Adapted for the stage by Paul Allen from Mark Herman's film, Brassed Off was first seen at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre and subsequently at the Olivier at the National Theatre, London. Grimley Colliery is set to close as the accountants say there's more money in it shut than open, even after redundancy payments. It means 1200 job losses, a dying town and the loss of its brass band. But under the leadership of Danny, coughing with coal-dusted lungs, the band is somehow transformed into British champions with local lass Gloria whipping up the money needed to get them to the Albert Hall.
Our production was one of the most successful plays in recent years. Staged with the help of Markham and District Colliery Band, BLT enjoyed a sell out run of this most moving of stories.
Alan Ayckbourn's 69th play Improbable Fiction is an hilarious comedy featuring an amateur writing group, where everyone has at least one book in them, but is having problems getting it out.
Chairman Arnold Hassock considers that The Pendon Writers' Circle is in a bit of a rut. At the December meeting he throws down a challenge to the members: "If you feel you are a writer, if you deep down believe you are a writer, then for goodness sake get on with the writing". Unfortunately, be it technical writing, science fiction, Victorian romance, murder/mystery or children's stories, the motley group of would-be authors gathered in Arnold's house, whilst happy to talk about the creative process, are more familiar with writers' block than flowing prose.
With personalities clashing as loudly as the thunder outside, the meeting winds up, but as the storm suddenly plunges the house into darkness, so Arnold and the departing authors are plunged into their own fantastical, imaginary worlds. In a stunning second act, the audience is whirled through a hilarious mix of word play, literary genres, clever pastiche and subplots until one is indeed left thinking:
If this were played upon a stage now I would condemn it as an improbable fiction
Blackwood Amateur Dramatic Society is in trouble. The membership has dwindled to four - the audiences aren't much bigger - and if they don't come up with some rent money soon, they're going to be thrown out. "There's only one thing that sells tickets these days" argues Gordon the Chairman. "Sex!"
Directed by Neil Maidman the cast was as follows:-
"Tristram at his brilliant best. Biting wit and beautifully observed satire. Superb spoof one-handed play, followed by a cruel and entirely justified lampoon of an adjudicator. Should be compulsory viewing for all adjudicators, and indeed, everybody with a love of theatre." Chris Jaeger - GODA
Directed by Neil Maidman the cast is as follows:-
Actress................Claire Williams (making her BLT debut)
Production dates: April 16th, 17th, 18th & 19th 2008 at BLT
Both productions were entered into the Gwent Festival of One Act Plays held at BLT on April 3rd, 4th,& 5th 2008. Last Tango in Blackwood won best production and the Festival overall. Neil Maidman won Best Director. Below are some photographs from the Gwent Festival, including Ann James receiving an award in recognition of her work as the theatre historian.
Frost at the Westgate by Vic Mills
June 18th, 19th, 20th & 21st at Blackwood Little Theatre
Directed by Vic Mills.
'Frost at the Westgate' is a play which tells the story of the events, both political and personal, which led to the Gwent Uprising and the massacre at the Westgate Hotel, Newport of marchers in the cause of Chartism, by soldiers defending what they believed was a city under attack. The play centres around four of the main protagonists in these momentous events: Thomas Prothero - one time Mayor of Newport and a sworn enemy of John Frost; Sir Charles Morgan - landowner, iron and coal magnate, owner of Tredegar Park; Thomas Phillips, assistant to Prothero and later to become one of Newport's most successful and radical Mayors and John Frost himself - leader of the Chartists who was to take the blame for the events at the Westgate and to spend eighteen years in exile as his reward.
The play tells of the relationships between these power brokers of Newport over a fifteen year period, exploring the enmities, the friendships and the beliefs which lay behind the historical facts and the political machinations. It was a time of overwhelming poverty and exploitation for most of the people of South Wales - John Frost and his friends sought to ease that poverty and bring political and social change.
Cast......
Protheroe....................Vic Mills Thomas Phillips...............Dave Livingstone Sir Charles Morgan...........Peter Musto John Frost.....................Neil Maidman Mary Frost....................Peta Maidman Henry Vincent................Steve Wride
2007 - 2008 Season 
