Liverpool FC do the double

Paul Duckworth in Beating Berlusconi

In the wake of Liverpool FC's Premiership triumph and celebrating the 20th anniversary of their Champions League victory over AC Milan in Istanbul, one-man comedy Beating Berlusconi! will have a run of two halves – playing at The Dome, Grand Central Hall, Liverpool (May 23), and at the newly reopened Epstein Theatre (May 24)

Inspired by a real-life encounter inside the Ataturk Stadium on May 25, 2005, the show tells the story of a diehard football fan who travels to Istanbul with his mates to watch his beloved Liverpool battle for the Champions League crown.

The show was inspired by the real-life experience of Liverpool fan Mark Radley, who followed his team to Istanbul on that day and, despairing at seeing Liverpool 0-3 down at half-time, set off in search of a drink – only to find himself in what turned out to be an exclusive VIP area, with AC Milan president and Italy’s then PM, Silvio Berlusconi.

When Mark cheered on the Reds as they drew level in the game’s final minutes, Signor Berlusconi lost it - and things got even stranger.

Beating Berlusconi team - L-R writer John Davies, LFC fan Mark Radley, actor Paul Duckworth and director Matt Rutter

Actor Paul Duckworth (Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels, Mam! I’m ‘Ere, Lost Soul 2, Horrible Histories, Sweeney Todd) will reprise his performance - first seen at the original run back in 2009 - playing dozens of different characters.

Matt Rutter, formerly the director of the Young Everyman Playhouse, returns as director of the 2025 production.

Writer and producer John Graham Davies said: “We’ve had an absolutely amazing response since it was announced Beating Berlusconi! was returning to the Liverpool stage, 20 years after that iconic evening in Istanbul.

“It’s going to be quite a weekend - especially as Liverpool confirmed have place at the top of the Premier League and it being the final weekend of the season.”