Brassed Off

Based on the award-winning film of the same name, “Brassed Off” follows the journey of a Yorkshire colliery brass band, against a background of threatened pit closures and the potential loss of 1200 jobs.

The set with its atmospheric background of the colliery provided a bleak picture of a threatened closure. Strong links are found between the miners and the close-knit brass band and one sensed that one would not survive without the other. This could not be made clearer than by the band conductor ‘Danny’ (Chris Paine) in his relentless desire for national recognition. Illness could not dampen this desire, although his own recognition that in the end personal relationships were actually more important was portrayed with depth.

Things look up when ‘Gloria’ a talented flugelhorn player, originally from the area, returns officially to review the viability of the colliery. ‘Gloria’ (Emily Preece) and ‘Andy’ (Scott Denton) re-meet following a previous teenage encounter and I was impressed by all their scenes together, which were well acted, natural and believable.

Danny’s son ‘Phil’ (Ian Jones) and his wife ‘Sandra’ (Tracey Mann) gave strong performances illustrating the serious strains that the threat of unemployment can place on a family. Their son ‘Shane’ (Harry Cartwright) provided a useful narration throughout the performance. Overall the northern accents accurately captured the Yorkshire setting, although for a few moments this was at the expense of clarity.

Phil’s work colleagues ‘Harry’ and ‘Jim’ (Julian Richards & Stephen Day) provided convincing foils, mixing emotion with comedy and their partners ‘Rita’ and ‘Vera’ (Melanie Jones & Jackie Williams) gave good support adding humour despite the seriousness of the situation.

Whilst this was essentially a play, the music provided by the West Mercia Police Band was an intrinsic element, adding depth and quality to the overall performance. The acting ‘instrumentalists’ blended in well.

There were occasions when the logistics of moving furniture and the cast on and off stage between scenes created blips in the continuity, but that did not spoil the overall effect. This production directed by Pat Scully was a stark reminder of the political and personal pressures that can impact relationships and how loyalty and humour help those involved to cope, creating a thought-provoking and enjoyable evening.

Thank you for your usual warm welcome and I look forward very much to your next production of ‘Made in Dagenham’.

Bruce Wyatt

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