United We Stand, Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond.

IN TODAY'S media world of worthy causes, scandals and conspiracy theories, it was refreshing to find traditional theatre still retains a vital role in bringing social and political injustice to public awareness.

This new play highlights the plight of the Shrewsbury 24, a group of construction industry trade unionists convicted of affray and intimidation by Ted Heath’s government in 1972.

The sparse but effective stage set, composed of scaffolding supporting posters and banners, transported us back four decades. Assisted by black and white TV footage and musical standards such as Sweet’s Blockbuster, the two performers – playwright Neil Gore and William Fox – lead us through events with just their guitars, their rhetoric and their passion.

A series of vignettes interspersed with musical interludes and satirical sketches told the story. A particular comic highlight was provided by the female game show contestant required to name the last nine High Sheriffs of Derbyshire (the answer was McAlpine) which illustrated that this fight was against the establishment itself.

Indeed, when an arcane conspiracy law of 1875 was cited in the court case of 1973, the defendants, Des Warren and Ricky Tomlinson, later of The Royle Family fame, became certain this was a political trial. Although 70 police officers made not a single arrest on the day in question, and jury intimidation was hinted at, the pickets were convicted and imprisoned.

After the final applause, the actors addressed the audience directly to explain that 43 years later, the case is now with the Criminal Cases Review Commission, after Conservative governments have consistently refused to release documents from the police investigation.

While justice may not have been done in 1973, Gore and Fox more than did justice to the cause. I for one, will watch the case with interest.

Christina McIntyre