Acclaimed miners' strike musical comedy returns this autumn

Written by Boff Whalley, We’re Not Going Back is set in the midst of the miners’ strike and follows the fortunes of three pit-village sisters – Olive, Mary and Isabel – hard hit by the government’s war against the miners, and

determined to fight back with their own branch of ‘Women Against Pit Closures.’

Following a sell-out spring tour, the re-booted show is touring with a new cast featuring Rachel Gay as Olive, Keeley Fitzgerald as Mary and Daisy Ann Fletcher playing Isabel.

Musical director Beccy Owen and director Elvi Piper both reprise their roles.

Originally commissioned ten years ago, writer and founder member of anarcho-punk band Chumbawamba, Boff Whalley explained why he chose to focus on the women’s stories.

“I wrote We’re Not Going Back because Unite the Union had asked Red Ladder to create some kind of theatrical commemoration.

My first thought was, ‘yes, I’d love to write a musical about the strike’.

But I didn’t want it to be about miners and cops fighting on picket lines.

I wanted it to be about the women who embodied the spirit and passion of the times.

“So myself and original director Rod Dixon met with some of the women involved in the Women Against Pit Closures support groups.

They were hilarious, fantastic, full of stories - some of which made their way into the play.”

Director Elvi Piper said: “We’ve stripped back the set to play with a collection of choice props to tell this story in a way that reflects the resourceful, practical, enterprising spirit of our three heroines and ties us to the era.”

She added: “The shock-waves of the strike have shaped the lives of generations to come, and the experiences of the play’s characters 40 years ago are eerily and frustratingly familiar today.”

We’re Not Going Back is at Rotherham Civic on Tuesday, October 22.

Visit www.rotherhamtheatres.co.uk or call 01709 823621.