Brass

5
A new Musical at the Leeds City Variety
By Robert Iles - 22nd Aug 2014

Brass, by Benjamin. Till, commissioned by the National Youth Music Theatre is a timely telling of the story of the Leeds Pals, a regiment formed from the young men of Yorkshire, who fought and died in the Battle of the Somme in the First World War. The tale also takes in the lives of their womenfolk at home in Leeds, many of whom worked at the Barnbow Munitions Factory, making shells and ammunition for the men on the front line.

In this version of the story, the Pals are all members of the same brass band, with their conductor, Alf, at the helm.

In their absence, Alf's sister, Eliza, gets her Barnbow allies to learn how to play the men's instruments, planning to play for their triumphant return home. The Battle of the Somme had another destiny in mind, however.

The NYMT have put together an astonishingly complex and large-scale production, with a talented cast of 28, and a 22-strong band for this world-premiere production this week at the City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds. In a very fine twist of fate, the opening of the show features Sandra Kassman as music hall chanteuse Beatrice de Lille, enticing the men of Leeds to enlist for. Kitchener's army onstage at the City Varieties, in exactly the same spot where the same thing happened in real life, exactly one hundred years ago.

The show is a roller coaster of high emotions, excellently played by this cast of young performers, ranging in age from fifteen to twenty-three, many of whom are exactly the same age as the characters they are portraying. Among the many fine performers, special mention goes to Benjamin Jones (Alf) in strong voice, and an accomplished trumpeter to boot, Laura Barnard, as Eliza, who powers her way through some very difficult songs, Rosie Archer, as Emmie, the Barnbow worker who loses her husband, her baby, and finally her life in a heartbreaking storyline, played entirely without self pity, which only goes to make it even more devastating, and a wonderful comic turn from Robyn McIntyre, as the caustic and sarcastic Tats, who shows a very different side to her character on hearing of the death of her brother Morrie, played with charm by Robin Franklin.

Till's story shifts between the ladies back home and the men on the front with ease, helped by tremendous direction from Sara Kestelman, and Matt Flint's choreography is gritty and visceral.

The score is one of the best that British Musical theatre has offered in a while, with soaring melodies, and catchy tunes that will have you humming them long after you leave the theatre. The song Billy Whistle will be haunting me for a good long while yet!

Brass will have you reaching for your tissues, and the final sequence of the show, where the cast all sing letters to their loved ones before the men go over the top is so powerful, I heard one audience member say she was crying so much she needed nurofen! Brass is playing at the City Varieties until 23rd of August, and is not to be missed!

NG


Latest News & Reviews

12th Mar 24 :: Review: Macbeth
English Touring Theatre (ETT) production seen in Worthing,
3
7th Mar 24 :: Review: The Life of Pi
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth
5
6th Mar 24 :: Review: And Then There Were None
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
2
5th Mar 24 :: Review: Musclebound
Seen at The Front Room, Weston-super-Mare
3
2nd Mar 24 :: Review: Marry Me A Little
Seen at The Stage Door Theatre, Drury Lane
2
28th Feb 24 :: Review: Cable Street
Seen at the Southwark Playhouse, Borough.
3
28th Feb 24 :: Review: Carlos Acosta - On Before
Seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth
4
26th Feb 24 :: Offies Winners 2024
WInners of the Offies 2024 awards have been announced.
15th Feb 24 :: Review: The Drifters Girl
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
4
12th Feb 24 :: Review: Whatsonstage Awards Winners
The winners of the Whatsonstage Awards announced.
0
6th Feb 24 :: Review: Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell
Selected dates until 26 February at the Coach and Horses, 29 Greek Street, London W1D 5DH
4
5th Feb 24 :: Review: Macbeth
David Tennant and Cush Jumbo at the Donmar Warehouse
4
20th Jan 24 :: Review: Disney's Aladdin
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
4
19th Jan 24 :: Review: Alegria - Cirque du Soleil
The latest production seen at the Royal Albert Hall
3
20th Dec 23 :: Review: Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Pantomime seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth
4
18th Dec 23 :: Review: Sleeping Beauty
Panto at the Pavilion Theatre, Worthing.
4
13th Dec 23 :: Review: A Christmas Carol
Guy Masterson's one-man production seen in Boscastle
5
7th Dec 23 :: Review: Oliver Twist
Seen at the Tobacco Factory in Bristol.
5
29th Nov 23 :: Review: 2:22 A Ghost Story
The 2023 tour seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth
5
15th Nov 23 :: Review: Radio GaGa
Seen at the Adelphi Theatre, London.
3

Most Popular Stories

Viewings over the last 10 days
6th Mar 24 :: Review: And Then There Were None
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. 140 views
13th Oct 23 :: Review: Birmingham Royal Ballet - Black Sabbath
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. 125 views
28th Feb 24 :: Review: Carlos Acosta - On Before
Seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth 116 views
12th Mar 24 :: Review: Macbeth
English Touring Theatre (ETT) production seen in Worthing, 112 views
5th Mar 24 :: Review: Musclebound
Seen at The Front Room, Weston-super-Mare 103 views
7th Mar 24 :: Review: The Life of Pi
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth 80 views
15th Feb 24 :: Review: The Drifters Girl
Touring production seen at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. 74 views
2nd Mar 24 :: Review: Marry Me A Little
Seen at The Stage Door Theatre, Drury Lane 70 views
26th Feb 24 :: Offies Winners 2024
WInners of the Offies 2024 awards have been announced. 70 views
12th Feb 24 :: Review: Whatsonstage Awards Winners
The winners of the Whatsonstage Awards announced. 68 views


Listings powered by Dynamic Listing Ltd
Mastodon X - Twitter Multidomain certificate installed
© Dynamic Listing Ltd, UK. 1995-2024