The Playhouse -Stirrings in Sheffield

[prioryx]

It must be difficult for theater groups south of nottingham to do The stirrings the dialect would be difficult to get reet ant southerners wunt unnstanit thanoos

[sweetdexter]

I left Sheffield in 66.

I used to go to the Playhouse, but I remember it has a repertory theatre more of a training ground for acters.

Doing the traditional stuff 'Shaw' and such.

What is ' The Stirrings in Sheffield on Saturday night'

[Lostrider]

Originally posted by sweetdexter

I left Sheffield in 66.

I used to go to the Playhouse, but I remember it has a repertory theatre more of a training ground for acters.

Doing the traditional stuff 'Shaw' and such.

What is ' The Stirrings in Sheffield on Saturday night'

 

From the script

 

"A musical documentary set against the backdrop of music hall, revue sketch, monologue and folk song, the play chronicles the violent stirrings in the Sheffield politics of the 1860's. The central problems then as now, were, wages and prices: the unions fighting the small employer and the machine: a new business attempting to compete with a monopoly."

 

The play was based on facts and historical documents of the time.

 

The writer Alan Cullen the Playhouse "resident playwright" also did two more plays for the playhouse, "Ring o Roses" and "The life and times of Charlie Peace", neither of which I have seen.

[algy]

Am I imagining or did Tony Capstick record the Grinders song on the B side of his one hit ' Capstick comes home'? I'm sure he recorded it somewhere.

[Lostrider]

Originally posted by algy

Am I imagining or did Tony Capstick record the Grinders song on the B side of his one hit ' Capstick comes home'? I'm sure he recorded it somewhere.

 

I dont know, but heres the lyrics to Capstick comes home for your enjoyment.

 

 

CAPSTICK COMES HOME

( 'Hovis' Advert Parody )

by

Tony Capstick

 

 

 

I'll never forget that first day at t'pit.

Me an' mi father worked a 72 hour shift, then wi walked home 43 mile through t'snow in us bare feet, huddled inside us clothes med out o' old sacks.

Eventually we trudged over t'hill until wi could see t'street light twinklin' in our village.

Mi father smiled down at mi through t'icicles hangin' off his nose. "Nearly home now lad", he said.

We stumbled into t'house and stood there freezin' cold and tired out, shiverin' and miserable, in front o' t' meagre fire.

Any road, mi mam says "Cheer up, lads. I've got you some nice brown bread and butter for yer tea."

Ee, mi father went crackers. He reached out and gently pulled mi mam towards 'im by t'throat. "You big fat, idle ugly wart", he said. "You gret useless spawny-eyed parrot-faced wazzock." ('E had a way wi words, mi father. He'd bin to college, y'know). "You've been out playin' bingo all afternoon instead o' gettin' some proper snap ready for me an' this lad", he explained to mi poor, little, purple-faced mam.

Then turnin' to me he said "Arthur", (He could never remember mi name), "here's half a crown. Nip down to t'chip 'oyl an' get us a nice piece o' 'addock for us tea. Man cannot live by bread alone."

He were a reyt tater, mi father.

He said as 'ow workin' folk should have some dignity an' pride an' self respect, an' as 'ow they should come home to summat warm an' cheerful.

An' then he threw mi mam on t'fire.

We didn't 'ave no tellies or shoes or bedclothes.

We med us own fun in them days.

Do you know, when I were a lad you could get a tram down into t'town, buy three new suits an' an ovvercoat, four pair o' good boots, go an' see George Formby at t'Palace Theatre, get blind drunk, 'ave some steak an' chips, bunch o' bananas an' three stone o' monkey nuts an' still 'ave change out of a farthing.

We'd lots o' things in them days they 'aven't got today - rickets, diptheria, Hitler and my, we did look well goin' to school wi' no backside in us trousers an' all us little 'eads painted purple because we 'ad ringworm.

They don't know they're born today!!!

[Lostrider]

Originally posted by algy

Am I imagining or did Tony Capstick record the Grinders song on the B side of his one hit ' Capstick comes home'? I'm sure he recorded it somewhere.

 

Did a quick check on the web for this info and it appears that Tony recorded the "Sheffield Grinder" on the B side of "Capstick Comes Home", but looking at the lyrics it is not the same song as the one from the Stirrings "The Grinders Hardships".

 

Sheffield Grinder

[algy]

Thanks Lostrider. Tony's death was a very sad loss to South Yorkshire,his sense of humour and local knowledge were second to none!

[Jane Shutt]

From the script

 

 

The writer Alan Cullen the Playhouse "resident playwright" also did two more plays for the playhouse, "Ring o Roses" and "The life and times of Charlie Peace", neither of which I have seen.

 

Alan Cullen wrote children's Christmas plays for the Playhouse for many years during my childhood - oh, so many years ago now!

 

Trudi and the Minstral, John Willy and the Bee People and Island of the Winds (With Ann Stallybrass as Depression Number Three) are the ones I remember well.

[CHAIRBOY]

Yes, I attended the Playhouse Theatre to see The Stirrings but can't remember too much about it. There was an actor at that time at The Playhouse called Christopher Wilkinson, who was very good but whether he had a part in that, I'm not sure?

I remember a Tyneside equivalent of that time: "Close The Coalhouse Door" (1969) with John Woodvine. I thought that was musically ahead of The Stirrings.

[WadbroughKid]

My sister has a small speaking role as the buffer girl at the revival production at The Crucible in early 90's. It was a fantastic play