Review: In The Print, King’s Head Theatre

History’s big political battles can often be boiled down to interpersonal conflicts; the personalities behind the headlines. This is what In The Print does well: it distils a complex political struggle down to the relationship between two people.

The play charts the struggle between Brenda Dean and Rupert Murdoch during a seminal newspaper industrial dispute in the 1980s. Murdoch was attempting to move production of his British newspapers from Fleet Street to Wapping to break the power of the print unions. Dean, as head of the SOGAT union, was fighting for the future of her union and her members’ jobs, and against Murdoch’s domination of the press.

The conflict occurred at a vital time in British political history, as Murdoch’s control over four British newspapers (The Sun, The News of the World, The Times and the Sunday Times) meant he could set the agenda, but he still had to appease the unions who could stop production of his papers. Margaret Thatcher’s government’s new anti-strike laws were bedding in, and digital technology was changing printing.

The drama is gripping, as the wider industrial dispute is made tangible through the conflict between Dean and Murdoch. The urgency and significance of this is translated well into character drama by writers Robert Khan & Tom Salinsky.

The play gives fascinating insights into Murdoch’s character. We see how he believes himself to be the victim of the unions, despite his wealth and power. The writing verges away from making him cartoonishly evil, whilst still firmly keeping him as the villain of the piece.

The less well-known Dean is also well developed. We see how she is motivated to fight against injustice, the challenges of being the first woman to lead a major trade union and how she manages her colleagues in a male-dominated industry. All of this is brought to life by a brilliant performance from Claudia Jolly. 

There is, however, little personal conflict for Dean. Her internal struggles remain somewhat underdeveloped, as the play focuses on her fight against Murdoch. It is tragic to see how she is ground down by a system whose odds are stacked against her, but I did not get an understanding of what in her personality led to her ultimately acquiescing to a deal with the tycoon, beyond the external financial and political pressures.

The staging effectively enhances the drama. With the supporting cast playing a range of real-life people, from Andrew Neil to Kelvin Mackenzie, quick changes of coats and accents allow the small cast to bring a range of characters to life. A single red light is used during key scenes to subtly enhance the tension.

In The Print is missing a ground level perspective and I was left wondering how this strike affected the rank-and-file membership. What motivated them to keep voting to continue the strike after so much hardship? We only get the perspective of those in positions of power.

The play is also missing a wider social context. This was a hugely important industrial action that changed the future of the British media. I wanted to see the wider impact dramatised, the effect on the public, the consumers and the workers in other industries. What makes this story significant is its broader impact. In The Print focuses these wider changes down to an interpersonal conflict between two people and effectively dramatises this. For anyone with an interest in the period and how it changed the media, this show has a lot of fascinating drama rooted in recent history.

Produced by The Spontaneity Shop & James Quaife Productions
Writers: Robert Khan & Tom Salinsky
Director: Josh Roche
Set & Costume: Designer Peiyao Wang 
Lighting Designer: Josh Gadsby 
Sound Designer & Composer: Sarah Spencer 
Casting Director: Harry Gilbert 
Dialect Coach: Simon Money 
Production: Manager Adam Jefferys

In The Print plays at King’s Head Theatre until Sunday 3 May.