Greasy Vera's: Tickets go on sale for play about legendary late-night Sheffield burger van

Hundreds of people shared memories of a legendary late-night Sheffield burger van which are being made into a Full Monty-style play.

Writer James Doolan said he received more than 500 comments about the “sounds, smells, laughs, dramas and danger” at Greasy Vera’s, which achieved cult status over a 20-year period in Neepsend.

 It specialised in the ‘Cheggburger’ and fed a generation of late-night revellers, taxi-drivers, shift-workers, sex-workers and celebrities. 

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Now it has received a £13,000 grant from the Arts Council to bring it to audiences.

Mr Doolan said the script was based on the “hilarious, evocative and often moving” revelations of owner John Smith and his customers. 

He added: “We put a post on social media asking people to come forward with their stories to influence our script.

“The response was overwhelming, with over 500 comments and 180 shares, which is where many of the stories in the script come from.”

Michelle Dickinson, whose father John Smith owned Greasy Vera’s, said: “I worked alongside my dad for 20 years and this script captures the sounds, smells, laughs, dramas and danger of that time perfectly.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that the Arts Council are backing us to bring this new piece of Sheffield history to the stage and even more delighted that I’m one of the central characters.”

The grant will be used to hire actors for a performance at Sheffield’s Lantern Theatre on Monday,  May 13 before it goes on the road.

Producer, Emily Susanne-Lloyd, said Greasy Vera's has a loyal following even today.

She added: “A play about an old burger van may sound ridiculous but the story of a group of former steel workers who turned to stripping to survive in The Full Monty was made into a fabulous film and stage drama.

“This new story is based in Sheffield, but it will resonate in many towns and cities across the UK.”

Tickets for the performance are available online https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/thelanternsheff/greasy-veras/e-qlbxrj