In The Print showing at the Kings Head Theatre, Islington is a tense British political drama examining The Battle of Wapping in 1985 when Rupert Murdoch took on the might of the print unions and won.
Back then, many print unions operated under long-established practices that had built up over decades. These included overmanning and, in some cases, the use of fictitious employees; names on the payroll like “Donald Duck” that symbolized inefficiencies or entrenched systems.

Naturally likable, Brenda Dean (Claudia Jolly) elected the first female to head a Trade Union was leader of SOGAT (Society of Graphical and Allied Trades) marking a step forward for women’s representation in that world. Her contribution in the House of Lords over the next 25 years was substantial, and it deserves more recognition. She, like many union leaders of that time, were defending a system they saw as protecting jobs and skills.

However, she was ill-prepared for the Machiavellian nature of Murdoch (Alan Cox).

It would be easy to cast one or the other of the protagonists as either a David or Goliath, but the script by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky manages to tread a fine line between the two. The script is fast-paced, and the direction by Josh Roche is impeccable.

There is a strikingly simple but grim set by Peiyao Wang and the supporting cast who, with the simple act of changing a jacket, fill several roles very well indeed. The foul-mouthed editor of The Sun, Kevin Mackensie (Russell Bentley) and playboy Sunday Times editor Andrew Neil (Alasdair Harvey) get the best comic lines although these are sometimes with an irony based on recent events.

The play leaves the audience wondering if Dean was outplayed by a more astute figure or that radical trade unionism had already had its day.

Four Stars.

Reviewed by Nina Gardner.

In The Print is showing at The Kings Head Theatre until May 3rd. For tickets and more information, see the link below.

https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/in-the-print-8y4s

Cast
Alan Cox – Rupert Murdoch
Alasdair Harvey – Andrew Neil
Claudia Jolly – Brenda Dean
Georgia Landers – Joan Harison
Jonathan Jaynes – Bill Sargent
Russell Bentley – Kelvin MacKenzie

Creatives
Director – Josh Roche
Set & Costume Designer – Peiyan Wang
Lighting Designer – Joshua Gadsby
Sound Designer & Cpmposer – Sarah Spencer
Dialect Coach – Simon Money