Review: Brassed Off at South Hill Park, Bracknell

Published 8 Aug 2010 09:00 1 Comment

By Danielle Cumber

'LONG after the last ton 'o coal there will still be music.'

That was the message at the Wild Theatre and what triumphant, defiant music it was.

The production was set in Grimley Colliery during the miners strikes, meaning a dying town will lose its brass band.

Then Danny (Mark Holliday) pushes the downtrodded bunch to become a band worth remembering, leading to a spectacular finish at the Albert Hall.

Joining the cast onstage was the Waltham St Lawrence Silver Band, based near Maidenhead.

The brass band set the pace and mood with favourite tunes including Slaidbum, Death and Glory, Danny Boy, Jerusalem and Concierto de 'Orange juice'.

The fact that the cast, with the exception of Luke Burton, were not playing the instruments was well concealed.

Director Adrian McDougall has produced a comedy with a heartfelt message that a community combined can do great things.

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 05 Aug 10

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• 

  LForrestTurner
  1 post
  Aug 9, 22:07
  Report comment

  Did the reviewer actually see this show? This sounds more like a precis than a review. Also, while Jerusalem was mentioned on the back of the flyer, it was not played during the show.
  
  If your reviewer did see the show, why not talk about the amazing set, the excellent comic timing of actors like Debbie Christie and Julian Hirst? The energy, the pace? Or even the things that went wrong, like the problems of getting the bed off?
  
  Which night did you reviewer attend?
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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