UK REVIEW
An Evening with Brogan Collins
Dearne Playhouse- Goldthorpe South Yorkshire
June 2025
Reviewer: Mark Ritchie
The epicentre of the year-long Miner’s Strike of 1984/85, was the small mining town of Goldthorpe, as the first of the pit closures which triggered the industrial action was at nearby Cortonwood colliery. This was the place made forever synonymous with Margaret Thatcher’s death, after a street party was thrown and an effigy of The Iron Lady was burnt on the day of her funeral. The mines are all gone now, which was what the strike was all about preventing, but happily the town’s mining past has a positive outlook going forward, in the shape of the facilities from the former miner’s welfare scheme. Part of that is this venue, which I visited on a warm June evening, to see this show at the invitation of the entertainment agent Johnny Stvan.
The star of the show was Brogan Collins, an up and coming, multi-talented performer, who hails from the immediate area. Most of those who acquired tickets and almost filled this venue seemed either related to, at the very least friends with, this popular young man and the beginning of the show saw Mr Collins giving us a few well-turned songs in his distinctive and well-pitched timbre. Accompanying the star on stage was a band from the ‘been there- done that and got the tee-shirt brigade’ of true show business people. I was not a bit surprised to learn this band, The Cruisers are in fact of Dave Berry and the Cruisers fame.
Special guest on the night was singer Elle Francesca with her tribute to Lady Gaga. Along with a troupe of well-drilled dancers this singer Ms Francesca, who is a remarkable lookalike, delivered full-throttle some of the hits from the New Yorker, who seems to revel in songs about sex sleaze and pop-art. Ms Francesa chooses not play the impression straight throughout, instead speaking with her own voice between songs. I personally love the Lady Gaga stuff, all of it!
Another guest on the night was singer Lucy Williams, who sashayed on-stage wearing a long gown, with a rather daringly long and high split. Songs from the likes of Adele and Whitney Houston were well sung. Ms Williams appears to listen to her audience by thankfully not ‘talking down’ applause and by taking her time. This indicates perhaps a performer who may have already enjoyed experience, possibly as part of a band set-up of some kind.
The entire second half played out on this rather sticky evening, consisting of Brogan Collins rocking and rolling his way through a Buddy Holly tribute and, with occasional interventions from the afore mentioned Cruisers band. Ultimately the old dears danced in the aisles, the folks clapped and swayed in their seats and all was right with the world. Mr Collins even threw in a few gags for good measure.
But what will young Brogan Collins have learned after his first foray into theatre? I believe three things.
Firstly, the importance of reaffirming and following your show business dreams. Secondly, as John Lennon once pointed out: ”If you find a job you love, you never have to work a day in your life”. Finally, Mr Collins will now remember forever that monitor ear-pieces are such a faff whilst sweating profusely!
