Vardy v Rooney

First-night review of The Wagatha Christie Trial

Many people I spoke to in May when Mrs Justice Steyn was trying the libel case brought by Rebekah Vardy against Coleen Rooney found it impossible to tell them apart.

Both are the wives of former England footballers. They look similar, especially when wearing dark glasses. Their surnames sound vaguely similar. And the more confusing aspects of an English libel case made it harder to work out who was suing whom.

You probably had to be in court — which I was not. Now, though, you can watch Vardy v Rooney The Wagatha Christie Trial on the West End stage — which I did last night.

First impressions were not promising. The set is highly stylised, a cross between a US courtroom and a football pitch:

This is a pared-down production, with no advertising outside the theatre and a free cast-list instead of an expensive programme and merchandising.