Set in 1985, In The Print follows Brenda Dean (played by Claudia Jolly), newly appointed as the first woman to lead a major British trade union, as she is plunged into a mounting crisis.
Rupert Murdoch (Alan Cox) is secretly advancing plans to transform the production of British newspapers, putting 5,000 jobs at risk and the future of the industry in jeopardy. Dean resolves to take on Murdoch and his expanding media empire head-on.
The dynamic between Dean and Murdoch is compelling throughout. It is a constant game of cat-and-mouse as the duo look to get one over on each other, both completely assured of their actions.
Under Josh Roche's direction, In The Print is captivating but underplays the high stakes. While conversations between key players in the dispute fascinate, the pacing would benefit from leaning into the more dramatic moments, such as confrontations with the police, with a little more colour and urgency.
But those characterisations are especially strong. Jolly gives a commanding performance as Dean, who has total resolve in her leadership, while juggling competing demands from her members.
As Murdoch, Cox avoids veering into caricature and assumes the role with subtlety and a sharp comedic delivery. The same can be said for Alasdair Harvey and Russell Bentley, who have the delicate task of portraying well-known public figures in Andrew Neil and Kelvin McKenzie. There should also be praise for Peiyao Wang's striking set design.
Behind the humour and 80s references, including a shout out for Lofty from Eastenders supporting the industrial action, is an intricate understanding of the hardship and emotional turmoil that comes with striking.
Too often, workers going on strike is portrayed in theatre as some sort of whim, aimed purely at giving a bloody nose to their capitalist employer. In The Print shows that yes, it is about standing up for the moral argument but also it is about protecting livelihoods and, to a certain extent, tradition. Jonathan Jaynes embodies that as Dean's right-hand man, Bill Sargent.
Writers Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky have the nucleus of a hard-hitting 90-minuter depicting the battle for the soul of Fleet Street. With a little refining, it will undoubtedly prove an even more absorbing watch than it already is.
In The Print is playing at the King's Head Theatre until 3rd May. Tickets: here.
Review: Tom Ambrose Photo: Charlie Filint