Nigel Womersle Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 I think tony actually wrote the songs, and maybe even collaborated with the script? I think it was an Allen Cullen/Rederick horne masterpiece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Womersle Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 In response to Hazel, there was a performance at Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet of an historical musical but it wasn't the Stirrings. It was written by Kevin McKenna who worked at the Drama Studio near the University and also at The Crucible. I seem to remember Tony Capstick being involved somewhere along the line. It might have been called 'Grinders' Grudge'. The song sung by William Broadhead in Act 1 of The Stirrings.......... was The Grinders' Hardships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbieh29 Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 I have joined this forum purely to answer this question.... Im actually not from Yorkshire I am from Birmingham but was just nosying around when I saw this question..... The song 'The Sheffield Grinder' is on the B -side of 'Capstick Comes Home'. I have an original copy of it on a 45 Vinyl. I shall give you some of the lyrics, can't remember them all am having to do it from memory... To be a Sheffield grinder it is no easy trade There's more than you'd imagine in the grinding of a blade The strongest man among us is old as 32 There's few brave such hardships as we poor grinders do.... Every working day we are breathing dust and steel and a broken stone can give us a wool that will not heel... Sorry, can't remember any more. As for Capstick comes home, the first time I heard that tune I was in stiches.... I think that I was only about 10 years old when my dad first played it to me, I am now 29 and the words for that tune are etched into my brain... very funny indeed. Furthermore, I know that people say that the background music to Capstick Comes Home is the hovis tune but its actually Ludwig Van Beethovens 'New World Symphony - Opus 28' - and what a wonderful piece of music it is too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Womersle Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 You are right, according to the script he was played by Wilfred Harrison. Also in the script one of the singer,s called "Minnie" was Sharon Duce. Whatever happened to her I wonder. The first performance was 31 May 1966. Then in 68 and then in 73 at the Crucible. Has it been done recently? Never knew they made a EP of the music, is it by the original performers in 66? Dorothy Vernon originally played the part of Miss Blanche De La Fleur who was really Minnie Murgatroyd, at the Playhouse. I saw her do it. When she shouted 'Thee shut thi gob fat arse' to a member of the audience in the Music Hall scene, it was brilliant. In the Music Hall scene, the chairman was played by Colin George, director of the show and also Dorothy's real life husband. No one has ever topped her in that part and I have seen the show many times and also appeared in it too. The first person to play Minnie at The Crucible was Fanny Carby, who married Roderick Horne, composer of the show's music, and was one of the original minstrels, together with Dorothy Vernon. I have an LP (not EP) of the songs, but it is The Crucible cast who sing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookesey Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Saw it at the Crucible when the leading male was one William Wordsworth who was the grandson or great grandson of the poet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lastyz Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Dorothy Vernon originally played the part of Miss Blanche De La Fleur who was really Minnie Murgatroyd, at the Playhouse. I saw her do it. When she shouted 'Thee shut thi gob fat arse' to a member of the audience in the Music Hall scene, it was brilliant. In the Music Hall scene, the chairman was played by Colin George, director of the show and also Dorothy's real life husband. No one has ever topped her in that part and I have seen the show many times and also appeared in it too. The first person to play Minnie at The Crucible was Fanny Carby, who married Roderick Horne, composer of the show's music, and was one of the original minstrels, together with Dorothy Vernon. I have an LP (not EP) of the songs, but it is The Crucible cast who sing. I remember Dorothy Vernon and Stirrings well, but it has nothing to do with the play! I was at Chaucer school when she was the drama teacher there. How can I put this, she was a bit “up front”, in fact she had quite a lot up front. This caused many a stirring among the pubescent pupils, including myself. Miss Vernon was the subject of more fantasies than she could ever imagine, or perhaps she was well aware of her effect. Incidentally, she was apparently influential in Sharon Duce becoming an actress but I’m not sure how the two were linked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmambo Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I have an old book of Sheffield and district songs published by the City Museum many years ago (possibly in response to the interest aroused by the Stirrings) "Cum all yo Cutlin Heroes". The Jolly Grinder is described as, Trad. in Wilson 1862. Tune D.A.E.S & Roderick Horn. Other songs from the Wilson collection are, Cutlin Heroes, Jovial Cutlers, Jolly Grinder (broadsheet 235M), Saturday Night and File Hewers Lamentation. Opinions seem to vary about Owd Smeet 'em, as William Broadhead was known, I regard him as a great local hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossdog Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Any one ever go to the Playhouse to see "The Stirrings in Sheffeild on Saturday Night"? I can still remember the tune to the song, well the first line anyway. Must have been the sixties. I recently bought a copy of the script, although I have'nt read it yet. I saw it at the Playhouse ,and the lead role was taken by that great actor David Bradley,who you still see in films and TV today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Womersle Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 I saw it at the Playhouse ,and the lead role was taken by that great actor David Bradley,who you still see in films and TV today. David Bradley (Harry Potter's caretaker) was in the production, but the lead was played by Wilfred Harrison. When the film 'Kes' was made, the part of Billy Casper was played by a teenage David Bradley, who had to change his Christian name (for theatrical purposes) to Dai. This was an Equity ruling - no two actors could have the same name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeke Posted March 5, 2007 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Yes, I saw The Stirrings in about 1969-70. I had been a regular at the Playhouse in 1966-67 as I was quite friendly with one of the cast, the late Rosemary Towler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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