Review: BRASSED OFF - Leeds Playhouse (23/06/26)

Heartfelt homage to Yorkshire Brass Band hits all the right notes

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It's been over 4 decades since the miner's strike, and the acceleration of pit closures resulting from the defeat of the union in parliament, yet the hurt caused to so many working class communities by Margaret Thatcher's premiership is still as raw as it ever has been; amidst the damage done to these salt of the earth working men and women though, there are still so many stories of hope that have come out of this period of great contention. Before we had the cinematic and musical giant that is "Billy Elliot", Paul Allen adapted a screenplay by Mark Herman about one South Yorkshire community, decimated by its pit closure, but united and galvanised, in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, by the power of music.

Combining theatricality and solid storytelling with genuinely wonderful brass band performance, "Brassed Off" is a play like no other, focussing on how the now internationally renowned brass band of Grimethorpe dealt with the whole saga surrounding the closure of their pit in 1992, one of only 50 remaining at the time. It centres around several members of the band, as well as its leader, other members of the mining community, and families and friends of the musicians, in a heartfelt story of true humanity, and how, in spite of our differences, we will aways show up for those whom we care about, a sentiment that has always been particularly true of northern mining villages.

The company of "Brassed Off" (credit: Kirsten McTernan)

Interspersed amid the presentation of the story, are a series of superb live performances by a group of around 23 brass musicians, with members of both the Horbury Victoria and Wakefield Metropolitan brass bands featuring during the run. You can fully tell that these musicians are accustomed to performing together, such is the quality of the ensemble and the strength of the solo players, the inclusion of real brass bands within the production has proven time and again to be a masterstroke of both direction and narrative embellishment, and this new staging is no exception.

Amy Leach has very much leant into this sense of humility and unwavering working class grit, with a great deal of marvellous humour to boot; her directorial style is slick and fluid, in spite of a couple of minor hiccups along the way, and her creative team etched out a gorgeous canvas on which to tell the story, in particular Katie Scott's impressive, sprawling, and multifunctional set design must be highlighted, as well as musical contributions from Jonathan Mitra, with incidental music also used to great effect.

What is especially well highlighted by Herman's original story though, is just how hard the extreme poverty hit these newly unemployed miners, with trombonist Phil's loss of everything, from the baby's pram to his house, proving a particularly potent gut punch. Additionally, there is a palpable build of friction that's ever present among the mining community during this time reaching boiling point, as those affected begin fighting among themselves out of pure frustration and fear for the future; Allen's adaptation is remarkably raw, unflinching, and certainly doesn't mince its words, in how well it depicts these moments of darkness. But equally, from said feeling of despondence, came luminescent light, as we find out just how unbreakable the spirit of a working class Yorkshire village is when faced with adversity, and this warmed the cockles in just the right way.

The company of "Brassed Off" (credit: Kirsten McTernan)

This multi-talented cast provides us with an embarrassment of riches, many of those on stage are equally proficient as actors and instrumentalists, with particular plaudits going to Robin Morrissey for his grounded, sincere take on the ever stalwartly Phil, and Maddie Hansen for charming us, yet always making us question her motivations, as local girl turned big city slicker Gloria; not only this, but the principal cast also blend spectacularly well with the more established instrumental ensembles, and when they all come together to make beautiful music, we feel transported from a theatre auditorium to a concert hall, as if, for a fleeting moment, we are fully a part of their world.

What this play perhaps lacks in depth with certain moments of character or relationship building, it more than makes up with how much it wears its heart on its sleeve, as we do feel deeply for these characters and their respective plights. It lays bare just how adversely major political decisions often affect those at the bottom of the earning ladder, especially when it comes to cost cutting, and perfectly portrays the human cost of these decisions. More than anything though, as cliched as it may sound, the unbreakable endurance of the human spirit is often on full display, and goodness knows we need plenty of that in the current climate.

★★★★☆ (4*)

"Brassed Off" runs at Leeds Playhouse until the 11th of July (tickets)

{PR/Gifted Tickets}