Wolverhampton Grand Theatre's BRASSED OFF Marches into Eastbourne

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre has just announced that its in-house production of BRASSED OFF will transfer to The Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne following its run in Wolverhampton. The production marks the first return to producing theatre in over 40 years for the Grand.

Adrian Jackson, Chief Executive and Artistic Director for the Grand Theatre said, "I am thrilled that The Devonshire Park Theatre will be taking our new production of Brassed Off and giving it life after the Grand. It has been an amazing project to work on so far and I'm very much looking forward to Wolverhampton and Eastbourne audiences experiencing our creation."

Chris Jordan, Artistic Director of Eastbourne Theatres also commented, "We are very pleased to be welcoming this exciting new production of Brassed Off, that has been 'made in Wolverhampton'. Partnerships, working between similar venues is really important as a means of creating and maintaining quality product for regional theatres. I hope this may be the first of many collaborations between our organisations."

BRASSED OFF is directed by Gareth Tudor Price, formerly Artistic Director of Hull Truck Theatre for many years and has worked alongside playwrights including John Godber and Amanda Whittington. Set and costume design is by John Brooking who has designed many productions from serious drama to pantomime including sets for the West End stage. Gareth will rehearse the Eastbourne Silver Band into the production at the Devonshire Park Theatre the week before the opening on Tuesday 12 September.

Many of the cast will transfer with the production, including Jeffrey Holland from TV's Hi-De-Hi!, You Rang M'Lord? And Oh Doctor Beeching! as Danny. The cast includes Christopher Connel (Phil), Miriam Grace Edwards (Sandra), Ash Matthews (Shane), Clara Darcy (Gloria), Eddy Massarella (Andy), TIM JOnes (Harry), Greg Yates (Jim), Una McNulty (Vera) and Donna Heaslip (Rita).

Paul Allen who adapted the screenplay, was born in Kent and brought up in cold country vicarages. In 1976 he was the first regional journalist to be named Critic of the Year in the British Press Awards, for television and radio reviewing. In the 1980s he began a long association with the BBC Radio 4 arts magazine Kaleidoscope. He wrote and presented the Kaleidoscope feature The Leaf and the Fig which won the last BP Arts Journalism Award for radio in 1993. Two dozen of his plays have been produced, on radio and theatres across the country. Most recently his adaptation of Brassed Off opened in Sheffield and subsequently transferred to the National Theatre. He has presented Night Waves on BBC Radio 3 since May 1998. His biography of Alan Ayckbourn, Grinning at the Edge, is published by Methuen. A Pocket Guide to Alan Ayckbourn's Plays is published by Faber.

Mark Herman writer of the Screenplay wrote Brassed Off which opened the Sundance and Leeds Film Festivals in 1997 and in 1998 won the Ceaser Award for Best Film. His first feature-length project was Blame It on the Bellboy (1992), a comedy of mistaken identity starring Dudley Moore and Bryan Brown. His other work includes Little Voice starring Ewan McGregor, Michael Caine, Jane Horrocks and Brenda Blethyn. Purely Belter (Film Four), Hope Springs, The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas (British Independent Film Award: Best Director).

BRASSED OFF was first performed at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield on 17th March 1998.

Tickets for BRASSED OFF until Saturday 2 September 2017 at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre can be purchased in person at the Box Office, by calling 01902 42 92 12 or online at grandtheatre.co.uk.

Tickets for BRASSED OFF between Tuesday 12 - Saturday 16 September 2017 at Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne can be purchased by calling 01323 412 000 or online at eastbournetheatres.co.uk.

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