Green Day, 1989

Dear Occupier… Brown Route Opposition Campaign, 1989

Dear Occupier… was a humorous video drama project produced by the Brown Route Opposition Campaign and High Peak Community Arts to protest against the A6 Disley and High Lane bypass road schemes. The video evolved thorough workshops and highlighted the effect of the road on local people, damage to the environment, loss of tourism, and destruction of picturesque views around the area.

Cement Mix The Human Race, 1988

In the late 1980s High Peak Community Arts began creating video projects and The Human Race was produced with a group called Cement Mix to highlight disability awareness. The group gained skills in camera operation, sound, lighting and editing techniques and produced The Human Race video which was accompanied by an information pack aimed at teachers and trainers exploring disability issues.

People’s War (Tin Hats ‘n Telegrams), 1987

Tin Hats’n’Telegrams was a large scale community play initiated by High Peak Community Arts as part of The People’s War Project. It aimed to research, record and present the experience of ordinary people during World War Two in the Sett Valley, providing an opportunity to work with older adults on a project with a serious theme. It was performed in December 1987 at New Mills Town Hall.

Who Shot Big Ted, 1986

Who Shot Big Ted? Was a play devised and produced by members of the Fairfield Centre Youth Drama Group in Buxton. The plot involved characters from the TV programme Play School on a work to rule, a presenter mysteriously disappearing, a threatening letter, and blood and stuffing in the sand pit. Policeman Pat is called in to find the murderer [spoiler alert – Big Ted was alive all along!].

 

Merry Christmas Mr Trash, 1985

Merry Christmas Mr Trash was a pantomime produced by Hayfield Youth Club. It told the story of Doomslayer, who wanted to ruin Christmas, battling with Mr Trash – a dustbin man who turns into a superhero called Superbinner. It was written by members of Hayfield Theatrical Company and performed by a small cast seen here with the Director, Keith Lander of High Peak Community Arts. Keith often had a difficult job juggling competing interests and personalities at his productions!

Grids playscheme, 1985

Mrs Higginbotham’s Bridge, 1984

In 1984 New Mills celebrated the centenary of the High Level Union Bridge, a bridge across the Torrs linking New Mills with New Mills Newtown, with a series of events including Mrs Higginbotham’s Bridge. This was a musical documentary looking at the fortunes of four teenagers living in 1884 and 1984 wondering what the future held for them, exploring themes about the co-operative movement, the status of women in society and support for young people.

Commutiny on the Bounty, 1983

Commutiny On The Bounty was an ambitious project involving over 70 children aged from four to sixteen in a performance based on Mutiny On The Bounty. A series of workshops in music, drama, games and costume making was followed by a three hour open air performance that travelled from Buxworth Basin to Chinley Youth Centre where the ship in the background was set on fire – this was  another project that might not pass a risk assessment these days!