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ndrewDunn [Phil], AndrewRoberts-Palmer [Harry], KraigThornber[Jim]andJamesRobinson [Andy] in a scene from Brassed Off! at the Octagon, Bolton.


Clara Darcy as Gloria.


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BY PlPFA MUNRO HEBDEN www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk facebook.com/advertisertimes


Review: "Brassed Off",atthe Octagon Theatre, Bolton, until June 14th. Box office: 01204 520661 Website: www. octagonbolton.co.uk


Ifyou want to write a play with a political message, this is the way to do it. Mark Herman wrote the


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screenplay for the origi­ nal film of Brassed Off, star­ rin g the late, great Pete Postlethwaite. Paul Allen has adapted it into an enthralling and powerful play. Damian Cruden directs a


talented ensemble and three local brass bands, on rota­ tion, provide the live music. The story concerns a group of miners and their families. The time is the mid-9os, a dec­ ade after the Miners’ Strike of 1984 and Grimley pit is facing closure. The miners play in a brass


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On a damp Wednesday night my wife and Ijoined an enthu­


siastic crowd at The Grand to


see and hear the guitar wizard that is Albert L ee .:


"; No-one was disappointed,


as Albert - even at 70 - proved his fingers are as nimble as ev­ er and age isn’t taking toll on hisvoice. - . .. Backed by the outstand­ ing Hogan’s Heroes and The


srs are just as nimble as ever


Grand’s superb sound system, the show was a triumph with every musician in top form. : While Albert was out­


standing the band were also quality with Jerry Hoganplay-


ing rhythm guitar and bril­ liant lap steel throughout. New bassist Phil Cranham


showed top bass runs to click with drummer/vocalistPeter Baron, while Gavin Povey also


excelled with great rockn’ roll piano and voice. Ih a set where covers of


such as Iggy Pop, Green Day, BuJ


H(% Everly Brothers and Carl Perkins, were sup­


plement to their own excel­ lent material, the band were bob-on. Well done, The Grand; yet another night to remem­ ber. ‘Big George’


band led by Danny (John McArdle). Danny’s son Phil (Andrew Dunn) struggles to support his family, his wife Sandra (Rebecca Clay) and son Shane (Luke Adamson) and his other children. The ar­ rival of .Gloria (Clara Darcy), a


ThecastandbandonstageatTheOctagon.


researcherforttieCoalBoard, starts a series of events, espe­ cially a rekindled love affair with Andy (James Robinson). The first act is full of hu­


mour and some pathos. The second act is harder as the pit closes, Danny’s health deteri­ orates and Phil’s family faces very hard times. Support and hostility are supplied by Har­ ry (Andrew Roberts-Palmer) and Jim (KraigThornber) and their wives (Helen Kay and Gil- ly Tomkins). My companion and I loved


the production. We liked'the way in which Shane acts as both narrator and a wonder­ fully impish and believable child. We were moved by the plight of the characters. How­ ever, I feel obliged to point out that there is some strong lan­


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Bring on the brass for classic musical message


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guage (totally appropriate to the situation) and some partial nudity (not really enough!). The night I saw it, the cast


and band received a well-de­ served standing ovation. The ending is dramatic and the music is wonderful. My spe­ cial thanks go to Clara Darcy and the band for their rendi- tionofpart of Roderigo’s Con- cierto Di Aranjuez, one of my favourite pieces of music since I was 17.1 love it on the guitar, but it sounded moving in brass too. It made me cry. TheOctagon’snextproduc-


tion is “Love Story” with Dan­ iel Boys from Any Dream will Do and Lauren Samuels from Over the Rainbow, both BBC programmes. I think I might cry again. ' Pippa Munro Hebden


John McArdle as Danny. viC 1 >


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Instrumental masters play in Clitheroe


The Summer Concert of the Clitheroe Concerts Society takes place next Wednes­ day, June 4th, at 7-30 pm in the Ribble Valley Council Chamber in Church Street, Clitheroe. It follows the society’s


• long-established policy of presenting internation­ ally acclaimed musicians, though on this occasion there is the added bonus of the Turner-Smith Duo both living in the North-West. John Turner was per­


suaded to make music his career, rather than the law, by David Munrow, the early music recording sensation of the 1970s. John’s first public concert was as soloist with Munrow’s acclaimed “Early Music Consort” at the Alde- burgh Festival. His second and third were at the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall! Ackowledged as one of


the top two recorder play­ ers in the world, John will ’ be making a double CD just a week before the concert, adding to at least a dozen re­ cordings already available. Neil Smith, like John,


started in a different direc­ tion and turned a musical hobby into a career which took him all over the world. He was an engineer at ROF,


Chorley,whenhetookupthe guitar. It was clear he had a


great talent, starting in rock, then jazz with George Melly


and folk with the Fivepenny Piece. He became facinated


with the classical guitar and enrolled the Guildhall School of Music, followed by Toronto University. Soon


he was featured by the BBC, touring the world as a solo­ ist with major Symphony


Orchestras and chosen to ap­ pear with Rostropvich and


AndresSegoviaataRoyalGa- la performance. He played


James Robinson asAndyandClara DarcyasGloria.


100th birthday celebration at Glamis Castle. The programme John and Neil will play is facinat-


for the Queen Mother at her m m Neil Smith. m'n ift'f. § John Turner.


ing and includes a world pre­ miere performance of “Two Scottish Dances” by Robin Stevens. The concert is open to


everybody and admission is free, although donations to cover the society’s expens­ es are very welcome. There will be no tickets. Families of young people who are stud­ ying the recorder or guitar are especially welcome. A •detailed programme will be available on the night and a very brief AGM of the soci­ ety will be held before the concert.


+ 28 I CLTTHEROEADVERTISER&TIMES www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk Thursday, May29,2oi4


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