Sunday, January 6, 2013

Newstead 'Brassed Off' As They Raise Curtain on 2013


Newstead brass are set to ‘Raise the Curtain’ on a dramatic 2013 with a concert featuring the music from the film and stage show ‘Brassed Off’ at The Newstead Centre this Sunday January 13th, starting at 8.00 pm.

Admission to the ‘Brassed Off’ concert on Sunday is just £3.  Tickets can be reserved on-line or by calling 0115 952 7435.

The show will mark the start of a year in which the Newstead based band will perform in two local stage adaptations of ‘Brassed Off’.  The first, at Arnold’s Bonington theatre from January 23rd to 26th marks the 50th anniversary of the Bonington Players.  Later in the year Newstead will reprise the acclaimed 2011 production at the Mansfield Palace Theatre with their Community Theatre group.

Tickets for the Bonington players production of ‘Brassed Off’ are £7.50 via the box office on 0115 9560733.

Released in 1996, the film ‘Brassed Off’ tells the story of a community threatened by the closure of their colliery and the impacts on the village and their brass band, as well as the romantic encounters of the band’s horn player Andy and his returning childhood sweetheart (and outstanding Flugelhorn player) Gloria.  It’s a story close to the heart of Newstead brass players.  Not only did Newstead suffer lose its band room in the national colliery closure programme in the 1980s but their musical director Duncan Beckley was instrumental in adapting the film when it transferred to the stage in 1998, premiering at the Sheffield Crucible before moving into the West End.  There was also a national tour in which Newstead brass appeared alongside the professional cast at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal.

A band spokesman added, “Although the story behind ‘Brassed Off’ is now over 20 years old, it continues to be appropriate to these austere times in which we live.  It is however ultimately an uplifting tale and I’m sure audiences will enjoy both our concert featuring such familiar tunes as ‘Death or Glory’, ‘Orange Juice’, ‘William Tell’ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ and the theatre production later this month.”