It is a reasonable question. Billy has just announced Muhammad Ali is on his way to South Shields and Sheila, his mother, is aghast: “Why would he want to come here?” Unlikely or not, the world heavyweight champion would indeed spend time in the town in July 1977. “I hope he gets battered,” says the embittered mother.
Sheila is more interested in the silver jubilee and the visit of the Queen the day before. For those in the north-east, it was some weekend. Playwright Ishy Din adds more layers still.
