OVER the years Huddersfield has many claims to fame, but one that has probably escaped a lot of people – and is almost certainly unknown to some generations – is that the town played host to the infamous Sex Pistols’ last UK gig in 1977.

That is to say the full Pistols line-up which included Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten. They did play without Vicious in Glasgow – with limited success – in an attempt to resurrect their careers in 1996 after re-forming.

The punk rock band were booked to play a Christmas Day gig at Ivanhoes nightclub on Manchester Road by Bill Wright, of Bankhouse Entertainments.

But not only did the band perform a one-and-a-half-hour set in the evening to an audience of 500, they also staged (and paid for) a Christmas Party in the afternoon to a party of 250 children, from the families of striking West Yorkshire firemen, David Brown’s workers, children from nearby homes and one-parent families.

It was a gesture which belied their carefully-cultivated vulgar image and one which prompted a television commentary to make a documentary about the final ‘showdown.’

Derby author Angela Truby was so inspired by the programme she decided to pen a play (with music) which she believed would make an exciting piece of stage work.

And with the original concept being played out in Huddersfield, Angela presented her work to the Second Year Drama and Media Students at the University of Huddersfield.

And that is how ‘Anarchy, Cake and Trifle’ will come to be staged in the Milton Building, at the Queensgate Campus on March 31 and April 1.

‘Anarchy, Cake and Trifle’ explores the political aspects of the 1970s including the characters of Margaret Thatcher, James Callaghan and Barbara Castle and looks at the social aspects of 1977 through the eyes of a Huddersfield family where dad, Gordon, is a striking firefighter, son John a follower of the punk trend along with his younger siblings who attended the Pistols party.

Having been presented with the idea for the performance, the students have fully researched the content and the end product should produce a comical and light-hearted piece of theatre which also has an added meaning and personal connection to those living in Huddersfield in the 70s.

Third year drama student Amy Beard is the play’s director and she helped the students devise material to provide an insight into the story, looking at it from a variety of angles.

The production is being held on two nights, Tuesday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 1, with two performances each evening at 6pm and 8pm and it is open to the general public.

Indeed the organisers are hoping for a positive response from the people of Huddersfield, particularly anyone who actually attended the original Pistols gig.

Included in the cast are: Louise Clark, Rebecca Curran, James Hunt, Jenna Kay, Lorelie Knowles, Yuki Kondo, Jacqui Lee, Gemma McAleavey, Anastasia Morton, Vicky Rawes-Sweet, Hayley Wade, Jade Walton, Eleanor Wilton and Carly Wood.

Tickets are £3 or £2 (concessions) and are available from the Milton Building or the box office website, miltonboxoffice@hud.ac.uk