King of the Scuttlers

Bye Bye Johnny have written and recorded a song called King of the Scuttlers for MaD Theatre Company’s forthcoming production Angels with Manky Faces. The track was recorded at Vibe Studios in Manchester. Once owned by New Order, Vibe is now run by musician and DJ Martin Coogan (formerly of the Mock Turtles). You can listen to King of the Scuttlers on Bye Bye Johnny’s myspace here.

Bye Bye Johnny will be playing a set in the bar at the Library Theatre in Manchester, prior to the last performance of Angels on Saturday 22 August.

For another song on the scuttlers – based on a poem by Mike Duff – watch this space.

May 29, 2009
Categories: gangs, Manchester . Tags: , , . Author: andrewmarkdavies . Comments: Leave a comment

Angels with Manky Faces

A Bengal Tiger and his molls: Rosie Phillips, Jack Williamson, and Abi Gunning.

A Bengal Tiger and his molls: Rosie Phillips, Jack Williamson, and Abi Gunning.

Preparations for Angels with Manky Faces, MaD Theatre Company’s new production inspired by The Gangs of Manchester, are gathering pace. Paul Cliff is making six short films, which will be back-projected in between scenes performed on stage. The photo above was taken during a day’s filming at the Black Country Museum.

Even though it’s early days, ticket sales are going strong – a third of the tickets for the Manchester performances (19-22 August) have already been sold.

May 27, 2009
Categories: Andrew Davies, gangs, Manchester . Tags: , , , . Author: andrewmarkdavies . Comments: Leave a comment

New edition of The Gangs of Manchester

A revised edition of The Gangs of Manchester is now out. The new edition is a smaller-sized paperback and the UK cover price is 7.99.

There is one addition to the text: an astonishing postscript to the story of Billy Willan, the scuttler sentenced to death in 1892 at the age of sixteen. This was supplied by his descendants, who still live in the Ancoats district of Manchester.

April 28, 2009
Categories: Andrew Davies, gangs, Manchester . Tags: , , , . Author: andrewmarkdavies . Comments: Leave a comment

The ballad of Owen Callaghan

Check out the page of poems by Mike Duff for “The ballad of Owen Callaghan.” Mike’s new poem tells the tale of an Angel Meadow scuttler of the 1880s.

March 2, 2009
Categories: gangs, Manchester . Tags: , , , . Author: andrewmarkdavies . Comments: Leave a comment

Manchester Histories Festival

Andrew Davies is giving a talk based on The Gangs of Manchester as part of the Manchester Histories Festival at Manchester Town Hall on Saturday, 21 March. Andrew’s talk is at 11.30. He will joined by the Manchester-based photographer and film-maker Paul Cliff, who will be projecting photographs of Ancoats street scenes from the 1890s and mug-shots of leading scuttlers. Paul will also show a short, film preview of Angels with Manky Faces – the new stage play inspired by The Gangs of Manchester to be performed by the acclaimed MaD Theatre Company in August 2009.

You can see the full programme for the Manchester Histories Festival, and book free tickets for any of the talks, here.

February 23, 2009
Categories: Andrew Davies, gangs, history, Manchester . Tags: , , . Author: andrewmarkdavies . Comments: Leave a comment

Inside Out (again)

The feature on the scuttlers on Inside Out (BBC1 North-West) was broadcast on 18 February; it’s on the BBC i-player for a week and features some brilliant footage by the Manchester photographer and film-maker Paul Cliff. The historical reconstructions were staged by the MaD Theatre Company. They’re double proper good.

The Inside Out website features an interview with Rob Lees, artistic director of MaD. Rob talks about the relationship between The Gangs of Manchester and MaD’s forthcoming production, Angels with Manky Faces. You can also see Robbie Ashworth and Jack Williamson modelling scuttler chic – period costumes for Angels are being made by the wonderful Tracey King. She knows her stuff!

The feature was presented by Nigel Pivaro, familiar to most viewers as Terry Duckworth. Nigel now works as a journalist. He’s left Weatherfield, but we have asked him to do a cameo in one of the film scenes for Angels. We’ll keep you posted.

February 21, 2009
Categories: Andrew Davies, gangs, Manchester . Tags: , , , . Author: andrewmarkdavies . Comments: Leave a comment

The first of the gang to die

A big thank you to the blogger at Occupied Country. This made my day, cheers.

February 21, 2009
Categories: gangs, history, Manchester . Tags: , , , . Author: andrewmarkdavies . Comments: Leave a comment

Angels with Manky Faces

Tickets for Angels with Manky Faces – MaD Theatre Company’s new production inspired by The Gangs of Manchester – are now on sale. There will be five performances at the Library Theatre, Manchester, on 19-22 August. These include a matinee on Saturday 22nd. The production contains strong language and, in the words of the script-writers Rob Lees and Jill Hughes, is “not for the easily offended.” You have been warned! You can book tickets here.

There will be an additional performance at the Unity Theatre in Liverpool, on 23 July.

February 16, 2009
Categories: gangs, Manchester . Tags: , , , . Author: andrewmarkdavies . Comments: Leave a comment

Inside Out

The Gangs of Manchester is to be featured on BBC1 on Wednesday 18 February in the North-West edition of Inside Out.

Presenter Nigel Pivaro talks to author Andy Davies about the research that formed the basis of the book. Duncan Broady of Greater Manchester Police Museum describes the difficulties faced by police officers in attempting to quell scuttling affrays, and Leslie Holmes of Salford Lads’ and Girls’ Club discusses the role of the early lads’ clubs in combatting street violence.

The programme will include excerpts from films by Paul Cliff depicting scuttles in Angel Meadow. Appearing in the films are members of the MaD Theatre Company and junior supporters of FC United of Manchester. The final versions of these films will be shown in Angels with Manky Faces. The actors also appear in two historical reconstructions filmed by the BBC.

February 13, 2009
Categories: Andrew Davies, FC United, gangs, history . Tags: , , , , , . Author: andrewmarkdavies . Comments: Leave a comment

More from the Guardian on The Gangs of Manchester

Alfred Hickling reviews The Gangs of Manchester for the Guardian here.

For a link to a lengthy extract from the book published yesterday in the Daily Mail, see the Extracts page above.

January 18, 2009
Categories: Andrew Davies, gangs, Guardian, history, Manchester . . Author: andrewmarkdavies . Comments: Leave a comment

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