A PLAY of two halves is currently at the Everyman Theatre with Turf Love productions presenting Beating Berlusconi!

The exclamation mark is important because it is a tale with a wonderful, almost dreamlike sequence.

The work by John Graham Davies was first performed in 2009 and celebrates Liverpool FC's unforgettable Champions League victory in Turkey - cemented forever in footballing folklore as "The Miracle of Instabul." 

This one-man show is also an an interesting political tale.

Granted it is a comedy, but with the aid of footage and newspaper stories of 2005 on a projection screen it is an absorbing commentary on Liverpool life as seen and experienced through an ordinary family man.

We are in invited into the life of Mark Radley (in this two and a quarter hour play he is called Kenny Noonan).

So what is it about? Struggling locksmith Kenny is red through and through.

He loves his wife and kids but he is aware he is going to have a life long affair with LFC. Kenny tells the audience about Heysel and Hillsborough. About being a footy fan.

His comments hit home everytime. 

Kenny is played by Paul Duckworth, an outstanding performance from this talented actor.

The heart of the story is Kenny at the Istanbul stadium, somehow blundering into the AC Milan Director's Box and sitting next to, and then nearly having a cup fight with, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

A great true tale and acted out with passion.

Director Mark Rutter could bring out the red pen and cut about 20 minutes without losing anything from this cracking piece of home-grown theatre.

Good luck to all involved in this tribute to anyone who says never give up on your dreams.

Globe rating: 8/10 Inspring...Take it as Red.

Until Saturday at the Everyman Theatre.