TV Review – Black Roses – The Killing Of Sophie Lancaster

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In 2007, a 21 year old Gothic girl, Sophie Lancaster, and her boyfriend, Robert Maltby were cutting home through a park in Bacup, Lancashire, in the early hours of the morning when they were viscously attacked by a gang for no other reason than that they were dressed in Gothic clothes and Sophie had lots of piercings. Sophie had a chance to escape but valiantly tried to save her boyfriend and suffered horribly for her loyalty to him. Both were beaten so severely that they were left in severe comas. Though Robert Maltby came through with some brain damage, Sophie Lancaster died thirteen days later. There was criticism of the slow response to calls to police and ambulance services by a surprisingly large number of witnesses. Sophie’s senseless death has led to massive campaigns to protect people against hate crimes for daring to dress or behave differently. There have been books, animations and Simon Armitage’s poems on the story, which became the basis for the short stage play Black Roses. The TV play uses the original theatrical cast for this true and harrowing story presented by two actresses, Rachel Austin, in the title role, and Julie Hesmondahl playing her mother, Sylvia Lancaster, using Sylvia’s own words while Austin speaks with Armitage’s moving but angry verse about a promising life so senselessly cut short. There are several moving online tributes to Sophie and Robert including this sad, perhaps distressing youtube Arthur Chappell