Brass shines as show hits the highest note

ALL together now: Danny (Eric Potts) puts leading characters (from the left) Phil Corbitt, Phil Rowson, Bernard Wrigley, Clara Darcy and Stuart Wade through their paces

“BRASSED OFF”

(Oldham Coliseum)

Review by Paul Genty

IF you haven’t already booked for this opening show of the Coliseum’s autumn season, take the plunge and be quick about it.

Last time the Coliseum presented this miners-and-message musical tragicomedy it scored the highest average audiences the theatre has had in recent times.

Repeated by popular demand, it looks set to do so again — especially with favourite actors like Eric Potts in the cast.

If you didn’t see it before and haven’t seen the film, first of all well done on coming out of the coma.

To fill you in, it’s an everything-within tale of gallant Yorkshire miners, evil management and Conservative government, pit closures, poverty, fatal disease, family strife, romance, the Saddleworth band contests and brass band music in general — luckily, with a tilt in favour of the last three.

The story is actually serious stuff, about government policy shutting down old pits and decimating communities — that of Grimley being the example chosen.

If you don’t warm to the story of Phil (Stuart Wade, hugely sympathetic) and his wife Sandra (a terrific turn by Emma Gregory) and children, still climbing out of the poverty imposed by the Eighties miners’ strike 10 years before, then you certainly will to his father.

Eric Potts (in fine form and actually looking like he could conduct) is Danny, a man slowly, secretly dying of lung disease but holding on for the chance of taking his band to the championships.

Along the way it manages to be down-to-earth funny — thanks to the running jokery of neighbours Rita (Isabel Ford) and Harry (Phil Corbitt), Vera (Sue Twist) and Jim (Bernard Wrigley).

It’s nicely romantic and not too sad or political thanks to the restored romance between miner Andy (Phil Rowson) and newcomer Gloria (Clara Darcy — both cute and a strong flugelhorn player, quite a combination).

There’s even a funny detour to Saddleworth for the band contests.

The show also manages to be inspiring and quite brassy, given that Dobcross Band (sharing on other nights with Marsden, Mossley and Delph bands) stood in as the Grimley pit band and sailed through everything from the Floral Dance to the slow movement of the Concierto de Aranjuez.

Perhaps it was at slightly too great a length, but enjoyably diverting nonetheless.

You are unlikely to find a play that bounces so well between tragedy, comedy and music and conjures such a feel-good evening, helped by snappy direction from Kevin Shaw, out of what could well have been nothing more than a dour social documentary.

The audience loved it — and with good reason.