Show is "full of Yorkshire grit and honesty"

AN AMATEUR theatre group’s new season will open with John Godber’s play Shafted at Rotherham Civic Theatre next week.

By Jill Theobald

Published 15th Sep 2023, 09:08 GMT

Richard Wilshaw and Polly Lovegrove as Harry and Dot.

The much-loved writer and former miner was a special guest at a previous Rotherham Rep rehearsal and told the cast how he had drawn on his own memories of the Miners’ Strike and growing up in the West Yorkshire pit town of Upton when penning the play.

Rep publicity officer Sheila Halse said: “He explained that, while there was much written about the Miners’ Strike of 1984/85, there was almost nothing written about the lives of mining families.” The comedy-drama tells the story of a couple from a devastated pit town – ex-miner Harry and wife Dot – and is full of “hilarious scenes full of Yorkshire grit and honesty”, said Sheila.

Shafted is at Rotherham Civic Theatre from Tuesday, September 19 to 22.

Tickets cost £9 (£7 concessions) from 01709 823823 or online by visiting www.tinyurl.com/RothRepCivic.