Swansea Arts Weekend audiences will be the very first to experience a special preview of When Pelé Broke Our Hearts, a Theatr na nÓg rehearsed reading of Nick Davies and Brett Davies’ new play, based on Mario Risoli’s much-loved book.
Ahead of a future planned tour, an accomplished cast will perform an abridged version of the play; a quirky, heartfelt sports comedy about borrowed kit, lost passports, jumpers for goalposts, and the unbreakable bond of five footballers who all grew up on the same Swansea street. At its core, it also tackles one of society’s most overlooked issues: male mental health, and the ways men wrestle with grief, resilience, and friendship.
The play takes us back to 1958, when Wales, after a string of mishaps and unlikely twists, not only qualified for the FIFA World Cup but battled their way to the quarter-finals. There, they lost 0–1 to Brazil, with a decisive strike from 17-year-old Pelé: his very first World Cup goal, the one that announced him to the world.
Geinor Styles, Theatr na nÓg’s artistic director and the production’s director said: “We were overjoyed to be invited to take part in Swansea Arts Weekend. Swansea Council’s support for local and wider arts communities is inspiring, and this felt like the perfect chance to give audiences a sneak peek at our upcoming production. We’ve got an incredible cast showcasing a truly special story. When Pelé Broke Our Hearts isn’t just for football fans – it’s about how the people of Wales stick together, stand tall, and laugh together, even in the hardest times. And best of all, it’s free! Pop in for the reading, then stay to enjoy what promises to be a cracking weekend.”
Part of the free, two-day Swansea Arts Weekend, this rehearsed reading joins a vibrant celebration of creativity, culture and community, filling the city centre with live music, workshops, street performance, exhibitions and theatre. It’s presented by Theatr na nÓg, renowned for bringing inspirational Welsh stories to life.
David Brayley, sports writer and director of the documentary Ivor Allchurch - Golden Days, showcasing the same 1958 tale said: “The story of Wales reaching the quarter-finals of the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden is one of the most important in the history of not just Welsh football, but Welsh sport too. It’s a story about far more than just football. It’s a story about a manager dealing with the grief of one of sport’s greatest tragedies; it’s a story of a young man from Swansea desperate to prove to the world that he may well be the greatest player of his generation; it’s a story of a group of young men who less than ten years earlier were playing schoolboy football in Cwmbwrla Park and would now take on the world; it’s a story of an inflexible system of administrators who never really understood the need of putting players before committeemen.
“When Pelé Broke Our Hearts is a story that celebrates all that is great in Welsh sport and its telling in the form of a stage play is long overdue, thank you Theatr na nÓg for putting the spotlight on this little known story. I wish it nothing but success.”
When Pelé Broke Our Hearts’s 40 minute reading, followed by a Q+A with Nick Davies will take place at 2.30pm and 6pm on Saturday 11 October at Volcano Theatre, High Street. Tickets are free and available on Swansea Arts Weekend webpage.