Tall Chris and Australian Darren

During the process of adapting Ian Bone’s autobiography from book to script it became apparent, as mentioned before, that instead of ending it abruptly in 1986 it would make more narrative sense to take it up until the downfall of Thatcher i.e. The Poll Tax Riots in 1990. So who could fill these few years from 1986-90? Well two characters were mentioned. Firstly “Tall Chris” or as Martin Wright would conspiratorially whisper out of the corner of his mouth – “The Tall Man”.

Having heard about Tall Chris for roughly a year, word was that he wasn’t too keen to talk about the film etc, but as time passed and I slowly got to know the guy through various mutual meetings at pubs, he finally agrees to sit down with me and spill the beans and share the darkest of secrets. So a night out in my old stomping ground of Croydon was organised and a few pints, a kebab and a couple of joints later and the stories started flowing. From having organised his whole school against the National Front aged only 14 to joining Class War at the tender age of 17 to many stories of front line action over the years to the present day that merited the name “Teflon Chris”.  A working class hero and a half. The kind of character that if you put him in a film people would say “that would never happen in real life”. Well I am putting him in a film. And it did all happen. Plus the 90% of stuff that happened which won’t go in the script / film is even more mind blowing…

“Tall Chris” became a source of information filling in the gaps from 1986-90, the creation of the Class War Federation, Wapping Strikes, Wreck-a-Roller, the split between Martin Wright and Ian Bone and on and on.

The Wapping Strikes (1986-87) are an incredible example of the riotous Britain at the time of fighting back and trying to survive against the onslaught of Thatcherism. The above image is a newspaper expose of Ian Bone and Class War as the outside agitators of trouble at Wapping which is another source I’ve been using in the writing of the script. But if there was to be any real “outside agitators” then it has to the man who arrived here on a stolen plane ticket in 1986 who Ian’s biography is dedicated to: Darren Ryan.

Darren Ryans incomplete biography “I Fucked Thatcher” has been an invaluable resource, firstly Ian Bone’s introduction on the Wapping dispute, to Darren’s humourous, honest and in your face account of arriving in Britain to fight the class enemies and becoming involved with Mr. Bone and the other nefarious characters of Class War. I’ve been using this an inspiration to continue the script up until 1990.

Also penned by Australian Darren is his account of the “Rock Against The Rich” tour with ex-Clash front man Joe Strummer and host of the event Page 3 singer / Alarm paper seller Ray Jones. As with “I Fucked Thatcher” this has also been a quintessential tool in aiding the writing of the script. Darren Ryan is a larger than life character to say the very least. I gathered this from his writing but also the fond stories and high regard he is held in by Ian Bone, Martin Wright, Printer Phil and Tall Chris.

Moving from the Wapping Strikes into 1987 the Class War election campaign with John Duignan will get a mention. Below is the poster dug out from Ian’s very own archive. John use to have a dog named “Maggie”. Why? Because like Thatcher, she’s a bitch.