Remembering the Oaks

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Thursday night was one of those nights that will go down in YTYT history…we performed Remember the Oaks for the last time in the Miner’s Hall at the NUM building in Barnsley.  The first thing that made this performance so exceptionally special was the venue itself.  The Miners Hall is beautiful…full of the colourful banners of the local mines, seeped in history and the site of so many battles of words, philosophy and values.  Just to sit in it is a privilege…the walls seem to hold an essence of all the room has witnessed and so the air has richness, an atmosphere of significance…it’s a wonderful place to make theatre.

Our performance of Remember the Oaks was the first piece of theatre to be performed there and considering it was built over a century ago that’s pretty significant too.  It was the perfect venue for our play that remembers the 361 miners who lost their lives in The Oaks mining disaster 150 years ago this year.  We performed it in a more conventional theatre space in July to high praise but the performance on Thursday was even better.  The venue definitely contributed to this but the real credit goes to the actors who stepped up to deliver a performance of integrity with generosity, talent and deep affection for the world of the play.

The audience also played their part – often our performances are watched only by friends and relatives of the cast.  One of the lovely things about this production is that we’ve been seen by a much wider community.  Each audience has been so welcoming, attentive and appreciative that it’s been a pleasure to share our work.  A mention needs to go to a gentleman in the audience whose great Grandfather was one of the rescuers at The Oaks disaster.  Thankfully he survived and went on to live to 90 years old and claim the title of being the longest survivor of the rescue party.   Afterwards he told me that the play I had written captured what was at the heart of the mining community in Yorkshire – where people worked together to meet the challenges life throws at them – to mourn, celebrate, comfort and inspire…it’s a compliment I will always treasure.

Finally Thursday was significant because for three of the cast it was their final performance with us…Lottie, Hannah and my very own Amy bowed out of YTYT as Remember the Oaks came to an end…so we’ll go into rehearsals for the Miners Memorial Service on Thursday without them…happily there are, as ever, new members waiting in the wings and on Thursday we will welcome new actors to our company who obviously can never replace them but will help us not feel their loss so keenly.


I’ll finish the blog with Chris Skidmore’s final words of the evening – Safe journey home, keep supporting us and be true to who you are…words to live by I reckon…

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