The Golden Mile

Royal Exchange - The Studio
Friday 18th - Saturday 19th April 2008                              

Presented by thirty members of the Young Peoples Theatre Group aged between fourteen and eighteen, The Golden Mile depicts their vision of Blackpool, that metropolis of the North, in the past, the present and the future.

Action begins in the Victorian era, it’s 1879 and anticipation is high for the very first electric illuminations. The piece explores a series of inter-weaving personal stories – all played out against the backdrop of Blackpool’s iconic scenery. Comedy and poignancy are well handled and controlled, certain members of the young cast often displayed skill and technique surely beyond their years.

The juxtaposition of past, present and future is depicted cleverly – characters from each period often overlap on stage – allowing a revealing perception of Blackpool how it was, it is, and how it will be. Yet despite the span of eras, the theme of the poor suffering while the rich enjoy success is prevalent throughout. The cast constantly move around the small studio, often surrounding the audience in the intimate seating areas. The variety of stories being played out at any one time ensures that the audience are never bored.

These individual stories address issues of class, love and friendship, issues which span all time periods. The consistent back-drop of the illuminations to these dramas adds a certain depth to the performance, and it displays that though people change and progress, for better or worse, some exciting and respected customs remain.

Blackpool in the present day includes all the aspects you may think of, young alcohol-dependant mothers, gang fighting, graffiti and youthful binge drinking. The Blackpool of 2129 tells an even harsher, almost Orwellian story – of homeless ‘scabs’ at the mercy of the all-powerful ‘Governor’, who controls the illuminations that now never go out!

This is a dynamic and highly captivating piece of theatre. The young actors did far better than my expectations for their first time on stage. For me this performance is definitely a credit to the organisers of the Young Peoples Theatre Group, who mentored the actors for a seven-month period in development of this work.

10/10