''Sink the Belgrano!'' is a 1986 satirical play in verse written by

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

playwright Steven Berkoff. It premiered at the

Half Moon Theatre The Half Moon Theatre Company was formed in 1972 in a rented synagogue in Alie Street, Whitechapel, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. ''Half Moon Passage'' was the name of a nearby alley. The founders, Michael Irving and Maurice Colbourne ...

on 2 September 1986. The play is about

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Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...

's decision to torpedo the Argentinian ship General Belgrano, as it was purportedly retreating during the 1982 Falklands War between the

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and

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

. According to the

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, ''Sink the Belgrano'' is among Berkoff's "lesser-known works".

Characters

*Maggot Scratcher (parody of

) *Pimp (parody of

Francis Pym Francis Leslie Pym, Baron Pym, (13 February 1922 – 7 March 2008) was a British Conservative Party politician who served in various Cabinet positions in the 1970s and 1980s, including Foreign, Defence and Northern Ireland Secretary, and Leader ...

) *Nit (parody of

John Nott Sir John William Frederic Nott (born 1 February 1932) is a former British Conservative Party politician. He was a senior politician of the late 1970s and early 1980s, playing a prominent role as Secretary of State for Defence during the 1982 in ...

) *Chorus *Command *Tell *Woody (parody of

Sandy Woodward Admiral Sir John Forster "Sandy" Woodward, (1 May 1932 – 4 August 2013) was a senior Royal Navy officer who commanded the Task Force of the Falklands War. Early life Woodward was born on 1 May 1932 at Penzance, Cornwall, to a bank clerk. He ...

) *Tommy *President of Argentina *Feet *Sir Fish Face *Reason *Sailors *Farmers

Initial critical reception

According to Berkoff the play received "mixed-reviews and some virulent ones from the right-wing press. It was curious that their reviews, which were almost hysterical cant, resembled so closely the threats and poisoned mail I received from Fascist thugs." Berkoff also states that ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

'' "refused to even review it" which he saw as "people refusing to review a point of view that differed from government's kind of status quo attitude that

hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...

were the heroes". Because of this Berkoff described ''The Observers actions as that of "stinking, spineless cowards" and speculated that "maybe there was a government order ayingdon't review it". Berkoff has also said that the production originally had "one or two good reviews" and he felt that with more critical support the play would have transferred to the West End. However, this did not happen with Berkoff saying that "eventually the press they killed us. By not supporting us."Video interview with Steven Berkoff about the original production of ''Sink the Belgrano!'' at the Half Moon Theatre
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Notes

References

. ''Steven Berkoff: Plays''. Accessed 30 Sept. 2008. *Hagan, Kenneth J.

''

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'' 14 June 1992, Arts. (Book review of ''One Hundred Days: The Memoirs of the Falklands Battle Group Commander'', by Adm.

with Patrick Robinson. Fwd.

. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1992. New York:

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, 1992. .)

External links

''Sink the Belgrano!'' webpage on the Half Moon Stages website

Steven Berkoff
– Official Website. Plays by Steven Berkoff 1986 plays Falklands War {{1980s-play-stub