THE ROMAN INVASION OF RAMSBOTTOM

The musical is a crazy comedy set in Roman occupied Britain in 84AD when the country was ruled by GAIUS JULIUS AGRICOLA who, as history relates, was a huge admirer of Britannia, and was much loved by the people.

As is popularly acknowledged, the Romans were famously brilliant at building roads and the show is centred around the ceremonial opening of the fine new chariotway, the C VI, which Agricola has just (very nearly) completed, linking Rome with Carlisle.

The story, featuring lots of lovely songs but with a plot far too silly to outline here, concerns complications which arise when the Minister of Transport, Conkus Maximus by name, arrives from Rome to snip the ribbon and open the road.

The 'hilarius' list of characters who are mixed up in the fun includes a troupe of Lancastrian clog-dancers, two evil Roman tribunes called Parsimonius and Acrimonius, a massive bull - dozer, (Taurus - Soporens), the wonderfully varied and characterful inmates of a local pub called The Roman's Return which is run by Jack and Annie Walker and their beautiful daughter Gracie - and many kilos of slippery Lancastrian tripe.

Need we say more?

Commissioned from David Nield and Jeremy James Taylor by Granada Television, the musical won high praise from the critics when broadcast and a coveted Scotsman Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival.

You can see a recording of the original Granada TV Production of the show on YouTube here: