Stonking show has got the lot

THE cast of Brassed Off at Oldham Coliseum

BRASSED OFF

(Oldham Coliseum - to October 1)

NO DOUBT if director Kevin Shaw had his way, this would run until the panto was due to open, giving the Coliseum a payday all the way from September to January.

This is the third production at the Coliseum since 2005 of Paul Allen's adaptation of Mark Herman's movie script (the last in 2008), and the repeat is very much by public demand.

Perhaps the show is so successful because it's got the lot: heroic miners unwilling to lose their livelihoods despite the offer of compensation; championship-hunting pit band hoping to create a glorious memory, broken family, a dying veteran and some cute kids - though it has to be said that Thomas Weir as the 10-year-old son, when he's actually taller than his "dad" Phil (Paul Barnhill), is pushing it a bit.

There's a family drama dressed up in a work dispute as money troubles break up Phil and his wife Sandra (Natalie Grady, on great form), and a poignant last hurrah by band-leader Danny (Ged McKenna), determined to ignore black lung until he has won the national championship. There's even a few neighbourly comic characters (led by John Elkington and Howard Chadwick as miners Jim and Harry) to ensure the (in theory) highly serious political story is handled with a light touch.

It's the early Nineties, and we are witnessing the break-up of the mining industry and a Grimley community that lives on it, despite the work of naive but well-meaning former local girl, now NCB researcher and mean flugelhorn player Gloria (Rachael Garnett), to prove it still has lots of life left.

Members of the community are at the same time distrustful and torn - even Gloria's childhood boyfriend Andy (George Brockbanks) is happy to see her again, but not about why she's back.

There's a lot of story wrapped in light comedy, smartly played through by the rather good cast.

But who am I kidding? The show is such a hit mainly because you get a brass band concert and a stage representation of the Whit Friday band contests thrown in every night.

Over the run Delph (whom I saw), Diggle (this week), Oldham (Lees) and Boarshurst band will be the "Grimley" band each night, playing two or three favourites and featuring leading lady Rachael Garnett on solo flugelhorn.

So here's to the next time.

We'll pencil it in to open the new theatre, maybe...

PG