NEW Dawn Fades – A Play About Joy Division and Manchester chronicles the rise and fall of the influential post-punk band and the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis, on tour at Leeds City Varieties Music Hall tonight and tomorrow.

Starring Michael Whittaker as Ian Curtis, Natalie Perry as Debbie Curtis and Lee Joseph as Manchester music-scene svengali Tony Wilson, it tells the story of four ordinary lads from Manchester, Salford and Macclesfield who, inspired by the punk revolution of the 1970s, came together as Joy Division.

Directed by James Foster, the play places the band within the context of Manchester’s history, taking inspiration from Curtis's enigmatic lyrics and featuring Tony Wilson – band manager, journalist and legend – as he interviews Roman General Julius Agricola, Dr John Dee (Elizabeth I's notorious adviser/astronomer), Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, William Burroughs and The Buzzcocks.

Lee Joseph's Wilson guides the audience through 2,000 years of history and his involvement with Joy Division in his inimitable way, with tears, humour and memories of how things were, how things are and how things might be again.

New Dawn Fades – A Play About Joy Division and Manchester is written by Brian Gorman, creator of Everyman: The Story Of Patrick McGoohan – The Prisoner, co-writer of the 2013 stage version of Blade Runner, and writer/artist of the Joy Division graphic novel.

Tickets for the 7.30pm performances are on sale on 0113 243 0808 or at cityvarieties.co.uk