Boys From The Blackstuff – Richmond Theatre

James Graham is one of the most celebrated playwrights working in the UK today, and Boys From The Blackstuff is one of the newest jewels in his crown. Starting off at Liverpool’s Royal Court in 2023 before transferring to the National Theatre and the Garrick Theatre last year, Boys From The Blackstuff is now embarking on a UK tour to treat more audiences across the country to its masterful blend of brilliant writing, heartbreaking characters, and deeply evocative depiction of 1980’s Liverpool.

Based on Alan Bleasdale’s era-defining BBC drama of the same name, Boys From The Blackstuff weaves together the stories of five men: Dixie (Mark Womack), Chrissie (George Caple), Loggo (Jurell Carter), Yosser (Jay Johnson), and George (Ged Mckenna). As we watch them navigate life in a city plunged into recession, the play crafts a damning tapestry of life in Thatcher-era Britain for the northern working class.

Set in the shadow of a prior incident in Middlesbrough that cost the men their livelihoods — and for foreman Dixie (Mark Womack), his trust in the others — we see the five seek out official work from the Department of Employment while trying to dodge interrogation from the “sniffers” as they take cash-in-hand jobs to get by. The stakes are set even higher when the men are investigated for an attempted raid by the sniffers that resulted in the accidental death of George’s son Snowy (Reid’s Barber).

The BBC drama consisted of five episodes, each delving into the story of one of the five men. While the play doesn’t use an episodic structure, it does explore each character’s background and circumstances to help us understand and empathise with these men over the course of the two acts.

The rich production design immediately brings us into the action, with Amy Jane Cook’s vivid set and Jamie Jenkins’s emotive video design working closely together to bring the location and period to life. Set pieces move and shift to bring us into every corner of this world, and Rachael Nanyonjo’s movement design allows the characters to truly inhabit and embody the space, while Rachel Bown-Williams’s fight direction anchors the brewing anger that erupts as the piece progresses.

Snowy’s funeral is a perfect example of a scene where all of these production elements come together to create something that immediately moves you. There are a couple of moments where the tech needs a little bit of tightening, such as a portion of the screen on the back wall occasionally going black, but these niggles will no doubt be ironed out as the tour progresses.

Director Kate Wasserberg buffs and shines all the emotional beats in Graham’s script, and the cast deftly support in adding extra emotional nuance. Johnson’s Yosser in particular offers a devastating blend of rage, humour, and delusion that makes for a truly memorable performance that also shows off excellent physical comedy skills. Chrissie’s relationship with his wife Angie (Amber Blease) also serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the everyday impact that rising unemployment levels had on working class families in the 1980s.

We may be in a new decade, but the hardships faced in Boys From The Blackstuff are still taking their toll on many communities across the UK today. This production brings gut punches galore, plenty of laughs, and a whole lot of grit to tell a starkly poignant story of resilience and camaraderie.  

Boys From The Blackstuff is touring the UK and is at Richmond Theatre until 15th February. Buy tickets from: https://boysfromtheblackstuff.com/uk-tour/

Reviewer: Olivia Cox

Reviewed: 12th February 2025

North West End UK Rating: