About The Play
Keep On Keepin’ On is a soulful, heartfelt, and hilariously chaotic tale of love, family, and survival set to the beat of Northern Soul.
Eugene and Maxine’s teenage romance first ignited on the dance floor, but life has spun them in and out of each other’s arms ever since. Now, Eugene spends his weekends DJing—still living for the music—while struggling all week to keep his Northern Soul-themed discount home improvement and white goods emporium from going under. He’s juggling a failing business, a restless Polish girlfriend, a daughter on the brink of disowning him, and even his dog seems ready to bail.
Just when he thinks things couldn’t possibly get worse, Maxine reappears with one more request —one that will change everything. Their son has just gotten out of jail, and he needs Eugene’s help. Cue Storm Liam!
A laugh-out-loud, soul-rich, cash-poor story of a dysfunctional Northern Soul family just trying to keep it together on a run down northern high street.
Coming to high streets in Crewe, Blackburn and Blackpool May 2025.
Keep On Keepin’ On is a sequel to Mick Martin’s 2003 critically acclaimed, sell-out play, Once Upon A Time In Wigan.
ABOUT MICK MARTIN
Mick Martin is from and lives in Bradford, and has written for theatre, TV and radio. He has been commissioned by West Yorkshire Playhouse, Bolton Octagon, Hull Truck, Manchester Contact, Exeter Northcott, Chester Gateway, Wakefield Theatre Royal, Red Ladder, Lawrence Batley Theatre, Mind The Gap, Pilot Theatre and Liverpool Everyman, to write a series of main house, touring and community pieces. He is also one half of Bent Architect, creating innovative site specific and touring work both nationally and internationally.
Most recently, Bent Architect's Full English explored working class identities, using first hand testimonies of those who were 'brought up white' whilst being mixed race. It won Best Production 2021 at the Asian Media Awards.
"I don't remember seeing anything that made me think so hard about the nature and challenges of a mixed heritage upbringing, and how a person navigates not only the history of that stretching out behind them but also their own situation, and that of their children into the future."
Audience Feedback for Full English
Mick's This Space Is Occupied took over a derelict pub in Bradford to recreate an early 70’s communal squat occupied by a radical arts collective. This site-specific production included both professional & community performers and was developed in partnership with city centre regeneration agencies.
"The highlight is arguably how a long empty pub has found a new life and is once again an important part of Bradford’s cultural scene. The Old Crown is a character in itself in this play, and shows how any venue can become a stage when you think outside the box."
****Telegraph & Argus
"This is the audience for Bent Architect’s This Space is Occupied and they have a treat in store. The pub has been transformed – with awe-inspiring attention to detail by production designer Jude Wright – into a 1970s squat occupied by a radical arts collective."
****Yorkshire Post
He is currently developing a new community-focussed project for Rochdale - Cotton Famine Road - exploring the town's abolitionist heritage whilst working alongside Priority Place partners and the Levelling Up leaders in the town.
About Northern Soul Productions
Northern Soul Productions is a UK theatre company established by Mick Martin and Alex O’Toole to celebrate the people, places, culture, and heritage of the North. Through powerful storytelling we bring Northern history, struggles, and spirit to life with authenticity and heart.