Set against the backdrop of late 1970s Manchester, with its thriving punk scene and pioneering music venues like the Electric Circus, New Dawn Fades is a deep-dive into the history of Manchester, and how one band – Joy Division – became inextricably enmeshed in that history.
The play begins as TV presenter-turned-record-label-owner Tony Wilson, expertly played by the play’s writer Brian Gorman, begins to recite a tale about the history of Manchester.
His history lecture begins with the creation of Roman fort Mamcunium, erected on a site which is now Castlefield, as Julius Agricola (Josh Chadwick), a Roman general responsible for large parts of the Roman conquest of Britain, proudly marches down the aisle and onto the stage.
It continues, as Wilson takes the audience on a whistle-stop tour through key historical events which shaped the Manchester that came to birth Joy Division: The Peterloo Massacre of 1819 and the historic Sex Pistols gig at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in 1976.
It is in 1976 that we are first introduced to the members of Joy Division. Upon attending the Sex Pistols’ second Manchester gig in 1976, soon-to-be Joy Division singer Ian Curtis (John Lonsdale) is inspired by the Sex Pistols’ DIY attitude and becomes fixated on creating his own band.
Joy Division are born, and grow rapidly as they play their first gigs, sign to a record label and record their first album Unknown Pleasures, released in 1979 by Tony Wilson’s label Factory Records.
All the while, Curtis and his wife Debbie’s (Lauren Greenwood) marriage becomes increasingly strained, and Curtis’ mental and physical health declines.
Interspersed throughout are live performances of popular Joy Division songs, drumming from Jack McGarry, who plays Joy Division drummer Stephen Morris and impressively accurate vocals from Josh Lonsdale.
Sandwiched between these scenes are more history lessons. Wilson frequently pauses the scene to discuss the industrial revolution, with an appearance from Friedrich Engels (Josh Chadwick) himself, or the late 1970s Manchester club scene.
The play’s ambitious attempts to illustrate how Manchester’s rich cultural and political history enabled the birth of Joy Division are duly noted, and it certainly succeeds in emphasising how Curtis himself was inspired by both the history of his surroundings and the thriving music scene around him.
Josh Lonsdale’s delivery of Ian Curtis is particularly impressive, down to his unpredictable mannerisms and the haunted look in his eyes.
However, while the lecture-style history lessons are great for Joy Division fanatics and Manchester history lovers and it is clear that a lot of research has been poured into the script writing, the time focused on Manchester’s history could have been spent delving deeper into the complexity of the characters.
Ultimately, though, if you love all things Manchester and Joy Division, or perhaps you want to take a trip down memory lane, then New Dawn Fades is sure to tick all your boxes.
New Dawn Fades is touring the UK until 26 October and tickets are available here.
Featured Image: New Dawn Fades at Bury Met, by Serena Murphy
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