A new play charting Brighton & Hove Albion’s journey from the final days at the Goldstone Ground to Wembley and European football is coming to Theatre Royal Brighton this September.
Stand or Fall – The Play runs from Wednesday 23 to Saturday 26 September 2026 and follows a group of Albion supporters through some of the most dramatic chapters in the club’s modern history.
The production has been written by lifelong Albion fan and Brighton Fringe Award winner Mark Brailsford, creator of The Treason Show, and is being staged during the club’s 125th-anniversary year.
Brighton & Hove Albion describes the play as a retelling of the club’s modern story, from the last days at the Goldstone through Withdean, Wembley and eventually European football.
It’s produced by Albion legend Ian Hart, with few people able to usurp Harty’s Albion knowledge after over 50 years covering the club.
| Show | Stand or Fall – The Play |
| Venue | Theatre Royal Brighton, New Road, Brighton, BN1 1SD |
| Dates | Wednesday 23 to Saturday 26 September 2026 |
| Evening performances | 7.30pm, Wednesday to Saturday |
| Saturday matinee | 2.30pm on Saturday 26 September |
| Age guidance | 12+ |
| Guide price | ATG currently lists standard tickets at £28.08; live prices may vary |
| Booking | Theatre Royal Brighton / ATG Tickets |
Details checked on 8 September 2026. Ticket availability and prices can change.
What is Stand or Fall about?
Stand or Fall tells the story of a group of Albion supporters living through the club’s fall and recovery rather than simply presenting a chronological football history.
The starting point is the end of the Goldstone Ground era, when Brighton’s future was deeply uncertain. From there the story moves through the club’s years at Withdean, Wembley and eventually European football.
Theatre Royal Brighton describes it as a humorous take on following a football club “through thick and thin”, with Brailsford using the supporters’ experience to tell the wider story of a club that moved from the brink of extinction to the Premier League and Europe.
That makes the production as much about fandom as results. The emotional investment of supporters, the friendships built around football and the absurdity that can accompany years of following the same team are central to the premise.
ATG has pitched the show as Dear England meeting Brighton ’Til I Die via The Treason Show, neatly placing it between football theatre, local nostalgia and Brailsford’s satirical background.
Who is behind the new Brighton play?
Writer Mark Brailsford is a familiar name in Brighton comedy and theatre.
He created the long-running satirical revue The Treason Show, won a Brighton Fringe Award in 2015 and has also been involved with Brighton Shakespeare Company. He previously appeared in the Albion-related stage production Brighton ’Til I Die.
Brailsford is also a lifelong Albion supporter, giving the play a perspective rooted in the experience of following the club rather than observing it from outside.
The production is being presented by Treason Productions and Brighton Shakespeare Company. Treason Productions is best known locally for The Treason Show, while Brighton Shakespeare Company has staged a series of productions in the city, including work at Brighton Open Air Theatre.
Albion fan Ian Hart is producing the play. Hart is well known among supporters as the former editor of the Gulls’ Eye fanzine and has subsequently worked as a broadcaster, journalist and author.
The cast includes former EastEnders actor Paul Moriarty, alongside a predominantly younger company. Albion’s official preview also confirms that Brailsford himself appears in the production.
Cast and creative highlights
| Writer | Mark Brailsford |
| Producer | Ian Hart |
| Companies | Treason Productions and Brighton Shakespeare Company |
| Cast | Includes Paul Moriarty and Mark Brailsford |
| Background | Created by local theatre-makers with long-standing connections to Brighton and Brighton & Hove Albion |
From the Goldstone Ground to European football
The period covered by Stand or Fall is one of the most dramatic transformations in English football.
Albion left the Goldstone Ground in 1997 after 95 years at the Hove venue. The club then played home matches at Gillingham before returning to Brighton at the Withdean Stadium in 1999.
Withdean became home for more than a decade before Albion moved to the purpose-built stadium at Falmer in 2011.
The years that followed brought promotion to the Premier League in 2017, an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley in 2019 and the club’s first European campaign in 2023/24.
The play therefore has an unusually dramatic real-life arc to draw upon: a supporter generation that experienced a fight for the club’s survival later found itself travelling to grounds such as Ajax, Marseille and Roma.
The timing is also deliberate. Albion are celebrating their 125th anniversary during 2026, and the play sits alongside a wider programme exploring the club’s history.
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery also opened a permanent Stand or Fall exhibition in August 2026, although Albion stresses that the stage production is separate from the documentary and exhibition projects carrying the same name.
A football play during an Albion-free weekend
The Theatre Royal run falls during an extended gap in Brighton’s Premier League schedule.
Albion’s official preview says the club plays its 125th-anniversary home fixture against Arsenal on 19 September and is then not back in league action until a trip to Sunderland on 10 October.
That gives supporters the opportunity to see the play without choosing between the theatre and a competitive Albion fixture.
The Saturday 26 September performances are particularly notable, with both a matinee and evening show scheduled on a day when the men’s first team is not playing.
Check your ticket
Saturday matinee is currently listed at 2.30pm
Theatre Royal Brighton and ATG currently list the Saturday 26 September matinee at 2.30pm. An earlier Albion announcement referred to a 3pm performance. The venue’s current ATG listing should therefore be treated as the most up-to-date source, and ticket holders should use the time printed on their booking confirmation.
Stand or Fall performance times
| Date | Performance |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 23 September 2026 | 7.30pm |
| Thursday 24 September 2026 | 7.30pm |
| Friday 25 September 2026 | 7.30pm |
| Saturday 26 September 2026 | 2.30pm |
| Saturday 26 September 2026 | 7.30pm |
ATG currently lists an age recommendation of 12+. The official event page does not publish a running time, so anyone making onward travel arrangements should avoid assuming a particular finish time.
ATG currently gives a guide price of £28.08 for a standard ticket, but warns that prices can change. The live ATG checkout should therefore be used for the current ticket price and available seating.
How to get to Theatre Royal Brighton
| Venue | Theatre Royal Brighton |
| Address | New Road, Brighton, BN1 1SD |
| By bus | Numerous services stop on North Street, around two minutes’ walk from the theatre |
| Parking | The nearest major car park is NCP Brighton Theatre on Church Street |
| Drop-off | Taxis can drop off and collect outside the venue |
| Step-free access | Step-free access is available through the New Road Box Office entrance and throughout the ground floor and Stalls |
| Lift | There is no lift to the upper auditorium levels |
| Wheelchair positions | Seven positions are available in the Stalls |
| Accessible toilet | Available on the ground floor beside the Stalls bar |
| Booking | Official ATG event page |
Theatre Royal Brighton sits on New Road beside the Royal Pavilion and close to North Laine.
ATG says numerous Brighton & Hove bus routes stop on North Street, around two minutes’ walk away. Drivers are directed towards the NCP Brighton Theatre car park on Church Street, while taxis can drop passengers outside the theatre.
Accessibility
Book the Stalls if you cannot use stairs
The New Road Box Office entrance and the ground-floor Stalls are step-free, with wheelchair positions and an accessible toilet available. There is no lift to the Royal Circle, Second Circle or Gallery, so anyone unable to use stairs should book in the Stalls and contact the venue’s access team if they need a particular position or companion ticket.
Frequently asked questions
When is Stand or Fall at Theatre Royal Brighton?
The play runs from Wednesday 23 to Saturday 26 September 2026.
What is Stand or Fall about?
It follows a group of Brighton & Hove Albion supporters through the club’s modern history, from the final days at the Goldstone Ground through the Withdean years, Wembley and European football.
Is Stand or Fall an official Brighton & Hove Albion production?
The play is being promoted by the club during its 125th-anniversary year, but it is a theatre production by Treason Productions and Brighton Shakespeare Company. It should not be confused with other Albion projects using the Stand or Fall name.
Who wrote Stand or Fall?
The play was written by Mark Brailsford, creator of The Treason Show, a Brighton Fringe Award winner and lifelong Albion supporter.
Who is in the cast?
Albion’s official preview confirms that the cast includes former EastEnders actor Paul Moriarty and writer Mark Brailsford. A complete cast list was not published in the official material checked on 8 September.
What time are the performances?
Evening performances begin at 7.30pm from Wednesday to Saturday. There is also a 2.30pm matinee on Saturday 26 September.
Why have I seen a 3pm matinee advertised?
An earlier Brighton & Hove Albion announcement listed the Saturday matinee at 3pm, but Theatre Royal Brighton and ATG currently list it at 2.30pm. Use the latest ATG listing and your booking confirmation.
What is the age guidance?
Theatre Royal Brighton lists the show as suitable for ages 12 and over.
How much are tickets?
ATG currently gives a standard guide price of £28.08. Ticket prices may vary, so check the live ATG booking page for the current total.
Is Theatre Royal Brighton wheelchair accessible?
The ground floor and Stalls have step-free access and wheelchair positions are available. There is no lift to the upper auditorium levels.
Where can tickets be booked?
Tickets can be booked through Theatre Royal Brighton’s official ATG page.
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