REVIEW - Boys from the Blackstuff is emotional, entertaining and a nostalgic look back at the 80s

On Wednesday, we were invited to Lowry in Salford to see Boys from the Blackstuff. Read what our reviewer, Julie Wilson had to say about Alan Bleasdale's drama...


Alan Bleasdale’s BAFTA winning ‘Boys from the Blackstuff’ aired almost 40 years ago in 1982, a time of rampant unemployment and extreme hardship as Liverpool’s primary industries were collapsing. James Graham’s vivid and emotive stage creation centres on the intertwined struggle for a group of Liverpudlian men; Dixie Dean the foreman played by Mark Womack, Chrissie by George Caple, a conflicted father coping with no work and the need to support his family, Loggo played by Jurell Carter a second-generation immigrant and the elderly George Malone imparting his ‘words of wisdom’ to all who seek support and advice from him. Finally, Yosser Hughes, played brilliantly by Jay Johnson who is fragile, volatile, unpredictable, and barely keeping a grip on reality. His performance switches relentlessly between edgy and comical, with his constant utterances of ‘gizza a job’ and ‘I could do that’ interlaced with violent outbursts against the system and deeply sad chats with his imaginary kids.

Set against the backdrop of the desolate Liverpool docks, unfinished building sites and tarmac laid roads, the gang struggle to find work and salvage their pride. The set is cleverly interchanged between work sites, home, and the unemployment office, bringing a vividly accurate depiction of the daily ritual for the men and their families. Amy Jane Cook’s brutal and brilliant set of iron scaffolding and cranes create the Liverpool docklands while the use of innovative lighting and black and white imagery on the back wall emphasize the workplace exploitation, tragedy and hardship faced by the people living in the depressed environment. Ian Scott’s lighting work culminates in capturing superbly the harrowing slow-motion assault on Yosser. The scene at Dixie’s home where his wife scrambles back and forth between front and back door to avoid detection from the ‘dole sniffers’ is both comical yet a harsh reality of how communities dealt with Thatcher’s government’s attempt to crack down on unemployment fraud.  

The five main characters although finding themselves all in the same boat, all play out roles that have their own individual nuances to the same theme. Chrissie is conflicted whether to take a ‘guilt job’, Dixie wishes he could show his lad a trade, Yosser wanted to be something... and now will be anything... George is wistful of what the docks used to be like and Loggo wants to seize an opportunity like his young parents did when they arrived in the UK. Each character brings its own individuality, and the play develops a complexity around the main story line, which connects the audience to the fate of each character.

Johnson’s grief-stricken performance is particularly worthy of note, brilliantly portraying the pressure faced by losing his wife, kids and ultimately his mind. There are so many scenes which expose the characters desperation yet delivered with comic genius, reflecting the way in which people in that community accepted the futility of their situation. Yosser’s visit to the Catholic church at one end of Hope Street and then to the Protestant church at the other is a delightful comedic scene that rivals Dixie’s wife scurrying across the hallway.

From minute one you are transported back to the harsh realities of recession, the play moving at speed, connecting the audience immediately with each character’s predicament and hopes and aspirations to change their lot in life. Jokes come thick and fast, Liverpudlian quick witted one-liners ring out and the audience is taken on a rollercoaster of emotions from despair to delight. This show is highly recommended for an entertaining, emotional, and nostalgic look back at life’s daily struggle in the early 80s! Pure Brilliance! 

WE SCORE BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF...




Boys from the Blackstuff is on at Lowry, Salford until Saturday 26th April 2025


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