A stage play documenting the story of 1970s band Joy Division is embarking on an autumn tour to mark its 10th anniversary—including a return to Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre.
New Dawn Fades is the story of four ordinary lads who, inspired by the punk revolution of 1970s Manchester, came together to form one of the most influential bands.
It’s at the Epstein September 14.
The tour also marks more than 43 years since the release of Joy Division’s debut album Unknown Pleasures and will visit venues in Sheffield, Chorley, Bury, and Huddersfield—before the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Cast members include Joe Walsh as Ian Curtis, Leah Gray-Scaife as Deborah Curtis, Alan Donohoe as Tony Wilson, Bill Bradshaw as Peter Hook, Matthew Melbourne as Stephen Morris, Sean Mason as Martin Hannett, Paul Morley, and Frederich Engels and Giles D Bastow as Joy Division’s iconic manager Rob Gretton—some of whom have been with the production for 10 years.
Written by Brian Gorman, the play is based on his graphic novel of the same title and debuted at Manchester’s The Lass O’Gowrie pub in 2013.