'United We Stand' - November Program:

UNITED WE STAND

A new play by Neil Gore

IN 1972 tens of thousands of building workers won the first national strike in the industry for better pay and conditions. 'Flying pickets left the contractors reeling. The Tory government and the large building companies wanted revenge, and the 'Shrewsbury 24' were put on trial in the following year.

Townsend Productions' new play, UNITED WE STAND, follows in the traditional of their highly successful productions The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists and We Will Be Free!-the Tolpuddle Martyrs Story, and focuses on the true and still very current events that led to the imprisonment of building workers Des Warren and Eric Tomlinson (Ricky Tomlinson of 'The Royle Family').
It will reflect the great tide of anger, which rocked the very foundations of the established political elite, examine the extraordinary political will of all the participants and share the anguish of falling prey to a flagrant miscarriage of justice.

Combining Townsend Productions' trademark small-cast, grand theatrical style and wit with popular and political songs of the early seventies (directed by John Kirkpatrick) and Ricky Tomlinson's poems from his time in prison, this production aims to bring the full story of this compelling dispute to life, and will guarantee a powerfully challenging and entertaining evening for all its audiences.

November

• 03 -04 Harrogate Theatre, HG1 1QF
• 05 - 7Palace Theatre, Southend, SS0 9LA
• 08 Arden Theatre, Faversham, ME13 7LE
• 10 The Wedgewood Roms, Southsea
• 11 Theatr Harlech, Gwynedd, LL46 2PU
• 12 Theatr Colwyn, LL29 7RU
• 13 The Little Theatre,Rhyl, LL18 2BS
• 14 Marsden Mechanics HD7 6BW Kirklees
• 17 Black wood Minors Institute, High Street, Blackwood, Gwent, NP12 1BB
• 18 Pwllheli Theatre- Penlan Street, Pwllheli, LL53 5DE
• 19/- 22 The Lantern Theatre, Sheffield,S7 1NF Sheffield
• 26 The Bussey Building Peckham, SE15 4ST Southwark

This is a play which may have some significance to the ongoing campaign against the blacklist in the British building trade, and the process of legal action against certain major construction companies by victims of the blacklist.