←Recommendations of Come on, ref!

Having been a soccer (I'm British, its football to us) stepdad, I can relate well to this play. What starts as a first meet on the touch line of their sons football match, soon turns a lot deeper as both mens stories unfold. I feel this is the start of a great friendship where Saturday morning beers are shared. Very good! (BTW in the UK at kids football, it is now almost forbidden for parents to shout at the ref haha!)

Male bonding on the sidelines of their kids soccer game. Chet's relaxed acceptance and 'she'll be right, mate' attitude is what self-doubting Keith needs to hear. A charming, well paced piece that would grace any festival.

I very much like this play. It's true, warm, and would make an excellent addition to any evening of short work. Bram catches the pathos but concentrates on the humanity and we come out of this thinking things might just actually turn out all right. I hope this gets loads of productions.

Showing up for our loved ones takes little effort, yet the payoff can be immense. Bram Hartman shows us two dads in different stages of loss, different perspectives on life and parenting, but both showing up for their kids’ soccer match. The dialogue is natural and leads convincingly to a heartwarming conclusion. Two great roles, simple staging, perfect for any festival.

There is such depth of characterization and such richness in the gradually revealed backstories in this subtly moving depiction of two very different dads bonding at their sons' soccer game. We are left with real hope that one will be able to move beyond his pain and authentically bond with his son. Enjoy your beer, Keith!

This is the kind of moment where you know that even if these two guys have nothing more in common than watching their kids play soccer, there's a bonding that happens. It's unspoken, yet they know it. It's happened to all of us, gay, straight or however you see yourself: making a connection and feeling comfortable to talk about your life and in doing so, learning how to be a friend... and a father.

I can't tell you how great it is to read a play about a gay-straight friendship between men where no one EXPLAINS the gay thing!!!

Hartman packs a lot of history into a short time. Deftly avoiding stereotypes (or using a couple to great advantage), he creates two guys you want to get to know too as they get to know each other. You know these two or you're one of these two. Either way, you want to be their friend too.

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Very charming play about two men watching a child's soccer game. Both are parents of one or more teammates, but one truly loves the sport and the other is trying to learn for his child's sake. We learn quite a bit about both men in this short play, and they are both fascinating characters. It is heart-warming, sad, and funny in equal measure. All in all, very charming, LGBTQ-affirming, and a great family play. I hope it gets many productions!