In a society that is increasingly moving towards meat free diets, few give any thought to those employed in slaughterhouses. The grim factories that serve the carnivores who stubbornly refuse to back away from their meat and two veg suppers. There’s a commonly held view that we would all be vegetarians if we spent one day in such an environment. But what must it be like to work there; to end an animal’s life just to put food on somebody’s plate? Particularly when there are healthy alternatives to meat that are so heavily processed? The aptly titled Blood on Your Hands explores these ideas and much more besides.

Another day at the slaughterhouse and another newbie to join the ranks of a forgotten profession. Kostyantyn (Shannon Smith) is a Ukrainian who has fled his war torn homeland in search of a better life for his family. Dan (Philip John Jones) is an old hand who has now graduated to the meat processing section. Kostyantyn's wife Nina (Kateryna Hryhorenko) waits anxiously for news; when can she join him in England? He is a qualified vet in Ukraine yet has to settle for the complete opposite in the UK. Meanwhile Dan's ex-girlfriend Eden (Liv Jekyll) is a militant protester camped on the gates. The factory supervisor (Jordan El-Balawi) is unconcerned as long as she stays off the premises. Dan and Kostyantyn form a close friendship but can it survive the strains of a brutal profession that is reviled by many and ignored by most people?

The narrative gently switches to flashback mode as the backstories are gradually completed. Two couples are separated by contrasting circumstances in different countries. Dan and Eden ultimately parted because of their differing world views; while Kostyantyn and Nina were driven apart by economic necessity. The practicalities of their existence are laid bare and told with refreshing honesty. It remains dynamic throughout and doesn’t just deal with the ‘meat is murder’ angle; but also the political and social ramifications in which the characters find themselves. Blood on Your Hands gains an extra star for its sheer originality and strength of characterisation. It shines a light on a strangely neglected area of the protest lobby. It comes some way behind climate change, anti-abortion and animal experimentation to name but three, but is a subject that polarises opinion because people are still free to choose. A solid piece that richly deserves such a platform.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Brian Penn

Blood on Your Hands plays at Southwark Playhouse Borough until 3 February, with further information here.