THIS autumn, following hugely successful national tours, we’re showcasing two of our productions The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists and United We Stand.

In partnership with the Bussey Building in London’s Peckham and Harrogate Theatre, we’ll be presenting lengthy runs of both shows with the aim of encouraging new audiences to see our work and take part in post-show discussions with guest speakers which will explore the themes of the plays as well as to enable unions and action groups to promote their campaigns. We’ve had great support from them for our work.

The central message of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is forever relevant and a revival of the play by Stephen Lowe could always be considered timely.

As Lowe says: “I’ve seen many productions from Alabama to Perth, Cape Town to Nottingham and each time performers and audiences alike have felt the piece to be totally relevant and ‘of the time’.

“This new two-handed version follows that tradition and speaks out to the present economic and political reality in a clear, uncompromising but hugely entertaining way, through the energetic and brilliant performances of the two performers and storytellers.”

The play’s particularly relevant now as there appears to be renewed appetite for the message of socialism as a clear response to crushing continual measures of austerity, apparent weak opposition and bitter disappointment at the election result last May.

Its debate about the way forward for a fledgling Labour Party seems to chime loudly once again in light of recent events within the party. We toured the show the length and breadth of the country for two years and it’s always a delight to return to the challenge of performing it with just two actors but it’s always so rewarding and entertaining when it works.

United We Stand, the story of Des Warren, Ricky Tomlinson and the Shrewsbury Pickets, only recently finished a very successful year-long tour and it’s returning to London to further accompany and promote the ongoing effectiveness of the Shrewsbury 24 campaign in highlighting the injustice of the sentences handed out to the pickets over 40 years ago.

We’ve invited guest speakers throughout the run to accompany the performances and update audiences on the campaign and we’re hoping to encourage other venue producers to take this show for a lengthier run to attract new audiences, attract publicity and raise awareness on this most important issue.

Among those taking part in the post-show discussions are Stephen Lowe, Sertuc regional secretary Megan Dobney, actors Johnny Vegas and Liz Carr, NUT general secretary Christine Blower and GFTU general secretary Doug Nicholls.

As for the future, Townsend Productions have been commissioned by the International Brigade Memorial Trust to create a play and tour next year.

It will focus on the story of the volunteers who went to Spain and cover the 80th anniversaries of the formation of the International Brigades and the Battle of Jarama, where the British battalion played a vital but tragically costly role in repulsing Franco’s attempt to capture Madrid.

• Full details of performances, which run from September 25-November 14, are available at townsendproductions.org.uk