Limehouse

by Steve Waters

A divisive left-wing leader at the helm of the Labour Party. A Conservative prime minister battling with her cabinet. An identity crisis on a national scale. This is Britain 1981.

One Sunday morning, four prominent Labour politicians – Bill Rodgers, Shirley Williams, Roy Jenkins and David Owen – gather in private at Owen’s home in Limehouse, East London. They are desperate to find a political alternative. Should they split their party, divide their loyalties, and risk betraying everything they believe in? Would they be starting afresh, or destroying forever the tradition that nurtured them?

Steve Waters’ thrilling drama takes us behind closed doors to imagine the personal conflicts behind the making of political history. Limehouse premiered at the Donmar Warehouse, London, in 2017, directed by Polly Findlay. It is a fictionalised account of real events, and it is not endorsed by the individuals portrayed.

84 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 2, 2017

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

We saw the play on Saturday at the Donmar. Very funny but also thought-provoking. In retrospect, perhaps the foundation of the SDP was unnecessary, but at the time the Labour party seemed to be heading for destruction....rather apt in today's political climate.