On Saturday 5 October 2024, the Leeds Trades Union Council hosted a performance of ‘The Lions of Rotherham’ by Breakout Arts, an original play written and directed by Karen Mulcahey, at The Holbeck.
Jane Aitchison, the President of Leeds Trades Union Council explained why they decided to host the play;
“Having just unveiled the Leeds Civic Trust Blue Plaque on Holbeck Moor to remember the time when 30,000 Leeds men and women chased Oswald Mosely and his black shirts out of town – it seemed important to remember that shortly after that some brave Brits went to fight fascism in Spain too. Today, just like our grandparents did we need to keep defeating the fascists whenever they rear their ugly hate filled heads!”
It tells the story of four men who left Rotherham in 1936 to join the International Brigades in Spain, fighting against the fascists led by Franco. One of them, Tommy James explained their motivation;
“Fascism, the negation of freedom, is laying waste to the fair fields of Spain … Let us stop the beast in its tracks.”
Despite having very minimalist props and set, it really captured the experiences the fighters in the International Brigades went through; fear, discomfort and camaraderie.
On either side of their time in Spain the play showed us some of the background and post war life of the men, sadly just three of them afterwards as one of them was killed in battle.
Their early lives were defined by many challenges and changes including poverty and migration and in the aftermath they continued to campaign for good causes for example as trade unionists, with the last of the four passing away in 2000.
I definitely took away from the play what the writer and director intended;
“… the strength and optimism of the men and their families and supporters … The play is for those who keep fighting, who see injustice and stand against it.”
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