The brand new stage production of New Dawn Fades: A Play About Joy Division & Manchester is embarking on a new tour this Autumn. New Dawn Fades: A Play About Joy Division & Manchester 10th Anniversary Tour 2022 will open on Thursday 1 September at Sheffield Leadmill and then go on to further venues including The Met, Bury, Liverpool Epstein Theatre and RNCM Theatre, Manchester.
Tour Dates and Ticket Links
Sheffield Leadmill Thursday 1st September – https://leadmill.co.uk/event/new-dawn-fades-2022/
Lawrence Batley Theatre Huddersfield Wednesday 7th September – TBC
Liverpool Epstein Theatre Wednesday 14th September – https://www.epsteintheatre.co.uk/events/new-dawn-fades-a-play-about-joy-division-and-manchester/
Chorley Theatre Sunday 18th September – https://chorleytheatre.com/theatre_events/new-dawn-fades/
The Met, Bury Wednesday 21st September – https://themet.org.uk/event/new-dawn-fades-2022/
RNCM Theatre, Manchester Thursday 29th/Friday 30th September – Thursday https://www.rncm.ac.uk/performance/new-dawn-fades-joy-division-1/ Friday https://tickets.rncm.ac.uk/16362/16364/
The new touring production is written by Brian Gorman, produced & directed by Giles D. Bastow and Sean Mason for All Roads Meet. It is executively produced by Nina Whiteman.
New Dawn Fades: A Play About Joy Division & Manchester is a stunning drama, with live music, set in 1970s Manchester. In 1976, four young men are inspired by the incendiary Sex Pistols gig, at the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall, and go on to form a new post-punk band that would eventually morph into the iconic Joy Division, with lead singer Ian Curtis stunning audiences with his visionary lyrics and mesmerising stage performances. Signing for Manchester’s groundbreaking Factory Records, under the leadership of legendary impresario Tony Wilson, the band would produce two all-time classic albums, before tragedy struck.
This is a thrilling, rollercoaster ride through the turbulent and hugely creative post-punk era, with a sparkling array of colourful and memorable characters. Tony Wilson narrates, and takes the audience on a breathtaking, whistle stop tour of 2000 years of Mancunian history, and uncovering the often surprising influences on Joy Division’s music. From Roman General Julius Agricola, through Frederich Engels, Dr John Dee, and many more.
The show includes live music which has had previous audiences standing and cheering at the recreation of the sight and sound of Joy Division. It is ten years since the graphic novel that inspired the stage show was created, and New Dawn Fades has gone from strength to strength. Before the enforced break, due to the pandemic, the production had been invited to Berlin, with offers also coming in from as far afield as New York and Hong Kong. Plans are afoot to take the show to international audiences in 2023.
CAST
Tony Wilson is played by Al Donohue
Ian Curtis is played by Joseph Walsh
Debbie Curtis is played by Leah Grey-Scaife
Peter Hook is played by Bill Bradshaw
Bernard Sumner is played by Harry McLafferty
Stephen Morris is played by Matthew Melbourne
Rob Gretton is played by Giles D. Bastow
Martin Hannett/Terry Mason/Friedrich Engels/Paul Morley/Mick Middles/Pips DJ/Mike Scott/Derek Brandwood/TJ Davidson/Accountant are played by Sean Mason
“New Dawn Fades is a spellbinding and brilliant play about one of the greatest bands of all time … I totally urge anyone left out there who believes in music to be so much more, to go and see it” John Robb (Louder than War)
“I was crying. It was very emotional. It captured everything perfectly. I loved it! It had everything – the music and the emotion” Rowetta (Happy Mondays)
“An evocative piece that beautifully captures the heart and soul of Manchester in the 1970s. This is the way, step inside…” Kevin Cummins
Brian Gorman is a Manchester-based writer/actor/artist, whose works include Everyman: A Celebration of Patrick McGoohan & The Prisoner, and One Man Bond: Every Bond Film In 60 Minutes (for which he won the Salford Star 2018 Best Performer Award). His work has appeared in a variety of publications including The Liverpool Daily Post, Starburst Magazine, and The Big Issue, plus on ITV’s Martina Cole’s Lady Killers. His highly-acclaimed graphic novel adaptation of New Dawn Fades, has sold all over the world, and is on its fourth print run.
Giles D Bastow is a visual artist, performer, director, film maker and designer whose work includes the audio drama ‘Everyman – A Celebration of Patrick McGoohan and The Prisoner’ and music videos for the cult band Evil Blizzard. Giles reprises his role as Joy Division manager Rob Gretton.
Sean Mason is a writer, director, actor and improviser based in Salford. He is thrilled to be back once again for another tour of New Dawn Fades. His stage credits include adaptations of classic sitcoms Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads, Rising Damp and Jack Rosenthal’s Hot Fat. Most recently he was involved in Sitcom Stories, a night of short plays inspired by the drama behind the scenes of some of our most beloved sitcoms. As well as performing, he also teaches media and performance skills at the University of Salford.
NEW DAWN FADES - A PLAY ABOUT JOY DIVISION AND MANCHESTER 