The Slab Boys by John Byrne is one of the best-loved works in twentieth-century Scottish theatre and regarded as a landmark play in Scottish theatre, being named by the National Library of Scotland as one of the 12 key plays of the last 40 years.
Written in 1978 as the first installment of a trilogy, The Slab Boys is a semi-autobiographical play set in the slab room of A.F. Stobo’s Paisley carpet factory in 1957. Focusing on a day in the life of a pair of teenage workers, Byrne’s play is a highly comic yet utterly realistic depiction of working-class youth culture in post-war Scotland.
To mark the 70th anniversary of the Citizen’s home in Glasgow’s Gorbals, it is to be revived in a major new production directed by David Hayman who also directed the original. Hayman has a long association with the Citizens Theatre, appearing as a regular member of the company during the 1970s. Hayman will also join the cast as Mr Currie, the gaffer of the slab room. Byrne, who is fresh from a major retrospective of his work at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, will also join the re-united original creative team as the production’s designer.
David Hayman commented:
“I’m utterly thrilled to be coming back to the Citz as a director and performer – the place where I spent the first and happy creative years of my career – and a privilege to be working again with the great John Byrne who is designing the show. It is especially exciting to be revisiting The Slab Boys which is one of the most important and iconic pieces of theatre to come out of Scotland in the last 30 years. It is a celebration of working class life, a wonderful story of high hopes and lost dreams.”
Citizen’s Artistic Director Dominic Hill, commented:
“70 years is a significant milestone in the unique history of this theatre and we wanted to kick off our celebrations in 2015 with a Scottish play that resonates with Glasgow audiences. The Slab Boys is the perfect fit. To be able to bring David and John, the creators of the original production, together again to re-create the play for our anniversary season make this show a must-see event in what is going to be a year filled with exciting productions that celebrate the best of the Citizens Theatre past and present.”
Following the run at the Glasgow theatre, the production will transfer to King’s Theatre, Edinburgh.
Tickets for performances at King’s Theatre Edinburgh are on sale to Friends from Friday 22 August. General sale opens on Monday 1 September.
Citizens Theatre Dates: 12 Feb – 7 March, 2015
King’s Theatre, Edinburgh Dates: 10-14 March, 2015