You’ll probably have been living under a rock if you’ve not heard something about the Coleen Rooney & Rebekah Vardy court case, which started on Instagram and has now ended in a West End run and subsequent UK tour.

‘Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial’, plays at London’s Ambassadors Theatre and, as I take my seat on a Monday night, the auditorium is packed with people of varying ages and backgrounds, all here to witness the incredible libel case which was followed at the time by millions on social media. 

Based on actual court transcripts, adapted here by Liv Hennessy, you follow the ‘highlights’, (one of many football references of the production), of how Rooney’s private Instagram stories have been leaked to the press and published by ‘The Sun’ newspaper. Using her own sleuthing skills, Rooney works out it is Vardy who is selling these stories to the tabloids.

We, the audience, are the Jury of this court hearing and the first half sees Rebekah Vardy taking to the witness stand. Vardy is played to perfection by Lucy May Barker, who gives one of the standout performances of the night. Her strong stage presence, accompanied by her measured yet arrogant persona, is a joy to watch and you can’t help but empathise with her during an intense questioning by QC David Sherborne, played at ease by a powerful and natural Tom Turner.

The second half sees Coleen Rooney (Laura Dos Santos) take to the stand who is in turn now questioned by Hugh Tomlinson QC (Jonnie Broadbent). Themes of jealousy, money and modern-day privacy are touched on and, after extensive examination, the Judge Mrs Justice Steyn (Verna Vyas) reveals her verdict.

The play is naturally text-heavy so two narrators, or football pundits, are on hand to provide comic relief and explanation for harder-to-follow scenes. Halema Hussain gives a good multi-rolling showing but it is fellow pundit Nathan McMullen who provides the other standout performance of the evening. Comical facial expressions and a pitch-perfect Wayne Rooney impression have the audience eating out the palm of his hand.

Polly Sullivan’s set is a modern, purposefully tacky, courtroom complete with football pitch carpet and Johanna Town’s lighting design adds moments of strong visual effects to aid the story. Lisa Spirling’s cheeky direction is tongue-in-cheek and brings a warm charm to the production. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and a fun, over-the-top curtain call proves that.

It’s the clever marketing of the production which will be the real success of this gripping piece of very different, modern theatre. Housed directly next to The Mousetrap, running for 70 years, you can’t help but chuckle at the adverts of ‘The Scousetrap, running for 6 weeks’ adorned on the outside of this theatre. Ingenious football phrasing such as ‘Away Fixtures’ showing where the production tours (Southend, Liverpool and Brighton to name a few, by the way) and branded scarfs & exclusive cocktails available in the bar seem the perfect fit. 

This will no doubt bring a whole new audience of influencers and celebrity followers to what just might be their first trip to the theatre.

And hopefully they will continue to visit.

Jeremy Kyle meets Broadchurch in this beautifully acted, real-life whodunnit which promises an entertaining evening out and will leave you cheering as if watching a Wayne Rooney overhead kick. 

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