Play to feature at Parliament

Tameside-based GW Theatre Company has been invited to perform a hard-hitting, thought-provoking play before Parliament.

The country’s decision-makers will gather next Thursday to watch the award-winning “One Extreme to the Other.”

Written by Mike Harris, it tackles racial, religious and political extremism, raising issues such as racism and the vulnerability of young people to those who have extreme views.

It has received recognition and support from organisations including Oldham Council, the Department of Communities and Local Government, Government Office North West, the Arts Council and the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities.

More than 17,000 people have seen the play to date, and the Parliamentary premiere is being staged to showcase the production to MPs.

It is part-way through a three-year tour which will see it performed at more than 200 venues, and is in high demand from local authorities throughout the UK.

“One Extreme to the Other” was cited in the Prime Minister’s national security statement in November, 2007, as an example of “a resource that encourages young people to debate issues of concern,” and has received support from Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, and James Purnell, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

GW Theatre Company says no difficult issues are dodged by the play, and it stresses what unites rather than divides, ending with a question to the audience: “We have a future in common, what do we do about it?”

The project was developed and researched to help young people and their elders resist and challenge extremism.