It often feels that Midlands theatre goers don’t have a lot of choice when it comes to plays to watch. If you have access to the West End, you have a plethora of theatres to choose from, so when a play originally from the West End comes to Birmingham you must drop everything and go. ‘This House’ is just that sort of play.

Written by James Graham, the action takes place in the period in British parliamentary history between the February 1974 general election and the 1979 vote of no confidence in the government of James Callaghan. The play is set in the Palace of Westminster - mainly in the offices of the Labour and Conservative Chief Whips which is divided on stage by two chairs. The rest of the set has connotations of the Commons Chamber but also doubles up as The Strangers Bar (which also opens during the interval much to the delight of those audience actually on the stage).

Party leaders such as Ted Heath, Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Jeremy Thorpe and Margaret Thatcher remain offstage characters but you feel their presence and influence throughout. The narrative concentrates on the relationships between the two sets of whips and between the whips, their backbenchers and the members of the minor parties.  It may not always be apparent during Prime Ministers Question’s or when one party berates another on the 6 O’clock news, but these folk actually have great respect for each other as parliamentarians and people.  

This is played out beautifully throughout the play.  The relationships between the characters are believable mainly down the attention to detail from the actors; all of which are sublime.  I am always looking for an actor giving a naff performance in productions but I honestly couldn’t find one.  So, because of this, I won’t single any one actor out.

Although the play is based on real events, it is neither a documentary nor a biography, but a fictionalised account of a turbulent period in British politics. Conversations are imagined, characters have been changed, incidents added and the time line adjusted. The pace of the play is perfect.  Quickly moving from the Conservative office to Labour, from the Bar to inside Big Ben.

What makes this play unusual and therefore brilliant, is the presence of a house band. They perform the incidental music between scenes plus some wonderful actual songs that, not only reflect the music of the day but also act as the soundtrack to the tension between the parties.  

The use of the stage and the auditorium is genius thanks to the wonderful direction of directors Jeremy Herrin and Jonathan O’Boyle.  You really felt like you were part of this story.  I believe that would be an understatement if you were one of the audience sitting in the set.

These days, there’s a lot of it these days.  There was the same amount of politics back then but unlike today, we didn’t have cameras in the House of Commons or 24 hour rolling news.  Its because of this that you feel that you are witnessing a slice of history in all its glory.

Genius writing, genius performances - a total must see! ‘This House’ runs until Saturday 21st April.