UNITED WE STAND to Play The CLF Theatre in November

=After a successful national tour last year, a new play based on the story of the "Shrewsbury 24" when 24 building workers were accused and three jailed for violent picketing and intimidating workers in Shropshire in 1973, is set to open in London this November.

United We Stand, by Neil Gore, will open at The Bussey Building in Peckham from 2-14 November.

In the 1960s and 70s the UK's building companies were making millions re-building the country, but building workers faced the most dangerous 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 culminated in the arrest of 24 builders in North Wales who were charged with offences including conspiracy to intimidate and affray. The "24" were prosecuted 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 rather than ordinary working men seeking a better life for themselves and their fellow workers.

Combining Townsend Productions' trademark cast of two playing multiple roles, grand theatrical style and wit with popular and political songs about the strike, arranged by renowned folk musician John Kirkpatrick and Ricky Tomlinson's poems from his time in prison, the production aims to bring the full story of the compelling dispute to life in a powerful and thought-provoking new play.

The events surrounding the strike are still making headlines to this day, and 42 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.

Ricky Tomlinson said about the play:

"I am delighted Townsend Productions are presenting a play about the 1972 building workers strike, and the plight of the Shrewsbury 24 building worker pickets. It is 41 years since I, together with Des Warren and John McKinsie Jones were charged with conspiracy and jailed.

We were charged with conspiracy, but we believe the real conspiracy was between the government, the building contractors and the judiciary. They wanted the prison sentences to act as a deterrent, to prevent workers from taking strike action.

Every worker should know what happened to us so as to ensure it does not happen again."

United We Stand is directed by Louise Townsend and will be designed by Amy Yardley, with lighting by Brian O'Carroll and music by John Kirkpatrick, one of most prolific figures on the English folk scene. The various roles will be played by Neil Gore and William Fox.

Throughout the run there will be post show discussions on the play and its relevance to today's society with amongst others Ricky Tomlinson, Tom Smith MP, Dave Anderson MP and Len McCluskey (All on Monday 21nd November), Dave Smith (Black Listing Campaign - Wed 4 November) and Matt Wrack (General Secretary FBU - Thu 5 November) and

The production is produced in association with Harrogate Theatre and Leighton Buzzard Library Theatre and sponsored by Southwark Socialists, part of the Independent Socialist Network and has the backing of the unions UNITE, NUT, Unison, RMT, GMB, Amiel Melburn & Unity Theatre Trust.

United We Stand will run at The CLF Art Café, Block A, Bussey Building from 2-14 November

For more info visit www.townsendproductions.org.uk

Ends

For press interviews, images and press review ticket requests please contact

DUNCAN CLARKE (DuncanClarke PR) 01904 345247/07880893750 or duncanclarkepr@gmail.com

NOTES TO EDITORS

LISTINGS

Dates: Monday 2- Saturday 14 November at 7.30pm

Venue: The CLF Art Café, Block A, Bussey Building, 133 Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4ST

Ticket prices: £12 (Concessions £10; Mondays all tickets £5)

Box office details: 07812 063 409 or online at http://www.clfartcafe.org

PRODUCERS:

Townsend Touring Productions

Townsend Touring Productions is a small collaboration of artists that have come together to create live theatre of the highest possible artistic standard for audiences in theatre venues that is genuinely accessible and relevant, innovative, imaginative, challenging and that entertains with integrity and humour. The company

Official Shrewsbury 24 Campaign

Our campaign committee was set up by several of the convicted Shrewsbury pickets with local trade union activists following a meeting in Liverpool in 2006. We are supported by many national trade unions, local branches, trades councils and individuals.

Our campaign is seeking to overturn the unjust prosecution of 24 building workers who were charged following the first ever national building workers strike in 1972. They picketed building sites in Shrewsbury during the dispute and were prosecuted in Shrewsbury Crown Court in 1973. They became known as the "Shrewsbury 24".

The main focus of the campaign at present is an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) to have the cases of the 24 referred to the Court of Appeal and for these miscarriages of justice to be overturned.

The 100,000 signature 'Paper Petition', demanding that the Government release documents relating to the conviction of the Shrewsbury 24, was served at Number 10 Downing Street on Monday 16th December 2013. The Parliamentary Debate on 23rd January 2013, to demand release of the documents, was won by a 120 to 3 majority.

Harrogate Theatre

Built just before the turn of the century, Harrogate Theatre was brought back to its original glory in 2007's huge refurbishment. Originally called The Grand Opera House (the name was changed in 1958), the last 112 years have seen many famous faces treading the Harrogate Theatre boards, including Trevor Howard, Charlie Chaplin, Sarah Bernhardt, Arnold Ridley, Kate O'Mara, Martin Shaw, Eddie Izzard and Ben Kingsley to name a few.

In 2012 the theatre launched its exciting new Harrogate Theatres collaboration, which finds Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate Studio Theatre and the Royal Hall under the same programming umbrella. The concept of Harrogate Theatres and the line-up of shows highlight the rich array of cultural activity Harrogate & District has to offer. It also celebrates two of Harrogate's most established and well-loved heritage venues, working together to share resources in order to further cement Harrogate's place on the arts map.

Leighton Buzzard Library Theatre

Leighton Buzzard Theatre in Central Bedfordshire is the area's only professional small-scale theatre and cinema, and offers a varied programme of presentations and events including film, drama, children's events and activities, music and community theatre. The theatre shares the building with the library and is situated in Lake Street in the centre of the town. The theatre is looking forward to association with Townsend Productions on future community theatre projects and productions.

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