Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial at The Ambassadors Theatre

From sting operations to sensational headlines, this verbatim production reveals what went on behind closed doors in the case that turned social media sleuthing into high drama. Audiences can see first-hand, and in the words of Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney, how the extraordinary week in court played out.

Vardy v Rooney is a story stranger than fiction, with lurid one-liners and revelations blurring the boundaries of tabloid and court case, social media and soap opera. This unique moment in British media history captivated the country but while public debate raged, only a handful of people witnessed what happened in the trial. Now audiences can watch the intrigue and intricacies of the case live on stage in the West End and beyond.

It was a single tweet that gripped the nation, when Colleen Rooney sent the infamous message which ended “It was…Rebeca Vardy’s account”.  It became a firestorm of memes, press and public attention into just how she found out who was selling her stories and made her big reveal!  Years later it was dragged out into a highly publicised trial that just proved the public can’t get enough of this story which mixes our favourite sport, detective work and good old-fashioned gossip!  Now, Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial has hit the West end!

The show primarily uses verbatim text from the court transcript with some clarification given by the two narrators of the performance, in this instance presented as two sports commentators.  This isn’t the only football reference you will see here, the show leans into the absurdity of the public love of the beautiful game to the extent where just the wives of the players could cause such drama.  With action replays, a pitch on the stage floor and football references throughout, you can’t help but appreciate the many tongue-in-cheek nods.

What is really surprising about this show is just how hilarious and laugh-out-loud funny it is, given that it is an almost entirely court script.  Condensing a 7-day trial down to a 2-hour show, I wasn’t sure how interesting they could make this, yet it turns out the dialogue itself is all that is needed!  With some clever delivery, the words become undeniably funny and make this show really worth watching!

Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial is a laugh-out-loud show that plays on the absurdity of a single tweet that became one of the most followed court cases in recent memory.  It has all the markers of a great mystery novel and is as silly as it is entertaining.  It is on at The Ambassadors Theatre until the 20th of May, tickets start from £18 and can be booked through the London Theatre Direct website.

Tickets were gifted in exchange for a review, all words and opinions are my own.  Contains affiliate links.