New Dawn Fades: A Play About Joy Division

Venue: The Forum Studio Theatre

The classic story of 4 ordinary lads who, inspired by the punk revolution of the 1970s, came together to form one of the most influential bands of all time, JOY DIVISION. This stage production combines the band's history with the city of Manchester, involving many real-life characters such as Roman General Julius Agricola (who built the military encampment in the 5th century AD that would one day become the city of Manchester), Dr John Dee (Elizabeth the First's notorious adviser/astronomer), Karl Marx, Frederich Engels, William Burroughs, The Sex Pistols, and The Buzzcocks. The legendary Tony Wilson guides the audience through 1500 years of history in his inimitable way. There are tears, there are laughs, and there are memories of how things were, how things are, and how things might be again. Acclaimed as the smash hit of The Greater Manchester Fringe Festival in July 2013, the production was subsequently invited to the Macclesfield WinterFest in lead singer Ian Curtis’ home town, and played to capacity audiences and standing ovations.

Written by Brian Gorman