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Tarrant Plays Football's Brian Clough in Nottingham

Football legend Brian Clough (pictured) is immortalised on stage tonight (3 June 2005) at his Nottingham ‘home ground’ with Stephen Lowe’s rather verbosely titled Old Big 'Ead in the Spirit of the Man (Brian Clough Takes to the Stage Literally. Colin Tarrant plays the late football manager, who died on 20 September 2004 at the age of 69, in the bio-play which continues until 25 June 2005.

Born to a working-class Middlesbrough family in 1935, as a young footballer, Clough played for Middlesbrough and then Sunderland, where he scored a phenomenal 251 goals in 274 games. He started his managerial career in 1965 after a knee injury halted his playing. After joining Nottingham Forest in 1975, Clough led the club to national and European success over an 18 year reign. Lowe’s play reflects on the life of the enigmatic man, who was dubbed “the best manager England never had”.

Tarrant is best known for his 12 years as Inspector Munroe on TV’s The Bill (See News, 21 Apr 2005). His recent stage credits include The Glee Club. Tarrant is apparently a keen Nottingham Forest fan and, in his youth, had trials with Huddersfield Town.

Stephen Lowe’s other plays include Divine Gossip, Glasshouses, Keeping Body and Soul Together, The Spirit of the Man, Touched and Revelations. Old Big 'Ead is directed by Alan Dossor and designed by Jamie Vartan. The cast also features Ken Bradshaw, Ben Goddard, Jamie Kenna, Laura Martin Simpson, Dave Nicholls and James Warrior.

- by Terri Paddock

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