Old Big 'Ead In The Spirit Of Man, Playhouse, Nottingham

The end said it all: a garish model of Nottingham Forest's City Ground, cunningly lit by Mark Pritchard, filled by Colin Tarrant's strikingly lifelike Brian Clough singing a reprise of "My Way".

The end said it all: a garish model of Nottingham Forest's City Ground, cunningly lit by Mark Pritchard, filled by Colin Tarrant's strikingly lifelike Brian Clough singing a reprise of "My Way".

Unforgettably, Clough did things his way. "Brian - you're walking on water." "Don't look so surprised, young man." He had a quick answer for everything. Incredibly, it's only nine months since the death of the unpredictable football legend who led Forest to two European victories, League Cup and Championship titles and a record 42 games unbeaten in a season.

Nottingham needed its hero; as Alan Dossor, the director of Stephen Lowe's teasing new drama, points out, Clough the bluff Yorkshireman brought his adopted city optimism, passion, identity. Clough was unique, a one-off.

It took courage to put Clough on stage so soon. On home ground, there was danger of the whole idea backfiring. But so warm, affectionate, pithy, blunt, apt and quick on cue is Colin Tarrant's sly portrait of the manthe audience could scarcely not revel in Lowe's teasingly nostalgic portrait.

Perhaps surprising, given the play's outline. It starts in heaven, where Clough receives a summons - erroneously - to bring inspiration to a hysterical playwright (Ken Bradshaw) struggling to mount a Robin Hood play.

As the misfit cast struggles to come to terms with its own neuroses, Clough acts the role of guardian angel. Hence it is the humanity that we come to cherish. Clough strives, on his own terms, to forge a winning team. The nasal bons mots flow: 'Kick and carrot, son'; 'always have a sponge and bucket handy'; 'shaved, showered, and no shagging on match days.'

Most importantly, the poignancy of Clough's career is broached: the ligament injury that ended his playing career; the drink; the breach with coach Peter Taylor. Arguably Lowe's clever, breezy verbal handling of Clough droops latterly. But what holds up is Tarrant's central character: neck awry, brows beetling, ebullient. Endlessly beguiling, and endlessly lovable.

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