Brassed Off Review: Amy Leach's revival strikes gold for Yorkshire miners
- Jack Davey
- Jun 24
- 3 min read
23 June 2026 I Leeds Playhouse - Quarry
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite
Three decades after the treasured British film Brassed Off hit cinemas for the first time, director Amy Leach (assoc. Verity Richards) brings an all-new stage revival to Leeds Playhouse. With a story so deeply rooted in Yorkshire, its celebration of community is both resilient and courageous.
In the mining town of Grimley, the colliery faces closure. The entire identity of the town is at stake, with over one-thousand jobs to be lost. In an attempt to keep morale alive, Danny leads a brass-playing band of miners that come together despite their social differences, as they battle for the chance to play the National Championships at the Royal Albert Hall.
Music ultimately takes charge in this production, as local Yorkshire brass bands Horbury Victoria Brass Band and Wakefield Metropolitan Brass Band perform live alongside the featured cast. Across such a large company, the orchestrations sound world-class, where the texture of brass proves itself to carry such camaraderie. The ovations and cheers from the audiences are unlike any response that I have heard to a show in Leeds Playhouse before. The auditorium's conical design also funnels the acoustics beautifully.
Fronted by their conductor Danny (David Birrell), he may refer to their first session as a 'pile of crap', yet it's clear that his no-nonsense attitude comes from a place of paternal care for the band. Birrell's earnestly-delivered finale speech reminds us that his players are 'just people'. Not superhuman, but ordinary civilians that each deal with their own struggles as an outcry for empathy. It's a real tear-jerker of a play, one that certainly caught me off-guard a number of times!
Katie Scott's scenic design is instantly imposing, as a multi-layered colliery stands in the space with a steely, grunge aesthetic. As referenced in Paul Allen's script, the colliery is everything. It's the livelihoods of local men, and every aspect of life revolves around it. Like a skeleton, living rooms and hospitals all exist inside its framework as the beating heart of Grimley.
Due to its socially realist nature, Brassed Off has a tendency to highlight uncomfortable realities where working-class families crumble in 1994 under Thatcher's government. This holds the greatest impact between Phil (Robin Morrissey) and Sandra (Danielle Henry), the pair feeding off one another's insecurities with a palpable care for one another. Morrissey is especially outstanding in his immersion into Phil's depression. Not to mention a surprisingly mature performance from Phil's son Shane (split between young performers Oliver Bowman and Stuart Naylor).
We join the company in the pit during the opening sequence, where Jai Morjaria's lighting designs transport us into a hazy, obscured mine. Notably in the Quarry's cavernous auditorium, we believe as if we could be underground for a surreal moment in time, accompanied by a soundscape of metal shutters and machinery.
Although I have mostly covered its challenging themes in this review, supporting roles from Wendy Albiston and Pauline Tomlin (Vera and Rita respectively) inject some welcome humour, with drunken antics and witty one-liners. And subject to misogyny, Maddie Hansen's steadfast Gloria has a quiet strength, elevating the story with a brightness to her performance, representing the hope for Grimley's young adults amidst her tender relationship with Andy (Frazer Hadfield).
Running at Leeds Playhouse until the 11th July, Brassed Off is without doubt a stage highlight of this year. If you ever heed my advice, I urge you to book anything directed by Amy Leach (soon to lead The Secret Garden), as she truly unlocks the social-political urgencies of the material. It roars, and the live brass music (with musical supervision by Jonathan Mitra) is unlike anything the venue has seen in recent years. At 2hrs 50m, it is lengthy but thoroughly rewarding.
Leeds Playhouse Information & Tickets: https://www.leedsplayhouse.org.uk/event/brassed-off/
