Boys from the Blackstuff
Gizza job. Go on, gizzit, go ‘head, giz it if you’ve got it, giz it, I can do it. Giz it then. Go ‘head, gizza job.
80s
Liverpool. Chrissie, Loggo, George, Dixie and Yosser are used to hard work and providing for their families. But there is no work and there is no money. What are they supposed to do? Work harder, work longer, buy cheaper, spend less? They just need a chance.
Life is tough but the lads can play the game. Find the jobs, avoid the ‘sniffers' and see if you can have a laugh along the way.
40 years after Alan Bleasdale’s ground-breaking television series of the same name was essential viewing, this edition is published to coincide with the co-production between the Liverpool Royal Court and London's National Theatre, in April 2024.
James Graham is a multi award-winning playwright and screenwriter.
His play This House gained critical acclaim, enjoyed a sell-out run at the National Theatre’s Olivier in 2013 and its 2017 West End revival was Olivier-nominated. It was chosen by popular vote as the best play of the 2010s by Methuen Drama. His play Dear England won Best New Play at the 2024 Olivier Awards.
James created theatre history when his two plays Ink, about the early days of Rupert Murdoch, and Labour of Love, a romantic political comedy, played in theatres next to each other in the West End in 2017. James won an Olivier award in 2018 for Labour of Love and Ink transferred to Broadway in 2019, receiving six Tony award nominations.
James’ play The Vote (Donmar Warehouse) aired in real time on TV in the final 90 minutes of the 2015 polling day and was BAFTA-nominated. His most recent television film, Brexit: An Uncivil War (Channel 4/HBO) is nominated for a 2019 Emmy Award.