Whispers in the Coal Dust

Set in the industrial heartland of 1950s Lancashire, Whispers in the Coal Dust explores the lives of a small, tight-knit group of working-class lesbians living in the shadow of the local mill town. The story unfolds against the backdrop of post-war austerity, where social expectations are rigid, and the threat of discovery can ruin lives. 

Margaret "Maggie" Green, is a bobbin carrier at the local mill. She is in her late twenties and  known for her quiet, dependable nature. Maggie is the group’s reluctant leader, a woman of few words who hides a complicated, secret life from her family and the conservative local community. 

Her lover, Grace Barnes, works as a staff nurse at the nearby hospital, she is an ambitious and independent woman who dreams of escaping the confines of small-town life, but whose career and reputation hang in the balance as she navigates the dangers of being a "different" woman in an era of strict gender roles.

They are joined by Alice Howarth, an unhappily married primary school teacher who is slowly becoming more disillusioned with her place in society, and Elizabeth "Lily" Whittaker, a younger, more carefree woman who works as a tea girl at the local café. She is openly questioning her feelings, but is too scared to confront her own desires.

They form a fragile support system for one another, meeting in secret at Maggie's small flat or in quiet corners of the town's parks to share stolen moments of intimacy, conversation, and laughter.

But as they try to navigate their lives in a world that demands conformity, the group faces ever-looming risks. A new, ambitious police officer, Constable Harris, starts taking a special interest in the local women’s social circles, while Maggie’s brother, Tom, a war veteran with strong, traditional views, grows increasingly suspicious of her close friendships with women and begins to pressure her into getting married and settling down.

The pressures of keeping their identities hidden take a toll: Maggie’s growing frustration with the social restraints and her brother's interferance, Grace's increasing anxiety about the threat to her nursing career, Alice’s battles with the idea of being an "outcast," and trying to free herself from a loveless marriage, and Lily’s emotional turbulence all begin to take their toll on their bonds.

As tensions rise, the group is forced to confront what they want for themselves. Do they keep their heads down, continue to live in the shadows, or take the risk to be more open, at least with each other? Maggie is faced with a heart-wrenching choice when she must decide whether to stay in a town that suffocates her or make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the ones she loves. Meanwhile, the community around them struggles to cope with the emerging whispers of something unspoken, yet increasingly difficult to ignore.

Whispers in the Coal Dust is a new structured freeform game from Alyssa Griffiths. It is a gritty,poignant exploration of love, sacrifice, and survival in a time when being true to oneself could cost you everything. It examines the complexities of identity and solidarity within the constraints of a harsh, post-war society, focusing on the quiet strength of women who risk everything to be themselves, even when the world demands they remain invisible.

Whispers in the Coal Dust is currently in development, and the aim is to have it ready before the end of 2025, so stay tuned for updates.