Historical Context in The Slab Boys

Post-War Britain

The action in The Slab Boys is set in post-World War II Paisley, Scotland in 1957. This is a significant detail as it directly impacts the play’s tone and themes.
Britain is emerging from the war’s impact and experiencing cultural change. Society is moving towards modernity, but the characters in The Slab Boys remain stuck in the working-class realities that largely mirror the economically fraught past.

The central characters in the play are part of the ‘slab boys’** - young men working in a carpet factory’s labour-intensive colour mixing department.
The economical hardship and the industrial jobs often confined working-class people to monotonous, unfulfilling lives. This forms the backdrop to the characters’ dreams and frustrations in the play.
The play explores how these societal limitations, such as class stereotype and economic deprivation, affect the aspirations and prospects of young men like Phil and Spanky.

Post-war Scotland, much like the rest of the Britain, was marked by sharp class divides and an industrial economy.
Industries such as those depicted in The Slab Boys, often provided stable, but low-wage employment, limiting upward mobility for workers.
The ‘slab room’ and ‘design loft’ in the factory symbolise these class disparities, with limited scope of transcending assigned roles and progressing up the social ladder.

Interestingly, the 1950s also marked the beginning of a ‘cultural renaissance’ in Scotland, with an upsurge in literature, art, and music.
Phil’s dream to attend Art School and his fascination with Elvis Presley reflects the cultural shifts taking place during this era.
However, the ‘slab boys’ often find this cultural bloom inaccessible or beyond reach, highlighting the rift between the cultural renaissance and working-class realities.

Byrne’s play also presents a critique of the education system of the time, which often failed those from lower social strata.
Despite his talent and ambition, Phil’s access to Art School is jeopardised, reflecting how opportunities were often guarded by societal barriers.
Such exploration of the education system underscores the systemic failures contributing to class disparity and the stagnation of talent in working-class youths.