WHEN writer/director Karlton Parris staged his poignant play, about the origins of Gay Pride, he started to receive letters from people who were moved and inspired by the production.

Now those letters have been brought to the stage, in a powerful series of monologues.

Letters of Note brings to life the stories people wanted to tell Karlton after seeing his play, Once a Year on Blackpool Sands, which has been made into a film, partly shot in Bradford. The film features a group of actors from a Saltaire acting class, who are also in Letters of Note, running at Bradford Playhouse from September 10-14.

"Letters of Note is a collection of monologues based on a number of letters received by Karlton after Once a Year on Blackpool Sands was a hit off Broadway and in the UK in 2018," says Gill Szulc, one of the local actors in the cast. "The play resonated with many people and the letters, both American and British, each have their own story.

"There are about 15 monologues, they're really beautiful - both moving and laugh-out-loud funny. There's so much diversity in them, the ages of the characters range from 20 to about 50. There's a young girl talking on her wedding night, a flamboyant New York transvestite, an old man talking about his past and his boyfriend who died. I play the mother of a man who killed someone. All the stories link in to each other, and are based around a community of people.

"The stories bring the characters to life; recalling their tragedies, conflicts and challenges they've had in their lives.

It's a moving, emotional and comical play."

Letters Of Note is produced and directed by Julie Boyle, who was handed the monologues by Karlton and brought them to the stage. Julie is also in the cast, and the other cast members are: Simon Jennings, Dominic McCavish, Gill Szulc, Tanya Nicholl, Lee Martyn, Megan Paul, Chloe Lawson, Patricia Taylor, James Derby, Emily Boyle and Charlotte Jessica Darley. The play was first performed at Bradford Playhouse in May and was such a success it was decided to take it on tour. Trailers will be shown on the Big Screen in Centenary Square prior to the Playhouse dates.

It is hoped that funds raised from the production will go towards the final edit and post production of the film Once a Year on Blackpool Sands, which has been largely made with crowdfunding. The film, to be screened on both sides of the Atlantic later this year, is produced by Babydog Films and scenes were shot at Idle Working Men's Club, Saltaire and on Baildon Moor.

Set in the North in the 1950s, it's the true story of two Yorkshire miners who are gay but, with homosexuality illegal, keep it secret. During their annual Wakes Week break in Blackpool they meet a group of people with alternative lifestyles, who help them stand up for their sexuality. The film re-creates a march for equality from Blackpool’s North to South piers, which is said to be the origins of Gay Pride.

The comedy drama is described as “a heartwarming, fascinating story,” by Gill, who plays a miner’s wife. “It’s about the love, identity and courage of the LGBTQ community in 1950s northern England," she says. "It's about two real-life miners, Tommy and Eddy, who Karlton met while on holiday in Greece on holiday in the 1980s. They told Karlton about the miners’ weekends in Blackpool. Tommy and Eddie have since died, and this is their story. It follows each characters’ fight for equality and freedom in an age when being gay was a crime."

Adds Gill: "It felt eerie re-creating that first walk towards Gay Pride on the pier. It's a walk that defied prejudice and abuse. Those taking part got a lot of abuse at the time. But without the courage of those individuals, we wouldn't be where we are today.”

* Babydog Films is shooting two more films; Beautiful Monster and Moon Fish, featuring local actors. Visit babydogfilms.com.

* Tickets for Letters of Note are on (01274) 880415. Go to facebook.com/Letters-of-Note-the-play.

Emma Clayton