Reviving the Lions in Coventry: Louise Townsend on bringing the Grunwick Strike back to the stage

What drew you personally to direct We Are the Lions, Mr Manager! and revisit the story of the Grunwick Strike now, 50 years later?

I’m always looking for great stories on which to base our future projects, and our work has always focused on working-class histories and particularly on celebrating hidden figures of the past or campaign leaders who have inspired others or have worked for positive changes in the lives of ordinary people. I came across the story of the Grunwick Strike from listening to a Radio 4 celebration of the top influential women of the last century that drew attention to Jayaben Desai. What drew me to the story was her determination to fight for the betterment of conditions for women workers, especially immigrant women workers, against not just the boss class, but also against the establishment – police, courts, right-wing lobbyists, government – whilst also challenging the out-of-date attitudes of the generally white, male led trade union movement. Grunwick was a strike that occurred in a small north London factory that became a major political and class battleground, that, at its height, involved thousands of trade unionists and police in confrontations. The mostly female, immigrant, East African Asian strikers were led by Jayaben Desai, and it was he first case where the majority of strikers from an ethnic minority had received widespread support from the labour movement. The strike ultimately failed, and the repercussions were far-reaching, significantly weakening the trade union movement and preparing the ground for Conservative success in the 1979 election and their subsequent curbing of union power through the 1980s. It is a very rich history that echoes down the years and is as relevant now as it was then. The strike’s 50th anniversary seemed an ideal opportunity to revisit the play and some of the important issues that come out of the story and the production.

How do you see the themes of the play, such as immigrant rights, workers’ dignity, and union solidarity, resonating with contemporary audiences?

All these issues are relevant and newsworthy today. The play highlights the issues of 1970s immigration, the rise of right-wing anti-immigration organisations, the beginnings of neo-liberalism that continues to haunt us now, police brutality and undercover police operations that are still under scrutiny, abuse of women in the workplace, the difficulties of union recognition and levels of unacceptable racist abuse and attacks that blight society to this day. It forms part of the reason for re-visiting the production as a way of saying to audiences that we’ve been here before, and offers a warning to contemporary audiences that their rights are potentially at risk with a further shift to right-wing, authoritarian governance.

How did you approach balancing historical accuracy with theatrical storytelling in the production?

The play is based on accounts of people that were involved in the strike. We were lucky to interview the late Jack Dromey MP and writer Graham Taylor, and meet with Amrit Wilson who had written extensively about South Asian women in Britain. There are also several recorded interviews and archives from Willesden Library and Archive, Warwick University, the Working Class Movement Library and Peoples History Museum. The play is based on these accounts and archives, as well as film footage and newspaper articles and interviews from all the major media sources from the time. The trick is to condense the material into a play that has its focus on the experiences of Jayaben Desai, so the story is seen through her and the audience are able to follow the emotional reaction she has to some of the major events over a two-year time-span.

How did your collaboration with Neil Gore shape the narrative and musical elements of the show?

Neil Gore also directs the music for the production. Whilst researching the subject matter, he found songs that were written at the time about Grunwick. One, by Jack Warshaw, is a narrative song of the strike, and with Jack’s permission, Neil has included it in the play to connect the events as they unfold. Other songs he found also appear, especially songs by Leon Rosselson, that are politically astute and place the story of Grunwick in context of the time. Another song by Don Perrygrove tells of the support that trade unionists gave to the Grunwick strikers and celebrates the strength of the trade unions at the time as they ‘Hold The Picket Line’. The songs are there as an opportunity for audiences to join in, with catchy choruses, and a chance too for community choirs to join the production whilst on tour in pre-rehearsed segments to become involved as pickets in reenactments of the large mass rallies that were an important part of the strike.

After revisiting this pivotal moment in labour history, are there other historical or social justice stories you feel compelled to bring to the stage next?

Yes we are about to put to the stage another hidden history the story of Joe Clough - Britain’s first black bus driver. When thousands of men and women journeyed from the Caribbean to help rebuild Britain and drive London’s buses in the fifties and sixties, few would have known they were following in the path of a quiet trailblazer, Joe Clough! Joseph Clough, known as Joe to his friends and family, was London’s first black bus driver. He was also among the first drivers of motor buses in London, as petrol engines began to replace horse-drawn transport.

For tickets, please visit: https://www.albanytheatre.co.uk/shows/we-are-the-lions-mr-manager/Performance Dates: 6–7 November Venue: The Albany Theatre, Albany Road, Coventry, CV5 6JQ