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Road safety drama pulls no punches
Local young people are learning the potentially fatal risks of drink
driving through the re-enactment of a real life tragedy.
APE Theatre Company’s production of Mark Wheeller’s award winning ‘Too
Much Punch for Judy’ pulls no punches as it recreates the true life
events that led to the death of Jo Poulton in a car being driven by her
sister Judy on May 20th 1983.
The play is currently touring local high schools and was performed to
youth groups at Leigh Miners Welfare Institute on Tuesday (October 16th)
and the Wigan Investment Centre last night (October 17th).
The hard hitting drama sees young actors from APE take the roles of
family, police and ambulance officers, running through an array of
emotions as Judy, starting out as a lively party girl, ends up in
desperate hysterics. Despite being convicted for her crime, Judy went on
to kill another person through drink driving ten years later.
APE's production of the play has been touring since 1988. The drama is
the most performed short play to teenagers in the UK, having been acted
out over 5000 times.
The performances across the borough have been arranged and funded by the
Wigan Council road safety team with support from Wigan's Road Safety
Forum, which consists of representatives from the emergency services,
advanced driver, bus and cycle groups, the PCT, elected Members, the
Wigan Council CYPS youth service and road safety experts.
more.
Wigan Council road safety manager Geoff Haworth says: “The power of Too
Much Punch for Judy lies in its truth. It hits the audience hard because
not only is what happened real, but the words, taken from interviews of
those involved, are real as well.”
Following the Investment Centre and Leigh Miner performances, the
audiences took part in a workshop which asked the youths to consider
drink and drink-driving within their peer group.
Yasmeen Ullah, 15 from Leigh said: “I’ve always had a negative view of
drink driving and this play made me realise just what a big impact it
can have on people’s lives. I was surprised that the girl who was
convicted went out and did the same thing again. It makes you wonder
whether drink drivers should be punished more severely.”
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Notes to Editors
Photos attached
• The attached photos were taken at the ‘Too Much Punch for Judy’
performance at the Wigan Investment Centre. The top photo
shows APE actresses Sarah Jayne Hopkins (front left) and Lucy Fazey
(front right) photographed with Leigh Youth Voice members. Back row (l
to r) Jack Vincent, Kyle Johnson, Kenny Gaffney, Yasmeen Ullah and Lucy
Clarke. Middle row (l to r) Anthony Simpson (youth worker), Shaun
Billington, Sam Bromley, Katie Dean and Carolyn Casey (youth worker).
The second photo shows APE actors Adam Mendlesohn and Sarah
Jayne Hopkins performing the play.
Further information
• For further information please telephone Kennedy Stewart, Young
People’s Press Officer at Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, on (01942)
486927.
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