A screening of the original film Take It Or Leave It, with Q&A from Director Dave Robinson + Stiff Records special guests and material

Join us at Theatreship for a very special evening celebrating Stiff Records and the origins of one of Britain's most beloved bands - Madness!

We are thrilled to host a rare screening of the 1981 cult classic Take It Or Leave It, followed by an exclusive live Q&A with the film's director and Stiff Records supremo, Dave Robinson. Joined by special guests, Dave will be diving into the history of the band and sharing unseen, additional material straight from the Stiff Records archives.

The event is part of part of the BFI's "Rip it Up" season. Theatreship is proud to host a series of screenings celebrating the changing face of youth rebellion. In this season we dive into the youth driven movements which have defined our cultural identity, the agonies and ecstasies of growing up in Britain, and the issues facing the next generation.

This screening is taken from the original film print and will not be the newly restored version by the British Film Institute. The BFI restored film will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray the following day on 19th October, featuring a host of extras.

Take It or Leave It - 1981

Rating: 12

Duration: 82 minutes

Director: Dave Robinson

Cast: Graham "Suggs" McPherson, Mike Barson, Lee Thompson, Chris Foreman, Mark Bedford, Daniel Woodgate, and Chas Smash (starring as themselves)

Originally released in 1981, Take It Or Leave It is the highly entertaining story of how Madness—one of the most successful and enduring British bands of all time—originally got together. Filmed after the band had enjoyed a succession of Top 10 singles and had endeared themselves to the British public with the humour of their iconic music videos, it explores how a bunch of seven mates living in Camden Town in the late 70s formed the band. It captures the jobs they left behind, the line-up changes, the rows, the laughs, and how their distinctive ska-pop ‘Nutty Sound’ evolved.

Produced and directed by Dave Robinson, this was his first feature film. With no written script and no ‘acting,’ the film was completely based on real events with improvised dialogue by the band members themselves. The soundtrack includes a brilliant mix of both live and studio recordings, featuring hits like One Step Beyond, Night Boat to Cairo, My Girl, Baggy Trousers, and Embarrassment.

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The venue opens at 4pm for drinks in the bar and everyone is welcome to come early and enjoy the space. Please arrive for the event at 6pm at the latest to settle in and get your seats. Please note, there is no allocated seating!

Theatreship is committed to broadening access to the arts - we know that ticket price is a huge barrier for some. If the regular ticket price is beyond what you feel able to afford for whatever reason, please don't hesitate to email us at tickets@theatreship.co.uk and we will do everything we can to help, no questions asked.

Due to the historic nature of the ship, we’re sorry to say there is not currently step-free access into the theatre space. We have dedicated staff on hand to help with stairs, and an onsite wheelchair once you’re inside the venue. If you have any access needs, please do e-mail us at access@theatreship.co.uk.

Description supplied by the event organiser.