A NEW play inspired by the Bradford 12 case will have its UK preview at Kala Sangam arts centre.

The Middle Game, written and produced by Tribe Arts, a Leeds/Bradford theatre and media production company, is a "highly charged play tracking a group of ordinary individuals who find themselves in truly extraordinary circumstances".

Artistic Director of Tribe Arts, Tajpal Rathore, said: “This is such an important piece of theatre based on actual true-life experiences from the early 1980s. It’s a story which honours Bradford’s activist past as well as highlighting how Bradford is connected as a city to the ongoing global activist movement.

"It’s a South Asian story but looks at a wider concept of political blackness and working together to improve equality for our communities.”

Writer Samran Rathore said: “We have purposefully approached the tone of this piece to present a searing, high-octane and visceral performance. It’s a no-holds-barred look at activism - honest and brutal, it represents the South Asian experience at that time in a raw and truthful way.

"The action is based around recordings and incidents from the time of the Bradford 12 and the United Black Youth League. However, it is not a documentary and not rigidly set to a sequence of events. It is more representative of the stories that could have been the story for any Asian person around that time. It aims to capture the sentiment of people and the mindset of the Asian community and the power of a

community coming together to defend itself in the face of fascism.”

The play is directed by Neetu Singh, and features a predominantly local cast. The age guidance for the audience is 16-plus.

The Bradford 12 were members of the United Black Youth League who, in 1981, were charged with conspiracy to manufacture explosive substances, as a means to defending their community from right-wing groups.

The men known as the Bradford 12 came from a variety of Asian backgrounds including Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Christian. They were subsequently arrested and put on trial. Following a national and international campaign, the Bradford 12 were eventually acquitted.

* The Middle Game is at Kala Sangam, November 22-25. There will be post-show Q&As with Tribe Arts. Call (01274) 303340.