ACADEMIC research into one of Britain’s earliest youth cults has been adapted into a theatre performance.
Angels With Manky Faces is being premiered at The Bluecoat today, based on the work of Dr Andrew Davies, who explored Victorian archival records that detailed more than 30 years of territorial battles between young gang members on the streets of Manchester. Gang fights during the period were known as “scuttles”, and as many as 500 young people would take part in pitched battles between rival gangs.
“Scuttlers” were easily identified by their fringed hair, tilted caps, patterned scarves and bell-bottomed trousers.
Dr Davies, from the University of Liverpool’s School of History, said: “Severe injuries were so numerous that hospital staff during the period claimed they were overwhelmed.”
The show, performed by Manchester-based MaD Theatre Company at the Unity Theatre at 8.00pm on Wednesday 22 July and Thursday 23 July is a combination of performance and film.
