Now Booking For 2027!
[Image above Karen McBride©]
NEW DAWN FADES 2027 DATES!
New Dawn Fades — the funny, moving and powerful story of Ian Curtis and the rise of Joy Division returns in a re-energised production touring the UK in Spring 2027. Set against the backdrop of the post-punk explosion in 1970s Manchester, the play follows four ordinary young men who came together to form one of the most influential bands of all time: Joy Division. Blending humour, drama and music, New Dawn Fades charts the band’s rapid rise from Manchester clubs to the brink of international success, with Ian Curtis at the centre of it all — a young man grappling with fame, creativity and personal turmoil. Following Curtis’ tragic death in 1980, the remaining members would go on to achieve worldwide success as New Order.
Upcoming Shows
- Oct28 Macclesfield - Cinemac Cinemac Sold out!
- Oct29 Basingstoke The Haymarket, Basingstoke Sold out!
- Oct30 Basingstoke, Hants The Haymarket, Basingstoke Sold out!
- Apr28 Manchester Manchester, HOME Tickets
- Apr29 Manchester Manchester, HOME Tickets
- Apr30 Manchester Manchester, HOME Tickets
- May13 Sheffield Sheffield, Montgomery Theatre Tickets
- May20 Wrexham Wrexham - William Aston Hall Tickets
- Jun09 Burnley, Lancs Mechanics Theatre, Burnley Tickets
“The standout moment where it dawns on you exactly why Josh Lonsdale was cast as the lead of Ian Curtis is nothing short of electrifying!”
“Essential viewing for anyone even remotely interested in Joy Division, Factory Records, or Manchester’s creative legacy.”
“A beautiful crafted and emotional homage to a hugely influential and talented band.”
“If you care about music history and the story behind creative people, then this production is well worth your time.”
“The relationship of Ian Curtis and his teenage bride Debbie Curtis (Lauren Greenwood) was presented with gravity and sympathy.”
“the closest I’ll ever get to seeing Joy Division, which is why I could not recommend this musical play more highly.”
“A history-packed treat for Joy Division fans… New Dawn Fades is sure to tick all your boxes.”
“This play shows what has been possible. The task now is to create the conditions for what comes next. Not through invitation, but through our insistence that we belong in the story.”
“A superb cast and a pace that never flags, New Dawn Fades was over all too soon, and is highly recommended”
New Dawn Fades – A Play About Joy Division and Manchester
A funny, moving and powerful story of Ian Curtis and the rise of Joy Division
New Dawn Fades is a powerful stage play exploring the rise of Joy Division and the life of Ian Curtis, set against the backdrop of a changing Manchester. As the band moves from obscurity to the brink of international success, the production follows Curtis at the centre of it all — a young man navigating fame, expectation and his own inner struggles.
Blending live vocal performance with a dynamic musical soundscape, New Dawn Fades captures the energy of the music alongside a raw and deeply human story about creativity, identity and the cost of brilliance.
(Photo: ©Karen McBride)
For 2027, New Dawn Fades reunites the creative team behind its acclaimed 2025 tour, with producers Nigel Carr and Tony Davidson. Tony was the owner of the renowned T.J. Davidson studios in Manchester — a key part of the city’s music scene, where artists including Joy Division, Mick Hucknall, Buzzcocks and The Fall rehearsed — and the location for the iconic ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ video. Nigel Carr is a partner in the celebrated online magazine and radio station Louder Than War.
Originally developed at the Manchester Fringe Festival in 2013, New Dawn Fades has evolved into a powerful touring production, blending live vocal performance with a dynamic musical soundscape style, that continues to resonate with audiences across the UK.
Written by award-winning playwright Brian Gorman, who has received widespread acclaim for his portrayal of Factory Records founder Tony Wilson, the production blends live vocal performance with a dynamic musical soundscape. Directed by Lauren Greenwood, New Dawn Fades is a powerful and deeply human story about creativity, identity and the cost of brilliance.
At its heart, New Dawn Fades is a story about mental health, identity and the pressures of success.
What people say about New Dawn Fades:
“This is the closest I’ve been to understanding what it’s like to be in the room with Joy Division, because that was extraordinary”
– Jeremy Vine
“Highly entertaining, poignant, and often very funny. Brian Gorman played an uncanny version of the late great Tony Wilson”
– Will Sergeant (Echo & The Bunnymen)
“The play is a beautiful crafted and emotional homage to a hugely influential and talented band.”
– Tony Clarke (Louder Than War)
“It’s certainly the closest I’ll ever get to seeing Joy Division… I could not recommend this musical play more highly.”
– The Punk Site
“So fascinating, and (Josh Lonsdale) who played Ian Curtis was brilliant!”
– Jayne Middlemiss (Virgin Radio)
“Josh Lonsdale’s delivery of Ian Curtis is particularly impressive”
– Serena Murphy (Mancunian Matters)
“Tony Wilson (is) admirably played by Brian Gorman. You can’t help but admire the gusto with which the production barrels along”
– Peter Wild (The Manchester Review)
“ridiculously good – the cast successfully captured the style and energy of the real Joy Division”
– Julia (Glos.info)
“a story about ordinary people responding to extraordinary times—and that those times still echo through every note, every word, every flicker of light onstage.”
– Ken Foster (Plus One)
