An epic ballad of loss, friendship, and the search for meaning, Alan Bleasdale’s Boys From The Blackstuff is a love letter to the city and a true testament to the people of Liverpool’s past
Without spoiling anything, the 3 BAFTA award-winning TV show of the same name takes the audience back to the pre-Thatcher era of Liverpool. We join a group of 5 men who once worked as tarmac layers, hence the name blackstuff. They, along with various family members, try to find work and dodge the ‘sniffers’ from the office of employment who are trying to catch fraudulent contracts. Even before the performance started you could feel the atmosphere in the Royal, this was only increased by a glance at the program. By his admission, the Royal Court’s executive producer Kevin Fearon has been desperate to see this adaptation come to life. Even as a person in my 20’s I felt by the close that I better understood one of the darkest periods in Liverpool’s history. From a brief glance at the history of the original show, this adaption seems to weave all the stories together, gliding from moments of comedy to deep profound reflections about hopeless situations.
For those who’ve seen the TV show, no character stands quite as mighty as Yosser Hughes played by Barry Sloane. Sloane unites mania and comedy with the immortal line “Gizza job! I can do that”, with a skill that very few could surpass. Sloane presents Yosser’s mercurial temperament with power and yet also tenderness. Alongside Yosser, another standout performance was George (Philip Whitechurch). He anchored the play and provided insights that will catch you off guard and teary-eyed. Finally, regarding the cast, indulge me with a somewhat personal story. As I enjoyed my delicious pre-show meal I overheard a conversation about Jamie Peacock. He had worked on the Royal staff team during the first run of the show last year and then received a call up to take on the role of the employment office investigator Moss. This call came as such a shock that Jamie had to be repeatedly told that he was in a main role, not an understudy. This becomes personal because in December I had the joy of reviewing Jamie Peacock’s performance in a Christmas anthology called ‘Stocking Fillers’. Suffice it to say, his performance as an investigator demonstrates an understanding of the human condition that I feel will carry him well as the cast take this show on tour to the National and the West End!
The set design was dynamic, and the use of scaffolding helped illustrate the haves and have-nots in terms of employment could divide neighbourhoods. Furthermore, the projections behind key scenes really focused the dialogue, reinforcing one of George’s infamous stories about the pull of the tides. Much has been made of the links between the theme of this story and the current situation in Liverpool. To cut to the heart of this review, this relatability makes it deeply personal. Inflation in October 2022 reached 11.1%, this was the highest level since 1981, a year before our first introduction to the boys. The scenes that depict the 5 men working through the monotony of dole queues and visits to the employment office now occur over telephone lines. Whilst many aspects are different and the situation is no doubt generally better than it was for the 5, this show also cuts into deep themes such as race and alcoholism using comedy as an insight. In summary, be warned that this show will stick to you like the blackstuff long after you leave the theatre, with a fantastic cast and brilliant setting. Catch Alan Bleasdale’s Boys From The Blackstuff in the Royal Court until the 11th of May or when it sets off on tour.