As many will remember, back in 2007 in a park in Bacup, 20 year old Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend Robert were attacked so severely by five teenagers that Sophie fell into a coma, dying thirteen days later. Robert survived, just. The reason for the attack was because the couple were dressed as goths.
So shocked was the nation by the pointlessness and violence of the crime that the story continued to resonate, so much so that the acclaimed poet, Simon Armitage, created an elegy for Sophie called 'Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster'.
Since then, not only has a foundation been created in Sophie's name by her mother, Sylvia, the poem has been turned into both a radio and stage play, first performed at Manchester's Royal Exchange. Now, BBC4 have turned it into a film, starring Rachel Austin as Sophie and Julie Hesmondhalgh as Sylvia, Sophie's mother. Both actresses turn in heart-breaking performances, and the film has already been nominated for three Royal Television Society awards, including Best Single Drama and Best Performance for Julie Hesmondhalgh.
Time Out caught up with Julie following a recent press preview of the film.
You’ve been involved with 'Black Roses' for some time. How did it come about?
'I wasn’t part of the radio production and became involved with the Foundation first. The crime happened in my community. Kate Conboy-Greenwood from the Foundation gave me wristband and asked if I’d like to be involved. At the same time, me and my husband had been talking about setting up some kind of awards scheme or trust and we were thinking of a writing competition for young people so we thought, why not do it with the Foundation? So we approached Kate and launched a school writing competition based around the subject of difference. And that’s when the radio play happened. For me it was a seminal piece of work – it really knocked me out.
It was shortly after it was broadcast that I was asked, having been suggested by Sylvia herself, if I’d like to play her in the stage version. I’d not been on stage for years and I wondered how on earth I could play this. Plus I was still in ‘Corrie’ so I asked for time off.
Doing ‘Black Roses’ at the Royal Exchange had a big impact on me. It was intense – no curtain calls at the end, just silence. It was very unusual and working with Sarah Frankcom (Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange) and Sue Roberts (director of 'Black Roses') was wonderful. And Sylvia and the foundation had a stall there every night.
After that I left 'Corrie' – I’d realised I wanted to do other things. So we did another run of the play in schools and community centres, which was a different audience completely. That was quite life changing for me. And when the chance to do the film came up, both I and Rachel Austin, who had played Sophie on stage and in the radio production, felt it would be good to get it all down on film, so we said yes.'
Why do you think this story more than others remains in the public’s mind?
'Because of Sylvia. It wouldn’t have stayed in the public eye without her work. When it happened it felt like the world’s press were camped at the hospital, because it took Sophie so many days to die. But at the same time that awful tragedy in Liverpool happened when little Reece Jones got shot, and that took over. The press moved on. So without Sylvia and the work of the foundation, it would have disappeared.'
Rachel Austin as Sophie Lancaster
Tell us about the Sophie Lancaster Foundation
'The Foundation's aims are to educate young people about difference and alternative cultures, to get attacks on those cultures included in the hate crime laws and to keep Sophie’s memory alive. Sylvia is very protective of her daughter’s memory. Those three aims are equally important. Sylvia is in constant contact with the police and her experience across the board has been a positive one. In fact Manchester became the first force to include alternative cultures within the hate crime category. Sylvia travels with that message – taking it to schools and communities – violence because of difference is not acceptable.
The Foundation has developed a board game in which children are asked what they think of various photos of people. Would you trust this person etc. Some of the responses are really upsetting – so much judging just from appearance. One of the faces is Sophie and some of the kids don’t say nice things about the way she looks. Then Sylvia tells them what happened. It’s a very powerful message.'
How can people get involved?
'On the website there’s information about events going on and where the Foundation will be. The Facebook page is very popular and it’s a great source of information and feedback too. We get posts about new attacks, sadly, so the work goes on… As it’s a charity, of course the Foundation needs financial support but volunteering is also a great way to help.'
What’s next for you?
'I’m filming Happy Valleys at the moment which is great and I’m heavily involved in The Gap project in Manchester, which encourages new writing – the kind of writing that sits between established larger venues and fringe work. And I’m looking forward to going back to the Royal Exchange at the start of 2016 when I’m in ‘Wit’, which is a brilliant play.'
'Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster' will be broadcast on BBC4 on Sunday October 11 at 10.30pm.