE, which he described as "eight years of agony". He married a Sheila Bailey (no relation) and had two sons and a daughter. Peter wrote many plays and TV series, including the first play to be commissioned by the National Youth Theatre; their previous plays had been drawn from classical repertoire. Some scripts were serious, others humorous.
"Zigger Zagger" was perfect for schools, using a large cast on a football stand, scarf wearing, rattle shaking with chants and comments on the drama's football action, "like a Greek Chorus". Other plays using the National Game as its subject include: "Sing your heart out for the lads" 2002, centred on England v West Germany.
"The Game" 1914, at such an early time in history, specialised in corruption and a young star who is sold to the local rivals, tempted to throw a game against his old club.
"The Pass" 2014 on sexuality and race, "An Evening with Gary Lineker" 1991-2 based on Italia '90, when a young man is distracted from his partner, a football phobic lady, with whom he is on holiday at the time of a serious tournament.
There is "Red Saturday" 1983-4 is another "off pitch" setting, featuring changing rooms, team coach, hotel room as so on. AND what about "Jumpers for Goalposts" 2013- LGBT etc. Barely Athletic v Tranny United!
"The Christmas Truce" 2014-5 at the Front in the First World War.
"Tull", 2013 Phil Vasili’s play affectionately and intelligently revives the short but extraordinary life of Walter Tull (1888-1918). The first black outfield player in British professional football – for Spurs and then Northampton Town – he made history a second time as the first non-white officer in the British army before being killed in France during the first world war. A memorial to him now stands on Walter Tull Way, the road leading to Northampton’s Sixfields stadium. AND "Elton John's Glasses" 1997.
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