Derbyshire writer premieres new play

Ray, who is based in Chesterfield, has penned On Behalf of the People which follows the parents of a returning soldier son and his fiancee, from the aftermath of the war through social and political changes which affect them, their relationships and community.

The play is based on his extensive research and the true stories of those who lived through the period.

Speaking about writing and researching the play, Ray Castleton said: “When I was asked to write a play about the nationalisation of the mining industry I knew it had to be about the people not the politics. To understand our history, it’s best to reveal it through the eyes and lives of those it affected the most – the workers and their families. Some of the content of the play is based on my own family’s true stories and also those of former miners who lived through the period and their sons and daughters.”

The play was commmissioned by the National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield, where it is being premiered tonight (Friday, July 7) as part of an exhibition and activities marking 70 years since the nationalisation of the UK coal mining industry in 1947.

On Behalf of the People will then go on tour in venues across Derbyshire and Yorkshire. These include the United Reformed Church, Buxton, on July 19, as part of the Fringe festival, and Loundsley Green Community Centre, Chesterfield, on July 22.

For more information, visit www.themeltingshop.co.uk