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Bouncing Back

Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy  /  10w, 3m

'Bouncing Back' follows a group of women returners to the game of Netball, the trials and tribulations of their training sessions, group bonding, getting sponsorship, tough coaching, and the stress of organising 'me time'.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    10w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Pre-Teen (Age 11-13), Teen (Age 14-18)

Details

Summary

 Will the team get fitter? Will they ever win a game? Will the coach ever find true love? And why do they all worship someone called Tracey?

History

This play premiered as a Gail Young Production 29th June to 2nd July 2016  at The Forum Studio Theatre in Chester. 

To celebrate the Netball World Cup coming to Liverpool in 2019 the show has been revived by Gail Young Productions and staged in both Chester and Liverpool this summer, receiving 5 star reviews.


Cast Attributes

Trisha Wilson               Coach                         

Trisha is a self- employed netball coach. Her husband passed away a couple of years ago, and she is struggling to juggle work/ money/ and being a single mum to her teenage daughter. Strong character with a hard exterior and soft interior. Passionate about the sport and her role in developing women returners to Netball

Rob Evans                               Caretaker                     

Confirmed bachelor. Meets Trisha who reminds him a lot of his mum (who was also a single mother). He is the caretaker/manager of the local run down sports hall, initially sceptical about how the Back 2 Netball initiative is going to work out……will the girls win him round? First love is football……

Kath Maxwell                            Netballer GA                

GA – Goal Attack. Big mates with Janet (they are old school-friends). Has been dragged to the initial training session by Janet as they both played netball at school.  Lacks confidence at first but rediscovers her love for the game.

Janet Watson               Netballer WD               

WD- Wing Defence. Janet – old school pal with Kath. Works in a Bank and thinking of starting a netball team at work. Persuades Kath to come along to the Back 2 Netball sessions with her.

ASBO                                       Netballer GS                

GS – Goal Shooter. ASBO – the nickname says it all. Single. Competitive. Has issues. She is an ex-soldier who is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress but has refused counselling. Has a drink problem.

Anna Bell                                 Netballer GD                

GD – Goal Defence. A born organiser. She has secured the funding to start the Back 2 Netball training sessions and hired Trisha to coach the group. Mum of young twins and wife of the needy John. The rock of the team and a natural choice for team captain

Micky Owens                            Netballer WA               

WA – Wing Attack. The glamour girl of the team. In denial about the aging process and in love with her nails. Has a young daughter and a hubby who wants her to stay as fit and trim as possible.

 

 

Angie Tasker                            Netballer Sub  

Super Sub. Angie has taken a year out from university as she has been ill with Glandular Fever. Now at home with Mum and Dad and recovering. Youngest member of the squad but wiser than her years. Attends the training sessions with the encouragement of her next door neighbour Sarah

Sarah Morris                            Netballer C                  

C – Centre. A nurse. Working mum. Fit with loads of energy which is why she is made the Centre in the team. Caring individual. Revisiting the game she loves

Jackie Goodwin                       Netballer Sub  

Substitute. Overweight. Mother of teenagers. Lacking self confidence. But absolutely loves the game of Netball and hero worships Tracey Neville – the England Coach – and Manchester Thunder. Desperate to get fit, lose weight and be part of the team

Tina Rogers                             Netballer GK               

GK – Goal Keeper. Divorced. Calls a spade a spade. Sister in Law to Anna which is how she found out about the Back 2 Netball training sessions. Needs to get out there  after her divorce and focus on other things.

Councillor Drake                                              Male.       

Minor role but very important in the final scene of Act 1. Slightly pompous local councillor who loves all the attention he receives from the Netball Players at the photo shoot for the local press.

Photographer                                                   Male.

Local photographer in Act 1 organising a rowdy and excited netball squad for their first photo shoot in their new team strip for the local press. Bit of a jack the lad type. Will double up as the DJ in the Manchester Thunder scene at the end of Act 2

Mascot

 

Can double up with the actors playing either Councillor Drake or Rob Evans

Multi generational casting is possible in the squad of women returners to Netball, with ages ranging from 19 to mid forties. The same is true of the three male characters in the show.


  • Time Period Contemporary, Present Day
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features Audience Participation/Interactive, Physical Comedy, Multimedia
  • Duration 90 minutes
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol
    • Strong Language
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

"...something to behold as we were drawn into the drama, both on and off the court." - We Are Chester

Stephanie Tait Editor of the official England Netball fanzine, attended the shows premiere in 2016 and wrote: 

'On 29th June I went to see the opening night of Gail Young's comedy drama 'Bouncing Back'. The play follows a diverse group of women with different stories and reasons for coming back to Netball. The characters are brilliant - funny and endearing. They support each other and voice concerns that we can all relate to.....the audience quickly gets behind the team and their wonderful coach as they begin to train and look forward to their first match. We see the difficulties of getting to training and securing funding, along with heartache and newfound happiness. The ladies idolise Manchester Thunder and the England Coach Tracey Neville, and it is their passion for hte sport that unites the audience and the characters. There are thousands of women across the country who have gone back to Netball, passionately supporting each other and their favourite teams. To see this played out on stage is an entertaining and moving reminder of our ability to bounce back, make new friends and achieve new goals.......'

For production shots and an insight on the play's development and premiere see the open facebook page for 'Bouncing Back' at  https://www.facebook.com/BouncingBackGailYoung and the website www.gailyoungplaywright.com

Videos

  • Bouncing Back youtube thumbnail

    Bouncing Back

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:

Authors

Gail Young

Gail Young has directed and acted with community theatre groups for many years in the Chester and Wirral area of NW England. She turned her hand to writing in 2005, taking her first full-length play, Cheshire Cats, to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2006. The production was a “Fringe ...

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