Ex‑Liverpool stars on stage

Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre has put a football-memory night on its May schedule, with Phil Thompson, David Fairclough and John Aldridge billed for “Dancing at Wolves” on May 4. (uktw.co.uk) (epsteintheatre.com) The date is the 50th anniversary of Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux on May 4, 1976, the result that sealed the First Division title. (lfchistory.net) (wolvescompletehistory.co.uk) That match turned on a late swing. Steve Kindon put Wolves ahead before Kevin Keegan equalised in the 76th minute, John Toshack scored in the 85th, and Ray Kennedy added a third in the 89th. (lfchistory.net) (wolvescompletehistory.co.uk) Thompson and Fairclough were both in Liverpool’s matchday squad that night, with Thompson starting in defence and Fairclough coming on for Jimmy Case in the second half. Aldridge was not part of the 1976 team; he joined Liverpool in 1987 after spells at Newport County and Oxford United. (lfchistory.net) (liverpoolfc.com) The night is being marketed less as a strict reunion than as a live retelling of a title-deciding game by former Liverpool figures with direct ties to the club’s wider history. Aldridge remains one of the club’s best-known post-1970s forwards, scoring 63 goals in 104 appearances. (liverpoolfc.com 1) (liverpoolfc.com 2) The setting matters in Liverpool because the Epstein only returned to regular use in 2025 after a closure in 2023, and its current listings mix touring comedy, music tributes and local-interest events. (uktw.co.uk) (epsteintheatre.com) That makes “Dancing at Wolves” part football panel, part civic nostalgia night. The venue’s own pitch describes the theatre as part of Liverpool’s “cultural fabric,” and its calendar pairs “local legends” with mainstream touring acts. (epsteintheatre.com) The original game still carries weight beyond Liverpool memory. Wolves were relegated by the defeat, while Bob Paisley won the league in his first season as Liverpool manager, one point ahead of Queens Park Rangers. (lfchistory.net) (teamtalk.com) So the sell on May 4 is straightforward: put men associated with Liverpool on stage, return to one of the club’s decisive nights, and let the anniversary do the rest. (uktw.co.uk) (epsteintheatre.com)