Brassed Off

Brassed Off – a play performed by St Pauls Players on Friday, 10th March, 2023 at Adlington Community Centre, Railway Road, Adlington.

Strikes, cost of living crisis... is this 1992 or 2023?  Having been a police officer during the time of the ‘Miner’s Strikes’, having travelled the country to provide back-up to many local police forces and having witnessed so much of this first hand … this production rekindled so many memories!  Paul Allen adapted Mark Herman’s screenplay of the same name for the stage, the production premiering at The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield on the 17th March 1998 with the music being provided by the internationally acclaimed Grimethorpe Colliery Band.  This is a truly passionate story, with great humour and raw emotion throughout providing a true reflection of the political climate and the dogged community spirit in the face of adversity at that time! In this play you sense and feel the strong links that are formed between the miners and the close-knit brass band… I think we all realised that one could not survive without the other!

The Production Team… Jane Preston (Director) was the person tasked with bringing this emotional play to stage and what a great job she made of it!  I had the privilege and pleasure of meeting and speaking with Jane at the interval and after reading her programme notes… I think I can say, without fear of criticism, that Jane knew exactly what she wanted from this play and how to achieve it!  In her programme notes Jane suggests that the success of this production was the result of a ‘team togetherness’ which was tangible and a ‘big winner’ for me throughout the evening!    This ‘togetherness’ was not just confined to the cast, but those front of house, the scenery makers, the backstage ‘pushers and pullers’, the ‘tech guys and gals’ plus the added bonus of the Rivington and Adlington Brass Band all of which added a great feel of ‘community spirit’ which was not only evident on stage but shown off stage by the attendances throughout the run, which saw the Community Centre almost full every night!  Be ever so proud Jane of what you helped achieve…

The Cast… as most will know, I’m not one to sit on the fence and this is where I usually stick the old neck out and start selecting MY favourites… BUT I’m sat firmly alongside Jane on this one… there was little or no doubt that the success of this play was down to the ‘whole’ rather than an ‘individual’!  Each cast member had been fittingly cast; each had created their own individual character which resulted in some amazing performances!  The Rivington and Adlington Brass Band played its part, creating a wonderful atmosphere and a true feel of ‘community spirit’!  So where to start … let’s start with our illustrious band leader and father… ‘Danny’ played ever so well by Tony Henry… conductor of the local brass band whose relentless desire for national recognition was never dampened even through serious illness.  Tony made this part his own… loved his final speech, delivered with ‘great passion’ and I had a privileged position sat at the back of the hall to watch, in awe, at his final exit as he walked through the audience, lit to perfection… ‘goose bumps and all’… well done sir!  Kieron Garlick gave us a strong performance as ‘Phil’… son of Danny, a mine worker and member of the local brass band, who played the trombone.  Danny is married to ’Sandra’ played by Becca Hilton, they have three children, son ‘Shane’ played by Jake Newnes, ‘Melanie’ and ‘Melody’ played by Layla Roseden and Belle Owen respectively. This family is very central to the whole play… they take us on a real emotional roller coaster of a journey showing is the many situations and problems faced by most families at this time.  Be very proud each and all!  Ellie Garlick took on the role of ‘Gloria’ our talented ‘Flugelhorn’ player, who is returning to the area to review the viability of the colliery and in the process, re-kindling a past teenage romance with ‘Andy’ the ‘tenor horn’ player … played by Joe Harrison.  Ellie and Joe provided us with two totally believable characters who worked ever so well together.  Great stage presence, great characterisation… be ever so proud you two great jobs!  Making up the cast we had ‘Jim’ and ‘Harry’ played by John Holland and Dax Owen respectively… lifelong friends, workmates in the mine and members of the Grimley Brass Band … ‘Jim’ playing Tuba and ‘Harry’ the Euphonium. The lads are married to ‘Vera’ and ‘Rita’ … played by Siobhan Edge and Sarah Lee who, along with the other women from the community, fight to stop the pit closure by protesting whenever and wherever possible… chanting “THE MINERS, UNITED, WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED… THE MINERS, UNITED, WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED”!  These four experienced actors were able, with ease, to create four totally believable characters who brought out the humour and fun side of all that was going on… whilst mixing it brilliantly with the anger and sadness that was always underlying everything!  Well done folks great jobs!   

Staging /Tech… credit where credits due… the staging was excellent!  This is a very busy play with many scene changes… so the need to get things ‘right’ on stage was paramount to the success of this play!   Steve Pilkington (Stage Manager), Jill and Barry Heeks, Vincent Taylor, Richard Houghton, Alan Leyland, Richard Cornes and Nathan Garlick (Stage Crew) should be ever so proud of what they helped achieve.  Slick, quiet scene changes, sets that moved with ease and doubled up to form two separate scenes all added to the amazing staging of this play… be proud each and all, great job!

Lighting…  was in simple yet effective … under the watchful eye of Stuart Naylor. Sound…  was under the control of the ever so experienced Joanne and Natalie Sweet. Well done folks be ever so proud… good job!
Costumes… were apt and in keeping with the period… band uniforms, as you would have expected, were superb!   Props… were first rate and enhanced the show ever so much… i/c Sue and Yzzy Heyes and Sharon Kellie, be proud ladies…well done!

Thank you so much for inviting my wife and I, as always, your welcome and hospitality is appreciated.  Thanks to Graham Cohen and Jane Preston for spending time and chatting with us… the production was thoroughly enjoyed and can’t wait to see you all again for ‘Steel Magnolia’ in September! 

Stay safe and keep well…
‘STRONGER TOGETHER’

Jim Briscoe
NODA North West
District 6 Rep

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.