Willie Rough

Summary

1976 BBC Scotland production of Willie Rough by Bill Bryden.

Theatre play

Willie Rough by Bill Bryden [more information]

Play synopsis

'The beginnings of revolutionary socialism, set amongst the shipyards of Greenock during the first half of the First World War. The titular Rough walks 15 miles in search of a start in the shipyards, and is advised to head for the nearest pub. Willie attends regular workers’ meetings held by left-wing firebrands, and subsequently rises to rank of shop steward, determined to negotiate a two-bob raise for all. But the war looms. Determined to hold fast for the good of the workers, Wllie calls a strike, which quickly spreads along the Clyde. Hardship overtakes all the workers’ families - in one moving scene, Willie pays respects to Pat’s deceased infant daughter. Charlie McGrath, a socialist even more hardline than Willie, gives him the courage to hold fast in the face of poverty, but the escalating war makes nothing easier. Hughie dies after selflessly joining in a riot with strike-breakers, and eventually Willie and Charlie are jailed after Charlie publishes an article by Willie questioning the workers’ need to go to the front. On release, Willie returns to the yard - now operating again - to find Pat and Jake have compromised in the face of the insurmountable opposition brought on by the worsening war (ironically this compromise brings the longed-for two bob rise at last)' (adapted from http://www.tvcream.co.uk/?p=7329).

Production history

'Broke new ground when staged at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre’ (http://www.tvcream.co.uk/?p=7329).

Date of transmission

Tuesday 16 March 1976

Series

Play for Today

Channel

BBC1

Production company

BBC Scotland

Credits

Director

Bob McIntosh

Producer

Pharic Maclaren

Playwright

Bill Bryden

Designer

Alex Gourlay

Script Editor

Tom Wright

Cast

Joseph Brady	Pat Gatens
Peter Finlay	Policeman
James Grant	Willie Rough
James Kennedy	Geordie
Fulton Mackay	Hughie
Barry Malone	Apprentice
Bill McCabe	Policeman
Callum Mill	Eddie
Elizabeth Millbank	Nurse
Maurice Roëves	Charlie McGrath
John Shedden	Mr Penrose
Gerard Slevin	Jake Adams
Paul Young	Sam Thomson

Additional details

Play tags

First World War, as theme or setting; Scotland, as theme or setting; strikes / industrial action; wartime, as theme or setting

Audiovisual sources

Title

Willie Rough (BBC, 1976)

Archive

BBC Information and Archives [more information]

Address

White City
London
UK

Telephone

+44 (0)20 8008 2288

Website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/informationandarchives/

Access

BBC Information and Archives is not open to the public.

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 4 March 1976 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 35

Title

Willie Rough, 1976 on BBC1 (Website)

Reference

TV Cream website at http://www.tvcream.co.uk/?p=7329.