New Dawn Fades, the celebrated Joy Division drama, returns to mark a very special anniversary, forty years since the band's Unknown Pleasures was released.
It's a welcome return for a play that takes a look at the inception of one of our most loved and enigmatic bands. Scripted by Salford Star Award winner Brian Gorman New Dawn Fades offers not only a great piece of theatre, but also a well-crafted insight into a story that continues to fascinate.
Brian tells the Salford Star that the play has taken on a new life to mark the occasion... "Our last director made some cuts, and some scenes were re-imagined" he explains "For this one, bearing in mind it's the 40th anniversary of Unknown Pleasures, I am revamping certain elements. There will be new audio-visual segments, and some new scenes."
There is a wealth of material and first-hand information on the band. These accounts mean that any dramatisation has to be an accurate portrayal and that the subjects have be treated with deference and sensitivity. It something that Brian is well aware of... "Since I first wrote it, I have met various real-life characters from the play - Mick Middles, T J Davidson, members of The Drones, etc - and I have new insights and anecdotes from them that will help with the new script."
Antony H. Wilson acts as a guide as he narrates through the history of the band, and the history of the area. It's a clever device that brings the audience up to speed with a potted history of the region and the mood of the time.
New Dawn Fades sets the scene and provides an authentic cultural landscape. It places the audience in the midst a young gang of mates ready to take on the world. Brian is delighted with the dramatisation of the seminal events...
"I love the scene where Tony Wilson gets very excited about the sudden upsurge of punk bands in Manchester" Brian says "He is ecstatic at the energy in the air, and believes a magnificent revolution is taking place, and that something very special is happening. We then cut immediately to Hooky and Barney sitting around, bored senseless, and muttering about not being able to get any gigs without a singer... Magic can happen in the most uninspiring and lethargic places."
Many of the area's icons have been along to see the show. Rowetta and John Robb both loved it enough to attend more than once and both have provided positive reviews and quotes in endorsement of the play.
Whether you're a fully-paid-up expert on Warsaw, Joy Division and New Order or looking for a starting point, the play is highly relatable and offers something for everyone. New Dawns Fades celebrates a classic band that created timeless music. It masterfully evokes Salford and Manchester in the seventies whilst celebrating the undeniable Joy Division brilliance. Get along and celebrate a great and classic album...
New Dawn Fades by Brian Gorman
Unknown Pleasures: A Special 40th Anniversary Cut
Thursday 12th September/Friday 13th September/Saturday 14th September (with matinee)
Manchester Dancehouse Theatre
*Early Bird Tickets are now available price £12 – click here for details
Words by Ian Leslie
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