Brassed Off – Review – Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough.
By Elizabeth Stanforth-Sharpe, August 2024
It is 28 years since the release of Mark Herman’s film Brassed Off, reflecting on the events of 1994, when the National Coal Board arranged private ballots to determine whether coal pits should close immediately with compulsory redundancies, or should go to review to determine their profitability for privatisation by British Coal. Ten long years since the National Union of Mineworkers had executed their year long strike, the miners were deeply in debt, many had suffered serious physical and mental health issues, families had been split asunder, pride and hope had gone, and spirits had been broken. They no longer had the resources or strength to fight back, and the risk of losing the redundancy money swung the votes in favour of closing the pits, doing so in the knowledge that behind closed doors the decisions had already been made. Starring the incomparable Pete Postlethwaite, the film examined the effects of what the closure of one pit had on the colliery brass band.
Each major anniversary of the 1994 pit closures, has seen a stage adaptation of the film aired and, certainly of the ones that I have seen, they have all been outstandingly good. But for each passing marker, there is a generation that has no recollection of the historical events, haven’t even heard of the film, and to whom brass band music is a complete mystery.
“Fresh twist”
Liz Stevenson’s re-visiting of the script for the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike and the 30th anniversary of the pit closures necessitated a quite different approach. Paul Allen, whose first theatre adaptation of Brassed Off was for Sheffield Crucible in 1998, transferring to the National the following year, has strong associations with Stephen Joseph Theatre, writing Sir Alan Ayckbourn’s biography, Grinning At The Edge, and was a Sheffield based journalist in the 1980s, working just on the edge of the mining communities, so it is fitting that he was the one to bring a fresh twist to the story, allowing it to resonate with both those who remember vividly and those who simply want to see a show that will stay with them.
His device for doing this is to make it into a memory play, spanning the reminiscences and reflections of Shane (Andrew Turner) – an eight-year-old at the time of the pit closures – assessing the way historical events shaped him into the man he became, and discovering parallels in communities of today, torn apart by governmental decisions, poverty, conflict, despair, and ill health.
A co-production between Stephen Joseph Theatre, Theatre By The Lake, and the Octagon Theatre Bolton, the creatives have very clearly thought through this alliance in their casting and presentation. Stephen Joseph Theatre is, of course, in the round, so the other stages have been configured to emulate this.
“Never overplayed”
Russell Richardson (who can ever forget his performance in Northern Broadsides’ gorgeous play An August Bank Holiday Lark?), is a Lancashire lad, who plays the passionate band leader Danny, fighting to keep the members together in the midst of other pressures, with just the right amount of authority and compassion, moving effortlessly into a realistic portrayal of pneumoconiosis, and then delivering the speech of the play with a suitable mix of anger, fervour, and love for his band members and the community they represent. Never overplayed, nuanced, and so in tune with the demeanour of the type of dour Yorkshire men who were once prevalent.
Greg Patmore is another Lancastrian, who now lives in the Lake District. Playing Jim, Patmore grew up in Wigan Brass Bands, and is a classically trained composer and musician as well as an actor. Suitably harsh in calling Andy a scab and scathing of Gloria’s attempts to raise money.
We’re getting to know Joey Hickman quite well at Stephen Joseph Theatre. He charmed the audiences in both Brief Encounter and Christmas Carol, in which we got a flavour of his musical abilities. It is wonderful to see him back as troubled Phil, a role to which he brings compassion, humour and sadness in equal measure. There were several eyes being quietly dabbed as Phil reached his lowest point. Hickman is also a musical director as well as a musician and actor.
Daneka Etchells is a disabled writer and actor based in Cumbria, but familiar to local audiences after being seen in Pilot Theatre’s Northern Girls. They bring a full force of lived experience to the role of Sandra, the wife who adores her children and her husband, but finds it increasingly difficult to cope with the consequences of long-term stress and financial worries.
Maxine Finch is strongly supportive as Rita, one of the many wives who carried their banners, camped outside the pit gates and protested at the closures, but also has an opportunity to show humour and a gentler side.
“Humour lurking underneath”
Joanna Holden’s speciality as an actor is clowning and, playing Vera, she is able to utilise this strength in the bleaker moments. From the beginning of theatre’s history, there has been the need for scenes that capture the heaviness of life to be breathed through with a flawlessly timed comedic air, and to be able to present that quality to the stage is a rare and precious gift. Moments of unscripted interactions with the audience were particularly joyous, and without a ‘Vera’ Brassed Off would be a much gloomier affair.
Matt Ian Kelly, plays several instruments, including the Euphonium, but as Harry, he plays the Euphonium. Woe betides anybody who gets this wrong. It’s a Euphonium. I suspect that as well as great musical ability, there’s also a lovely sense of humour lurking underneath the layers of well-drawn hardship.
Barney Taylor plays Andy, bitter about the pit closures and determined to fight, but also realistic that decisions have already been made. Impetuous, gambling away his instrument, in conflict in pursuing his relationship with Gloria, Taylor confidently places Andy’s character on a more mature footing as the story progresses.
When I was growing up, brass bands were present at every agricultural show, every Sunday bandstand, and every Christmas carol event. They were as synonymous to Ryedale life as harvesting and heather, and our most local one was Kirkbymoorside Town Band, presided over by one family’s generational involvement – the Woodward family. Today, Phil Woodward is the band manager, and the musical director is Sarah Woodward. One of their daughters is Hannah Woodward, who played in the band, and then went on to train in Dance and Musical Theatre. I confess that there is an unwarranted sense of delight that one I’ve seen performing so many times as a youngster both in the band and in local productions is playing Gloria.
“Pure magic”
This updated version of Gloria has sass, freshly arrived from London, and striding confidently into her work task, but perhaps rather naïve about the complexities of emotions in a community she grew up in, and the underhand dealings of the management she works for. Woodward negotiates it all well – our local lass has done us proud.
Andrew Turner plays Shane, the character that pulls us through this story with an astute narrative, as someone whose entire life has been bound up with the ramifications of it all. It’s worth noting that Turner has been openly honest about having to deal with health issues throughout the run, followed by a close bereavement just days before opening at Stephen Joseph Theatre, but by a combination of his own professionalism and a full cast and crew that have supported him, he can be absolutely assured that he is totally nailing his performance. He is brilliant.
If anyone hasn’t seen the show yet, pay special attention at the point where the band are playing at the Royal Albert Hall and watch Turner. His wordless observing from the side, his interactions with the children, and his facial expressions are pure magic. Never faltering for one second, even when the main action is happening elsewhere. I was mesmerised by this tiny ‘play within a play’.
Talking of the children, I don’t know which combination of the junior cast members were on stage when I was there, but I do know that they were pure joy to watch – so full of energy, playfulness, enthusiasm and smiles, clearly enjoying every moment. The full junior cast are Toby Hill, Toby Hutchinson, Robin Stewart, Molly Hill, Lottie Lee, and Grace Robinson. Everyone of them is a star.
It’s refreshing to see such a large ensemble in a production of today’s theatrical climate, and they were added to by the community brass band who were magnificently impressive at doing what they do best, creating the ambience of a fully rounded, rich, musical sound. I later overheard two audience members talking. One had never heard a brass band before and was blown away by the experience. The other reflected not being given the opportunity to learn an instrument as a child and was seriously wondering whether she was now too old to learn. To provoke such reaction is special.
“Enduring kindness”
At this point, I must admit that I’m not a huge fan of Herman’s original script and I would have liked to have seen some of the cornier lines quietly retired once and for all, but this latest of Paul Allen’s adaptations does give a vital new meaning to what has at its essence a solid storyline. It brings it bang up to date for a new audience and stresses its relevance to our world today. The reasons may be different, but we only need to turn on the news to see that fractures, tensions, and breakdowns are continual issues, communities still matter, and kindness and tolerance are needed more than ever.
Perhaps there is a tiny voice inside me that whispers these vitally important concerns need a new narrative for the future, but for now, Brassed Off is a production that has been put together with such care and thought, and it shows.
In the creatives, fabulous Rachael Abbey has been brought in as Access Solidarity Worker, actors who utterly understand the significance of Whit Friday in Saddleworth are involved, former striking miners have been consulted, and in each theatre, it is performed with that community at its centre. And there’s an abiding sense of it all being wrapped in enduring kindness. It’s theatre with heart.
Whether you’ve watched the original film, remember the history behind it all, had brass music as the background to your growing up, or, contrarily, know nothing of any of it, Brassed Off has something for everybody.
‘Brassed Off’ is at Stephen Joseph Theatre until August 31, and then moves to the Octagon Theatre Bolton from September 5th to September 28th
images: Pamela Raith Photography
