A BOLTON theatre has put out a trumpet call for brass bands to appear in a funny and heart-warming play.

Brassed Off is coming to the Octagon Theatre in May as part of its tour to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the 1984 Miners’ Strike.

Three local bands are needed to appear in the well-known and loved play, which is based on a true story and the 1996 film that celebrates the power of music and the capacity of the human spirit to inspire a community to triumph against all the odds.

Lisa O’Neill-Rogan, associate director at the Octagon Theatre, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity for local contest bands to be part of a professional production.

"They will help bring this play to life, which is all about celebrating the power of music and the capacity of the human spirit.

“Based on a true story, the bands will need to play a number of different pieces of music, including Jerusalem, Danny Boy, Land of Hope and Glory and Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.”

Set in 1992, the miners are on strike, the colliery is about to close and Danny’s hopes of winning the national brass band competition seem like a distant dream.

But the arrival of flugelhorn-playing Gloria brings romance, hope and controversy to a Yorkshire brass band on the brink of collapse.

The cast of the comedy drama includes Luke Adamson, Rebecca Clay, Clara Darcy, Andrew Dunn, Helen Kay, John McArdle, Andrew Roberts-Palmer, James Robinson, Kraig Thornber and Gilly Tompkins and auditions were held on Sunday to find six children to play Craig and Melody.

The three successful teams are Jasmine de Goede, aged eight, and James Scowcroft, aged 12; Lily Newns, aged five, and Adam Tyerman, aged eight; and Logan Ernill, aged eight, and Elsie Difalco, aged eight.

Each of the three brass bands must consist of 14 members at contest level who have their own uniforms, with four spare jackets for members of the Octagon cast to wear.

Due to the nature of the storyline, the Octagon needs all 14 band members to be male and the bands will perform on a rotating schedule and be able to prepare nine pieces of music, which will be supplied.

Each band will need to indicate their availability, and be available for at least one week, from Friday, May 9 until Saturday, June 14.

David Kaye is president of Westhoughton-based Wingates Band, which previously appeared in The Marco Players’ amateur production of Brassed Off in 2010.

He said: “We would like to do it but we have got to be 100 per cent sure we can get enough players who can all commit.

“We have a track record of having done it before and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

“It’s a wonderful story and it’s very dear to our hearts.”

For an information pack and application form, go to the site octagonbolton.co.uk/calling-local-brass-bands where you can download the information or call 01204 520661.

All applicants must fill in an application form and return it to the Octagon by Friday, March 14.

Brassed Off is at the Octagon from Thursday, May 15 to Saturday, June 14.