The Slab Boys
by John Byrne
The Slab Boys is a play by John Byrne, first performed at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, on 6 April 1978, directed by David Hayman. It takes place in 1957 in the slab room of a Paisley carpet firm, drawing on Byrne's time as a paint-mixing slab boy at Stoddard's, and begins his Slab Boys trilogy.
- Editions tracked
- 1
- First edition
- Scottish Society of Playwrights, 1981
The first edition of The Slab Boys by John Byrne was published in Glasgow by Scottish Society of Playwrights in 1981. We track 1 edition.
Which edition do you have?
First edition
- 1st Scottish Society of Playwrights1981 Hardback I own The Slab Boys, Scottish Society of Playwrights 1981 Log in to want this
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How to Identify a First Edition
To identify a first edition, check that your copy is the first printing of the first edition. Read the copyright …
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Book condition grading uses a six-step trade scale: Fine, Near Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor. Collectors grade the …
Read the guide →7 min readDust Jackets Explained: Why the Jacket Drives a Book's Value
For most books published since the 1920s, the original dust jacket carries a large share of the value, often most …
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of The Slab Boys?
The first edition of The Slab Boys by John Byrne was published in Glasgow by Scottish Society of Playwrights in 1981.
How many editions of The Slab Boys are there?
We track 1 edition of The Slab Boys, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Where these facts come from
- The Slab Boys Trilogy, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- John Byrne (playwright), Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 22 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.