Sailmaker

by Alan Spence

Shipbuilding in Scotland

• The River Clyde and the West of Scotland began to develop as a major industrial centre during the 19th century.

• Expertise in engineering, large local supplies of coal and a growing workforce flooding in from the countryside helped the growth of the shipbuilding industry.

Shipbuilding in Scotland

Thousands of men

laboured in yards stretching

from Greenock into the

centre of Glasgow.

Shipbuilding in Scotland

• Ships from the Clyde were sold all over the world and many of the great battleships (dreadnaughts) that made up the main military strength of the British Empire were also “Clyde built”. This phrase came to be associated with quality and strength.

• However, two world wars, economic slumps and the availability of cheaper ships in Japan and Korea started a process of gradual decline that grew faster from the 1960s onwards.

• The shipyard workers felt as if they were being thrown on the scrap heap as thousands of lay-offs took place.

Glasgow TenementsTenement style housing was the most numerous in Glasgow in the 1950s and 60s. Tenements are rows of cheap housing which were often cramped, small and very basic. They were generally the homes of the working class.

Glasgow Belongs to Me 1963 part one

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmXdOQI3Q_4&list=PL79803AF6424830D9&index=41

Short colour film showing Glasgow in the early 1960’s contemporary with Sailmaker – good footage of tenements and other relevant elements.

Youtube – Chris Lavelle

About the Author…

• Alan Spence was born in Glasgow in 1947, and his childhood in that area was a significant inspiration for his writing

•Alan Spence was born in Glasgow to Glaswegian parents, Charlotte ('Nettie') Spence and Alexander (Alex) Spence, who was a sailmaker by trade, although he latterly worked as a storeman. His mother died when Spence was 11.

•He went to the University of Glasgow in 1966 and started a Law degree, then switched to English and Philosophy, completing his degree a few years.

Sailmaker is an autobiographical work and Spence has described the writing of the play and earlier short story Blue, as ‘cathartic’ – meaning that it allowed him to re-visit difficult emotions mainly about his mother’s death.

“There’s always things in your life that you’re dealing with for your whole life, in my case very obviously my mother dying when I was so young…it was a huge traumatic experience for me. I think something like that sets you questioning the whole meaning of existence. The reality of having someone as close as your mother taken from you sets all those big questions into play in your mind.”

About the play…• Setting:

– Time: Begins early 1960s and continues throughout the decade.

– Place: Glasgow tenement flat and its surrounding streets and back courts.

• Characters:– Davie: Middle aged Glasgow man, former

sailmaker– Alec: Davie’s son– Ian: Alec’s cousin– Billy: Ian’s father, Davie’s younger brother

Themes explored in the text• Relationships • Conflict• Coping with loss• Religious bigotry• Broken promises / disappointment• Unemployment • Gambling/drinking• Escape

“Off The Page” with Alan Spence

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeJzu9UbPao

You may wish to view this interview after reading the play as it contains a lot of detail about the play. Excellent excerpts from Tag theatre production of Sailmaker and a lot of insight from Spence himself about the autobiographical nature of the drama. (Sailmaker discussed from 7:12)

STV production / Jenny Murray

Argyle Street, 1962.

Glasgow Mods, 1960’s.

Glasgow Rangers, 1960’s.

Typical 1960’s interior – re-created at Summerlea Heritage Museum, Coatbridge.

Characterisation

AlecAlec is a sensitive and clever individual who hashad to cope with many difficulties at a young age.

The play begins with a flashback; Alec is recalling the death of his mother. As a result of this tragic event, Alec is brought up by his father. Although Davie does his best, he frequently lets Alec down.

DavieDavie is a middle-aged man who lives in a small tenement flat in Glasgow with his son Alec. At the start of the play, he is trying to come to terms with the death of his wife. Davie has also lost his trade (Sailmaking) due to the decline of the Glasgow shipbuilding industry. During the course of the play, Davie loses two further jobs (Tick man and factory worker) through no fault of his own.

BillyBilly is Davie’s brother and Alec’s uncle. He has a son called Ian and lives in Glasgow at the start of the play.Billy is a painter a decorator by trade. During the play, he is made redundant from the factory he works in. He uses his redundancy money to relocate from Glasgow to Aberdeen where he is able to find a new job. This is a good illustration of Billy’s purposeful and practical nature. He is a down to earth character who believes in getting things done

IAN

In Act 1 Ian is a typical young boy, interested in comic books and football. At the start of Act 2 he is an adolescent, on the point of leaving school.  Ian is down to earth character with a good sense of humour. At the start of the play, he and his cousin Alec are close, however, they gradually drift apart as they grow up and develop different interests.  Ian becomes a painter and decorator like his dad. He is unable to understand Alec’s desire to remain in full time education.