A tragic story that doesn’t quite land
Liverpool in the 1980’s was a tough time to be working class, and no-one knows that better than these boys from the blackstuff, five tarmac layers who have been laid off and searching for work for over a year.
Unable to survive on unemployment benefits alone, these men are forced to do odd jobs for shady bosses in exchange for cash in hand and no security. Followed by the Office of Unemployment or the ‘sniffers’, the men are already on thin ice with the authorities when the play begins.
Boys from the Blackstuff has been adapted by James Graham from the BAFTA award winning TV series of the same name. Originally created by playwright Alan Bleasdale, this serial was considered a dramatic response to Thatcherism and its impact on the working classes.
Condensing 5 episodes into a play is a tough job, which Graham takes on admirably, albeit involves extensive exposition to cover all the plot points. Trying to include every moment that occurs in the series, the play is lengthy yet still feels rushed, as multiple characters and storylines are briefly introduced but never fully fleshed out.
Focusing on some characters but leaving others almost completely out of the story, the audience are constantly playing catch-up. We spend a lot of time with the iconic Yosser Hughes, only to miss all of the character development from the series, rendering him exactly the same man at the end of the play as he was at the beginning.
However, the performances are grounded and immediate, with Sean Kingsley as a standout playing the wonderfully deplorable building site manager Malloy. An exasperated Loggo is played beautifully by Jurell Carter, giving the boys a much needed reality check about the ingrained racism of some of the innocent ‘stories’ told at smoko.
A 14-strong ensemble, this production is backgrounded by a magnificent set created by Amy Jane Cook. Large pieces of corrugated iron create multiple artificial landings for the construction site scenes, with a bare centerstage free to be transformed into various indoor spaces. Director Kate Wasserberg makes use of this with dynamic staging choices, keeping each space buzzing with life and utilising every corner of the stage.
However Wasserberg has been unable to capture the grit of the story. With dance-like stage transitions and extensive group singing, it’s hard to believe these are people really living in the ‘gutters’. A lengthy slow-motion fight sequence and a highly stylised death scene using abstract projections are also completely at odds with this story grounded in the harsh reality of the time period.
Although it’s an urgent story that still holds relevance, this production doesn’t quite translate, lacking the ring of authenticity through the erratic storytelling and heightened direction.
Boys from the Blackstuff tours across the UK at different venues until July – tickets here.