Hillsborough Disaster Musical Planned for Liverpool In 2014

A musical based on the tragic events of the Hillborough disaster of 1989 is being planned to be produced in Liverpool a year from now, marking the 25th anniversary of the loss of 96 lives and hundreds wounded.

THEIR SCARVES WERE RED depicts the events of that fateful day in which nearly a hundred soccer fans were crushed and hundreds wounded in a melange that was evidently largely covered up by prime minister Margaret Thatcher and the police at the time, as was revealed in a 2012 report. The case is still being investigated.

"There's nothing you can say to bring him back to hold my hand," poignantly sing the characters in the musical of their lost ones; husbands, wives, children, parents, friends and soccer fans alike.

Michael Bearcroft, a former Sheffield United player turned author and actor, has vowed to put the musical up in the city it remembers and celebrates. "For years I have toyed with producing THEIR SCARVES WERE RED. It's a wonderful play and we want to give it a professional premiere next April for the 25th anniversary," he said.

Bearcroft added, "The real truth of what happened has been revealed in the last 12 months, so Monday's remembrance was one of the biggest ever."

He continues, "The fight is not won but the families of the 96 are entering the final round. Those who have fought for so many years can finally be rewarded for their hard work."

"By April 2014 other things may also have happened, such as the coroner's inquests," he adds.

Bearcroft concludes, "Hillsborough is an indictment to that period of history. I have huge empathy for the families and every year it brings me to tears."

THEIR SCARVES WERE RED was written by Darren Vallier and Rob Sweetman and has previously been produced in amateur and regional productions since its debut in 2000.

The official synopsis for THEIR SCARVES WERE RED (from the authors' site here) is as follows: "The musical tells the story of two friends who travel from Brighton to Sheffield on the 15th April 1989 - the day of the Hillsborough football tragedy and was inspired by my brother-in-law's story. It is humourous, poignant, thought-provoking and incredibly emotional."

You can purchase the cast recording of THEIR SCARVES WERE RED on iTunes here.

Check out the original story on the matter here.

Listen to the title song from THEIR SCARVES WERE RED below.