Blitzed!

This show written by Alan Powell, the Chairman and a Director with Dronfield MTG told the story of German air raids which wreaked havoc across Sheffield on two fateful nights of 12th and 15th December 1940. Seventy five years later, new generations want to know what happened when the reality of war arrived on the city's doorstep.  With the passage of time it is difficult to imagine how people simply got on with their lives. With so many munitions factories in Sheffield's East End manufacturing vital components for the war effort, it was never a question of IF, only a question of WHEN. The story of the Sheffield Blitz is also about the heroism of local people whose indomitable spirit shone through despite hardships. People from all walks of life rallied together to overcome the difficulties of living in a city devastated by war. To tell the story of life in the city from the autumn of 1940 to Christmas of the same year it is important to look at the build-up in the preceding months and to imagine what life was like for men, women and children as they lived through what was dubbed as the Phoney War. It was only when reports were received of bombings in London and other cities that Sheffield people realised it was only a matter of time. To illustrate what life was like, the production dramatized some of the aspects ranging from the effects of rationing on family life to gas mask practice in schools. There were a number of sketches which looked at families as they tried to cope with shortages and blackout along with the sometimes comic adventures of friends and children. Interspersed wth the action were songs of the period.

As there were really no principal parts (32 names characters) I feel that I must congratulate ALL the members on stage for getting into the spirit of the action. Members involved with staging, the set, lighting and sound (the show opened with Winston Churchill's speech, Blood, Sweat and Tears of May 1940 and Act 1 finished and Act 2 started with stills and film of the morning of December 13th in Sheffield City Centre), costumes and properties should be very proud of their involvement which helped to bring all the action to life.  Congratulations to Ann Singleton on her sympathetic piano accompaniment (and solo).

I am sure that being part of this very special production will long live in the memory of all the cast.

NB. Dronfield in 1940 was a village between Sheffield & Chesterfield.  It is now a township with its own Civic Centre and many of its population working in either Sheffield or Chesterfield.

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