A Sheffield cinema played host to a raucous audience who enjoyed a documentary about life on a city estate, with its stars returning to see it 35 years after it was filmed.
On The Manor, which initially aired on Yorkshire Television in 1987, was brought to the big screen for the first time last night by Showroom Cinema and the Yorkshire and North East Film Archive in a sell-out event.
The showing was attended by current residents from the Manor area of the city, Manor Castle councillor Anne Murphy, and some of the relatives and stars who feature in the film.
Darrell Longden was one such person, as her mother Betty Holden features in the documentary.
She said: “It was brilliant to see her in the film. There were parts on there that I’ve never seen, so it was brilliant.”
On The Manor follows the lives of its residents during a period of high unemployment and poverty across Sheffield following the collapse of the steel industry.
Throughout the film laughter and cheers erupted from the audience as relatives, friends, and old locations like The Springwood pub appeared on screen.
Ryan Finnigan, programming assistant at Showroom Cinema, said: “It was everything we hoped for, lots of people who had lots of memories from the Manor and lots of emotion for people that have passed.
“It was very different to screenings as we normally have them – a lot more swearing and a lot more shouting out, but we really appreciate that people could share their memories and recognise things on screen.”
The loudest cheer of the night undoubtedly came when Terence ‘Troggy’ Ashton (pictured above), a local legend known around the Manor area for his personalised wheelbarrow, came to the front at the end of the screening.
Patrick Ismay, who can be seen in the film performing karaoke at The Springwood, said: “It was great seeing Troggy again!
“We knew he was going to get the best reception of the night, all those years, everyone knew Troggy.”
Mr Ismay said it was weird to see himself and his late father on the big screen.
He added: “It was nice to see myself with a bit of black hair and a black moustache.”
The cinema was packed full of not just those related to the film but regular cinema-goers as well.
Mrs Longden said: “I didn’t expect so many people to come to be honest, but I think we should do more of these things.
“I’d love to come and see more of these sorts of films.”
Despite initially being scheduled as a one-night only screening, last night’s success means On The Manor is now set to be shown again in January.
