The BORO's 37mins: Celebrating 25 years...Back from the brink.

Middlesbrough playwright Alan Spence is now publishing the script and handbook for his acclaimed play, 'The BORO's 37mins' which celebrates the Boro's survival after coming close to the brink of disaster in 1986.

The play, which features video clips from the time, covers the club, the community and the personal lives of the Boro fans as the fortunes of the football club mirror those of the wider Teesside area at a time of widespread unemployment and social problems.

Originally performed at the 2010 Middlesbrough Literary Festival and again at Teesside University in 2011, the play invoked an emotional response from audiences and fans. Former Boro player Colin Cooper said at the performance, "That era was a special time and it's been great revisiting it. I thoroughly enjoyed it."

The new book, due to be released by Sixth Element Publishing, includes background to the area and the club, the full script of the play itself, production notes and educational resources for Key Stages 3, 4 and 5.

Rob Nichols, editor of the Boro fanzine Fly Me To The Moon, said, "Exciting news. The original play leading to its cliff hanger 37 mins deadline, with all the passion, history, tradition, could make a fabulous 'must have' book."

Lesley Firman added, "A thoroughly enjoyable book, both educational and fun. It is a complete package for anyone to put on the play and the 'additional' material provides a 'feel' of the play. It's a brilliant piece of work."

Aimed at fans and families as well as schools and community theatre groups, Alan is looking forward to working with a new generation of Boro fans and inspiring them to know more about the heritage of the club and our area.
"It's been an amazing project to work on," he said. "The Middlesbrough 86 Project Partnership brought the play to life some years ago, and now the release of the play as a published script can bring those all important events to a new audience."

The BORO's 37mins: what you get.
32 scenes / 27 characters / 15 Pop classics / 9 Football Chants / 6 goals / 2 Halves / Just one team: The BORO!!

"In short, I loved it. It really took me back home and brought back so many memories, some happy and some sad. I think you've captured perfectly what was going on back then and how Thatcher brought the area and its people to its knees.

Watching the industrial heart being ripped away from a hard working community was heart-breaking as was the knowledge that we could no longer rely on getting a job locally when we finished school. I think you've got the Teesside, sarcastic humour perfectly. Cutting, dry, amusing and quick!

Local people will love your play as they'll know all the places you mention eg - Binns, The Madison, Marton Country Club etc (I was half expecting you to mention The Dragonara Hotel - now that's showing my age!)".

Francesca.