CityLife

Behave yourself, hoodie

THE uncompromisingly-titled ASBO: The Show is a new comedy from the enterprising Moston Active Drama (MaD), written and directed by the company's artistic director Rob Lees, and production manager Jill Hughes.

The drama, featuring over 20 young people between the ages of seven and 16 from Moston and Middleton, offers a hilarious insight into the perils and pitfalls of life and love in a suburb of North Manchester that's a world away from the glitz and glamour of the regenerated city centre and its trendy southern suburbs.

The cast includes a seven-year-old loan shark, much gender-swapping, and a posse of hooded tops.

"Manchester gives out more ASBOs than anywhere else," says Rob.

"It is the ASBO capital of Britain, and the play, an epic tale of love, romance and urban regeneration set against the awesome backdrop of an evolving metropolis, is a comic response to that.

"Manchester may be the ASBO capital of Britain, but it is also a fantastic city that should be investing more in its people."

Moston

In the play, presented next Monday and Tuesday at the Library Theatre, Moston resident Calvin achieves local notoriety when he is presented with a cheque for é100 from Manchester City Council for becoming the north Manchester district's 1000th recipient of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO).

But, despite the comfort of the money, life becomes no easier for 15-year-old Calvin.

His kid sister is pregnant with twins, his mother is out of work, his grandparents have both lost their false teeth in an all-night poker game, and to cap it all, the entire family is in danger of being made homeless when the bakery below the family flat is taken over by a scheming landlord with an eye for easy pickings!

ASBO is set against a scenic background of local photographs taken by leading Manchester photographer Paul Cliff and features an original music score by Moston group ME.

ASBO: The Show is at the Library Theatre on Monday and Tuesday, July 3 and 4. é6, é8. You can get more details from 0161 236 7110 or www.librarytheatre.com.