THEATRE REVIEW: Bysmal Boys - Salford Arts Theatre, Salford.

Who doesn’t want to see a stageful of brave firemen? Northern Rep Theatre’s production of Laura Genders’ new play “Bysmal Boys” is based on the Fire Brigade’s first national strike in 1977. Warm, engaging, humorous, poignant, and with some seriously 1970's moustaches, this evening’s performance was at Salford Arts Theatre and ended in a standing ovation. It is part of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.

The backbone of the play was Hans Keith Oldham as grizzled veteran fireman Harold. Surrounded by brash young men firing in all directions, he was the quietly spoken and dry-witted father figure keeping the group together on the picket line. As his own personal life began to be investigated more there were some heart-stopping moments both in Harold’s lonely little flat, and when he was flashbacking to his earliest firefighting experiences as a teenager, which Oldham delivered with delicate sincerity.

The younger firemen were a fluid ensemble of contrasting personalities. As the ambitious union rep Phil, Hans Luke Oldham (Oldham senior’s real-life son!) gave a slow-burning performance that exploded with fire in the later scenes, especially when describing the bullying he endured from the previous union rep. George Reavey, as Tony, kept up a humorously romantic storyline involving his prospective wedding that the strike was impacting in every way possible. Connor Evans, as Nicholas, wafted around cheerfully in a state of childlike daftness, but also had the harsher scene with his heavily pregnant wife and a pile of unpaid bills. Andy Cantillon was upright and ethical as Will, and held his own against his disapproving brother from the police force. Rik Barnett, as Handsome Dan, wearily accepted the attentions of all women as his destiny in life, while quietly dealing with a dementia-suffering father.

Three other actors played a dizzying array of cameo characters in support. Catt Johnson was especially delightful as a bossy maid of honour, and painfully expressive as the pregnant wife. Peter Munro was icily authoritative as the local Divisional Officer of the fire service, and tender as the bewildered father reliving his youth in World War Two. Sophie Cutler had the heroine’s pose as Britain’s first female firefighter Josephine Reynolds.

Holden Oak’s direction was graceful and controlled, with polished scenography. The pacing of the picket line scenes throughout the play was especially well-handled, beginning with fresh enthusiasm and idealistic fervour in all the characters, and subtly getting wearier and sadder each time the picket line was returned to. Though it concluded in an anti-climax, the audience were as ready for the strike to end as the firemen were.

The production values were a little rough around the edges, and voice projection varied a fair bit, but overall, this is worth seeing.

Reviewer - Thalia Terpsichore
on - 22.9.21