Play – 'UNITED WE STAND'

PLOT of the play: FOLLOWING the success of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists and We Will Be Free!.  The Tolpuddle Martyrs Story, Townsend Productions presents UNITED WE STAND, a powerful new play based on the true story of one of the most tumultuous industrial battles – the 1972 Builders' Strike. In the 1960s and 70s building companies were making millions re-building Britain, but building workers faced the most dangerous and despicable working conditions and poorest wages of any trade. In the summer of '72, for twelve weeks, 300,000 building workers launched their industry's first national all-out strike to end cash "lump" wages and seek better pay by using the controversial tactic of 'Flying Pickets'.   The partial success of the strike, and the methods used, enraged the construction industry and government, and in retaliation, five months after the strike ended, 24 builders were arrested in North Wales and charged with offences including conspiracy to intimidate and affray. They were convicted at Shrewsbury Crown Court in 1973 and three were jailed, including building workers Des Warren and Ricky Tomlinson. Sharp and humorous, UNITED WE STAND tells the story behind the compelling dispute and dispels the myth, put about at the time, that the pickets were a criminally violent "mad horde" and "frenzied mob", rather than ordinary working men seeking a better life for themselves and their fellow workers. With a cast of two actor/musicians portraying the different sides of this almighty struggle and featuring music directed by renowned folk musician John Kirkpatrick, UNITED WE STAND guarantees to be a powerful and though-provoking piece of theatre. The events surrounding the strike are still making headlines to this day, and forty two years on, the high-profile Shrewsbury 24 Campaign, led by picket turned actor, Ricky Tomlinson, is still seeking to overturn the unjust prosecution of the 24 building workers. Type of production - Drama and music.

Des Warren and Ricky Tomlinson: Sorry for the round robin but we wanted to share the Autumn tour dates for 'United We Stand' with you. I also wanted to thank you for your financial help and promotional support; we would not be able perform these important stories without your backing. You may have seen an article about the show in The Indpendent and The 'i' on Friday 19th July. Click on link for the feature http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/play-to-shine-new-light-on-britains-troubled-history-of-industrial-relations-9613413.html If you would like to come to the press night please let me know well in advance (see dates below) If you would like to do a group booking for any of the dates let me know and I will make sure you get a good deal on reduced ticket prices. Hope you can see the play. Look forward to hearing from you. Best Wishes Louise Townsend - 07949635910 TOUR DATES September 19 - Leighton Buzzard Theatre - PREVIEW Box Office 0300 300 8125 / http://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/leisure/leighton-buzzard-theatre/ 20 - Espinosa Arts Centre Berkhamsted - PREVIEW Box Office http://www.espinosacentre.com/ 21- The Place Bedford - PREVIEW Box Office http://www.theplacebedford.org.uk/ 01234-718112 23 – 11 Oct Lantern Theatre, Liverpool Box Office http://lanterntheatreliverpool.co.uk/ 01517 030 000 PRESS NIGHT - Lantern Theatre, Liverpool -Thursday 25th September 2014. October 14 - Oran Theatre, Glasgow Box Office: http://www.oran-mor.co.uk/ 0141 357 6200 15 -16 Loganlea Miners Welfare, West Lothian Box Office 01501 762300 17 - North Edinburgh Arts Centre Edinburgh Box Office http://www.northedinburgharts.co.uk/ or 0131 3152151 19 - Blantyre Miners’ Welfare – confirmed with South Lanarkshire TUC Box Office: TBC 21 - The Arts Centre, Edgehill University Box Office https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/artscentre/ 22 - Beeston Village Hall Box Office - TBC 24 - Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven, Cumbria Box Office http://www.rosehilltheatre.co.uk/ 01946 692422 25 - Square Chapel, Halifax Box Office http://www.squarechapel.co.uk/en/index/a or 1 01422 349422 26 - Thame Players, South Oxfordshire Box Office http://thameplayers.co.uk/ 01844 217228 29 - Wortley Hall, Barnsley Box Office - TBC 30 – 1 Nov Theatre Severn & OMH, Shrewsbury Box Office http://www.theatresevern.co.uk 01743 281281 November 03 -04 Harrogate Theatre Box Office http://www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk/ 01423 502 116 05 – 07 Palace Theatre, Southend Box Office https://southendtheatres.org.uk/Online/ 01702 351135 08 October -Burton Bradstock Village Hall, Dorset (DT6 4QS) Tickets: Norman & Pat Saunders-White (tel:01308 897214) 10 - The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea Box Office http://www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk/ 023 9286 3911  Ticket prices: 11 - Theatr Harlech, Gwynedd Box Office http://www.theatrharlech.com/ 01766 780667 12 - Theatr Colwyn Box Office http://www.theatrcolwyn.co.uk/ 01492 577888 13 - The Little Theatre,Rhyl Box Office http://www.littletheatrerhyl.co.uk/ 01745 342229 14 - Marsden Mechanics Kirklees Box Office http://www.marsdenmechanics.co.uk/ 01484 844587 17 - Blackwood Minors Institute, Gwent Box Office http://your.caerphilly.gov.uk/bmi/ 01495 227206 18 - Pwllheli Theatre- Penlan Street, Pwllheli Box Office 01758 704088 19- 22 - The Lantern Theatre, Sheffield Box Office http://lanterntheatre.org.uk/ 0114 2551776 26 -29 - The Bussey Building Peckham, Southwark Box Office http://www.clfartcafe.org/