Sheffield Theatres has revived Mike Bartlett’s 2012 adaptation of Chariots of Fire in another Olympic year. Robert Hastie’s production even nods to the neatness of his programming, as actors in tracksuits limber up under a title that reads “Paris 2024”. Projected headings scroll through Olympics past – Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, London – as the revolving stage takes us back in time, to Paris 1924 and the battle between runners Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell.
A century on, their efforts are still compelling. Abrahams is the son of a Jewish immigrant facing antisemitism in the hallowed halls of Cambridge, while Liddell is a devout Christian who runs in the name of God. As in the 1981 film, we follow their journey to the Olympic Games, but beneath this there are other stories: about patriotism, class and the tension between amateur and professional.
There are difficulties in the transition from screen to stage. The early establishing scenes feel bitty and some of the supporting characters lack depth. But the greatest challenge is the running, which is hard to replicate theatrically. There’s a creative attempt to bring something new to the staging of each race, from breathless treadmill sprints to jagged movement sequences, though this has somewhat diminishing returns.
What does work brilliantly is the way Hastie and designer Ben Stones make use of the full space of the Crucible. When Abrahams completes the Trinity Great Court Run, he dashes between and around seats, including the audience in the thrill of the challenge. Later, the auditorium becomes a flag-strewn Olympic stadium. The main playing space, though, is styled not as a running track but as a wood-floored training gym, emphasising the hours of hard graft that go into 10 seconds of glory.
That dedication is embodied by the central performances of Adam Bregman and Michael Wallace, who hold the show together with just the right balance of ambition, charm and conviction as the two athletic rivals. While much has changed in 100 years, the astonishing perseverance of Olympic champions is what allows this classic sporting narrative to keep resonating.
• At the Crucible, Sheffield, until 27 July
