Boys From The Blackstuff

Boys From The Blackstuff photos

Boys From The Blackstuff description

Funny yet tragic, raw but warm-hearted, this is James Graham’s outstanding new adaptation of Alan Bleasdale’s legendary TV drama. Boys from the Blackstuff is transferring to the West End with a potent plot, a feast of iconic characters, and all the famous catchphrases.

Directed by Artistic Director Kate Wasserberg, this acclaimed Liverpool Royal Court Theatre and National Theatre production is presented in the West End by Bill Kenwright Limited.

The show whisks us back to grim, grey early 1980s Liverpool where Chrissie, Loggo, George, Dixie and Yosser are unemployed. They’re hard workers and it feels terrible to be out of work. But there are no jobs and nobody has any money.

So what are they supposed to do? Work harder or longer, spend less, buy cheaper? Their lives have always been tough and that’s fine. They hang onto your humour, try to stay sane, and do your best to have a laugh along the way. These men just need a chance.

In a play with strong similarities to today, James Graham’s beautiful adaptation of Alan Bleasdale’s work transfers to theatreland for a strictly limited eight-week season at the Garrick Theatre, after runs at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool and the National’s Olivier Theatre.

Graham loved working on the project with Bleasdale, who is one of the reasons he became a writer. He sees the play as more resonant today than it’s ever been as the nation struggles to survive an unprecedented cost of living crisis. But this isn’t a tragedy, it’s a black comedy and it is actually very funny.

The cast includes George Caple (Doctor Who, a member of the Liverpool Everyman Rep company) as Snowy/Kevin/Scotty, and Dominic Carter (Coronation Street, Game of Thrones, The Responder, Around the World in 80 Days, Crossfire) as Molloy/Marley/Landlord/Catholic Priest/Policeman.

Helen Carter (The Flint Street Nativity, Top Girls) plays Miss Sutcliffe/Freda/Margaret, and Aron Julius (Death on the Nile, Death in Paradise, DCI Banks) as Loggo, Nathan McMullen (Doctor Who Christmas Special, Misfits, Wagatha Christie: Rooney v Vardy) as Chrissie, and Lauren O’Neil (Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall, This House, King Lear, Women Beware Women) as Angie/Jean/Lawton/Student/Lollipop Lady.

Jamie Peacock (Masquerade) is Moss/Anglican Reverend, Barry Sloane (The Bay, Litvinenko, Revenge, Hollyoaks, Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem) plays Yosser, Liam Tobin (Then and Now, member of the Liverpool Everyman Rep company) is ensemble and Mark Womack (The Responder, Emmerdale, Hillsborough, Sorted, Murphy’s Law, Liverpool 1) is Dixie.

Directed by Kate Wasserberg, Artistic Director at Theatr Clwyd, the set and costume design is by Amy Jane Cook, lighting design by Ian Scott, and movement direction by Rachael Nanyonjo. The original music was composed and sound design crafted by Dyfan Jones, with associate sound design by Kate Harvey and audio visual design by Jamie Jenkin. The fight direction is by Rachel Bown-Williams from RC Annie Ltd and associate movement direction is by Jocelyn Prah.

Playing at Garrick Theatre (venue info)