'It's got to be about us', choir says on new film

The Choral follows the story of a Yorkshire community during World War One

Members of a West Yorkshire choir say they are "really excited" following the release of a new film, which they believe is based on their history.

The Choral, which stars Ralph Fiennes, hit cinemas on Friday and charts the fortunes of a community that has lost its male choristers to World War One.

Huddersfield Choral Society member Gaynor Haliday said there were many parallels between their story and the plot of the film.

As well as being filmed in several locations around Yorkshire and written by Leeds playwright author Alan Bennett, Ms Haliday is convinced the choir inspired the story.

The Choral is set in the fictional mill town of Ramsden in 1916, which Ms Haliday, who has been part of the choir for 25 years, said was the first of many references to Huddersfield.

"Huddersfield is known as the town that bought itself, after the Huddersfield Corporation bought the land known as the Ramsden Estate in 1920," she said.

"In the film, the choir is set to perform Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius and we're the choral society that made the first recording of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius."

Having looked deeper into the choir's archives, Ms Haliday found that in total 23 men had left the society to enlist in World War One, with two killed.

On 15 May 1915, Lance Corporal Lewis Walker was killed, dying instantly when he was struck with shrapnel in the Battle of Aubers Ridge.

He was described in the local newspaper as "a baritone soloist of great promise".

On 19 November the same year, Private Frank Rushfirth, a well-known bass vocalist, was killed in action.

He was a stretcher bearer attached to 'A' Company of the 1/5 Battalion West Riding Regiment.

The Choral stars Ralph Fiennes and Jim Broadbent

According to Sony Pictures, Bennett spent many years "noodling around" with an idea for a story set within a choral society.

"I prepare folders of different things as I'm thinking of them," he said.

"At one stage I had one on the Huddersfield Choral Society, which went through all sorts of dramatic upsets, and I started to write that and then decided against it.

"This one, The Choral, surfaced during lockdown."

Bennett said he was keen to capture the mood in 1916, which was beginning to shift away from patriotism.

"People began to question the nature of the war, and as conscription came in, it probably made many of the young men a little sceptical of the war," he said.

It was a feeling the author was familiar with, being born in 1934, he came of age after the end of World War Two, but during a time of National Service in Great Britain.

Scenes were filmed at the Salts Mill in Saltaire, West Yorkshire

Filming for The Choral took place last year, in and around Saltaire, near Bradford.

Screen Yorkshire, which supported the film through its Yorkshire Content Fund, confirmed scenes were shot at Salts Mill and Victoria Hall.

Additional filming also took place in Calderdale, Harrogate and Leeds.

To celebrate the film's release, members of Huddersfield Choral Society attended a showing at The Light in Huddersfield.

"We haven't had confirmation, but it's got to be about us," Ms Haliday said.

"We are all really excited about it."

Oliver Briscombe pictured in character on the streets of Saltaire

One of the cast members is Oliver Briscombe, who plays Lofty in what is his first major screen role.

Mr Briscombe, 20, grew up in Ripon and is studying acting at the MetFilm School in Leeds. He was given the part after attending an open casting call.

He said: "I had imposter syndrome at first. But every day I was learning - not just from the actors but from the crew as well. Ralph Fiennes is such a professional and a lovely man. He brought this incredible energy to the set."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.