Liverpudlian TV show Boys from the Blackstuff was a huge hit when it first aired in 1982.

Now, more than 40 years later, Alan Bleasdale’s gritty working-class drama has been turned into a gripping theatre show, proving it still holds a place in the nation’s heart.

The stage adaptation, created by playwright James Graham, made its debut in Liverpool in 2023 before moving to London’s West End for a string of sell-out performances.

The show is now hitting the road for a nationwide tour, including five nights in Bromley.

“Alan Bleasdale’s masterpiece is a story proudly forged in the humour and voice of Liverpool,” says James. “It was a real honour and a thrill to open it to packed houses there last year before bringing our show to London and the West End.

“But Boys from the Blackstuff remains a story of national significance, with a lasting impact on British culture. Taking it on the road, to communities around the country, feels like the most important thing we could be doing next with our story.”

The story follows Chrissie, Loggo, George, Dixie and Yosser, a group of men living in Liverpool in the 1980s.

Set in the wake of the early Thatcher era, both the TV show and the play reflect the living conditions of many working-class British people at the time and focus on issues such as unemployment and the economic recession, particularly in northern England.

The five-episode drama was originally aired on BBC Two but was so successful that it was shown again on BBC One nine weeks later. It won the BAFTA for Best Drama Serial in 1983.

“I never expected Boys from the Blackstuff to be quite the sell-out sensation it has become at Liverpool’s Royal Court, at the National Theatre and then in London’s West End,” says creator Alan Bleasdale.

“What I always hoped was that the rest of the country might have a chance to see this magnificent adaptation by James Graham. Now, that has been made possible by Bill Kenwright Ltd who have staged my theatre work since Are You Lonesome Tonight over 40 years ago.”

Boys from the Blackstuff is at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley from Tuesday, February 18 to Saturday, February 22. You can book tickets online here.

You can also book tickets by calling 03433 100020.