Boys From The Blackstuff Reviews

From the first ‘Gizza job’, to the culminating scene that will likely make everyone cry critically acclaimed playwright James Graham's version of the hit series is far from his usual style. With close collaboration alongside the original writer Alan Bleasdale, he takes you on an unexpected journey back to the landmark 1982 TV drama, set in recession-hit Britain. The heart-wrenching tale, of five working-class men living on the edge of distress, is broken apart and reformatted for the stage. Graham cleverly masks their internal struggles with misplaced humor and violent outbursts. His work is fresh, skillful, and unapologetically real. And the resultant production has the qualities of a dramatic period piece, oddly reminiscent of 21st-century London.