Show: Brassed Off
Society: Grassington Players
Venue: Grassington Devonshire Institute. 48 Main St,reet, Grassington, Skipton, Yorkshire BD23 5AZ
Credits: by Paul Allen. Performed by Grassington Players with the Otley Brass Band
Type: Sardines
Author: Jay Cundell Walker
Performance Date: 28/09/2023
Brassed Off
Jay Cundell Walker | 29 Sep 2023 17:56pm
Originally released as a Channel Four film in 1996, Brassed Off tells the story of a South Yorkshire mining village still suffering the after effects of the 1984 strike. Poverty, debt and a hatred of Thatcher permeate the atmosphere as the community face the extinction of their way of life and livelihood. Only the Colliery Brass Band still brings passion and hope into this deprived corner of England.
In 1994, the future of Grimley Colliery is ‘under review’. This review process brings a familiar face back to the village. The beautiful Gloria Mullins, granddaughter of one of the band’s leading players in times past, returns to be part of pit management. Gloria thinks her research on viability will affect management decisions, whereas, in fact, the fate of the colliery is already sealed by Tory government policy. Closure, and redundancy payments were always inevitable.
But Gloria’s return allows a burgeoning teenage romance to reignite. The scenes between Gloria (Lottie Cuerden) and Andy, played by Josh Richards, were some of the most tender and believable in the production. All credit to Lottie too for her convincing miming of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, affectionately known as “Orange Juice” by the colliery band. It was beautifully played by the flugel horn player from Otley Brass Band.
Phil Ormondroyd (played by Jack S Fitzsimmons) has been left in debt by the 1984 strike. He cannot manage to claw his way back to stability. He loses his furniture, his home and his family and almost his life as he despairs and attempts suicide. This is a moving role. His eldest son, Shane is the narrator of the piece and Joshua Tywang showed great potential as a newcomer to the stage.
Danny Ormondroyd (David Newall) is the band leader who lives only for his music. But he is dying slowly from pneumoconiosis as a result of all of his years down the mine. He grasped a final, moving opportunity at the Albert Hall to address the audience and make a political speech about the impact of pit closures on local communities and the lives of individuals.
One of the highlights of the night was the brass band contest, in Lancashire! The band moved off the stage and into the auditorium as they went from village to village, drinking along the way. The band members relished the opportunity to become more and more drunk, their playing skills deteriorating as they enjoyed their day out. The audience loved the humour of this scene.
This play is a challenging one for an amateur group, especially on the small stage of Grassington Town Hall. It involves constant scene changes and the accommodation on stage of a twenty-piece brass band, complete with chairs and music stands. The pace was often slow, both within scenes and during scene changes, but an appreciative audience enjoyed a great night out.
The undoubted stars of the show, however, were Otley Brass Band who played magnificently but also threw themselves into small roles and acting to support Grassington Players in celebrating a hundred years of live theatre in Upper Wharfedale.
Runs until Saturday 30 September.