South Shields playwright’s Cramlington Train Wreckers show backed by Irish trade unions
Irish trade unions have backed a South Shields playwright’s upcoming show.
A hit play about North East miners derailing the Flying Scotsman during the 1926 General Strike has been backed by Irish trade unions.
Ed Waugh’s Cramlington Train Wreckers is playing the Derry Playhouse on Wednesday, July 8, and Waterford Hall, in Belfast, on Thursday, July 9 - days before transferring to the Newcastle Theatre Royal on Sunday, July 12.
The South Shields playwright was invited to talk about the production at both Irish venues after it was backed by Irish trade unions, including NIPSA, Unite, Unison, FBU and the ITUC.
‘Working class unity’
Ed, whose previous shows include Carrying David, Wor Bella and Hadaway Harry, said: “The Cramlington Train Wreckers is about working class unity in the face of adversity.
“In 1926, Britain’s 1.2 million miners were told to take a 40 per cent wage cut and work longer hours ‘in the national interest’.
“They refused and Britain’s only General Strike followed.
“It was the biggest rupture in society since the Civil Wars of the 1640s and was sold out by the TUC leaders after only nine days.
“A carnival of reaction followed as the bosses took revenge on striking trade unionists. Many never worked again and some has to emigrate to gain employment, splitting up families.
“Given the shocking events and pogrom that took place in Belfast recently, the play is totally apposite to today’s situation.”
‘Working class Irish people are so much like Geordies’
The Cramlington Train Wreckers tells the story of eight Northumberland miners who were imprisoned for 48 years for derailing the famous Flying Scotsman on May 10, 1926.
Following his talks in Northern Ireland, Ed has likened working class Irish people to those here in the North East of England.
He added: “The Cramlington Train Wreckers is about community, working class unity and solidarity.
“Working class Irish people are so much like Geordies.
“They are interested in their incredible history and understand that trade union organisation and workers’ unity are the only way to stop bigots stirring up pogroms to divert attention away from an economic system that keeps people isolated and impoverished via ‘divide and rule’.
There will be two shows at the Newcastle Theatre Royal on July 12, one at 3pm and the other at 7.30pm.
Limited tickets are available at: https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/whats-on/cramlington-train-wreckers.