Sunday, February 23, 2014

No Ordinary Bank Holiday

http://www.northern-broadsides.co.uk/


Grinning as if it were all an August Bank Holiday lark’ 

these words from Philip Larkin’s poem ‘MCMXIV’ were the inspiration behind the latest offering from one of our favourite theatre companies  Northern Broadsides at the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme.  Written by Deborah McAndrew especially for the start of the 100 years commemorations of the beginning of WW1.  It has all the humour, pathos and energy of other Northern Broadsides productions. I’m always amazed at the talent of the performers, acting, singing, dancing and playing musical instruments as well as moving their own props when necessary – which in this productions included the building up and breaking down of a Rushcart.

It's Wakes Week August 1914, the cotton mills of East Lancashire are closed and the Greenmill Rushcart lads are rehearsing for the Bank Holiday Rushbearing Festival.  Changes are in the air, not many young men are left to perform in this tradtional ceremony as who wants to stay in Greenmill on a Bank Holiday when the delights of Blackpool are on offer?  The old stalwarts like the Squire and Bagman are getting too old and heaven forbid women should be allowed to participate.  Looming on the horizon though is an even greater challenge to tradition and three of the young Rushcart lads are eager to enlist to escape the mill,  to seek new horizons and to do their bit for their county and country in the coming conflict that surely will be over by Christmas.   Who goes and who will return to Greenmill?  Whatever the outcome life will never be the same again.

We cried with laughter in the first part – we applauded the performance of the Denshaw Morris Dance, the building up and the taking down (in the interval) of the Rushcart, we applauded the women musicians who played on whilst this took place, we tapped our feet at the wedding dance and cried again as we learned the fate of the lads.


At the end the audience rose to their feet to say thank you for such a wonderful performance.  If this play comes near you – do go and see it.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Link  to trailer on YouTube

26 comments:

  1. Nice to see you back Rosie! Well, that play certainly seems like a rollercoaster ride of emotions! There is nothing like seeing a good stage performance. x

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    1. It is a very special and well written play, Simone:)

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  2. That play looks great, Rosie - I shall try and get tickets for the Oxford Playhouse. Abby x

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    1. Do hope you enjoy it when you go, Abby - is Oxford Playhouse a theatre in the round? That is the way we saw the play and it benefited from it:)

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  3. I'm glad you had a good time, it sounds well worth seeing.

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    1. Indeed it is a thoroughly enjoyable evening out:)

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  4. sounds like a good evening's entertainment

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  5. It sounds good, I'm glad you had a good evening.

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    1. We really enjoyed it - such a privilege to see such talent:)

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  6. It sounds like a great evening out. Glad that you enjoyed yourself. xx

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    1. A good time was had by all, it was quite emotional too:)

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  7. A fantastic reccomendation. I shall watch out for it xxxx

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    1. Looks as if it is going to Huddersfield, Halifax, York and Leeds, Diane if you wanted to catch it:)

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  8. Sounds wonderful. And, as I frequently do, I find myself wondering why on earth I don't go to the theatre more often.

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    1. We go once or twice a year but I often think we should go more as there is nothing quite like live entertainment:)

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  9. Nice to see you here again Rosie. Hope all is well with you. I'd certainly like to see this play if it comes our way. It sounded like a good evening.
    Patricia x

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    1. Good to be back, Patricia - it is well worth seeing if it comes to a theatre near you:)

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  10. Glad you had a good evening. The play sounds well worth going to see, especially as I've looked at the Northern Broadsides' web site and like the company's approach to theatre production. It doesn't look as if this particular play is coming to Sheffield, which is a shame.

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    1. It doesn't seem to be going to Sheffield - Huddersfield and Leeds being the nearest also Derby I think. They are an excellent theatre company:)

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  11. I will keep a look out for this Rosie in the hope that it may come to the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. I've seen a couple of Northern Broadsides' productions and they are always excellent.

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    1. They are good aren't they? I hope the play comes your way as it is well worth seeing:)

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  12. It sounds really enjoyable, Rosie. I'll look out for it!

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    1. It is very good, Wendy - I hope it comes your way:)

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  13. It sounds wonderful and the kind of play that we used to put on when I lived in Milton Keynes - our theatre group did a lot of Living History producions. If I was still in the UK I think I would be rushing to see this!

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    1. It is a super play set in a time of much change in the social order. It is heartwarming and poignant at the same time. I'm sure you would enjoy it:)

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