Wasteland – Contact Theatre
When the mines shut down in the 1980’s, little thought was given to the catastrophic ripple affect it would have on the northern mining towns of England.
This story follows Gary Clarke’s award-winning production Coal, which looks at the infamous mining strikes of 1984/5. Wasteland takes flight with its tale about the radial upheaval that followed. Mired in recession, communities struggled but born was an era of illegal raves forming escapism and euphoria.
It begins with The Last Miner (Parsifal James Hurst), drunkenly swaying across the stage clutching a bottle. Every inch of his movement is carefully choreographed, from the light lyrical motions to the harsh stomps and falls, his despair and frustrations clearly evident.
The Pit Men Singers were a really nice touch, unique to ea...