New play about the Dunnes Stores anti-apartheid strikers

IN DUBLIN in 1984, the economy was failing, unemployment was rife and 10 young women and one young man were about to change the world. In July, a shop worker on Henry Street refused to sell South African fruit to a store customer as part of the anti-apartheid economic boycott and was suspended. Ten colleagues followed her out on strike; they thought it would last two weeks – it went on for nearly three years.
STRIKE! is a fictionalised account of the famous anti-apartheid shop strike on Henry Street. STRIKE! will use visuals and music of the time to tell the story of a group of young people – “the most dangerous shop workers in the world” – who went on strike to protest against apartheid and confronted the Establishment, caused a state of panic amongst the South African security services when they arrived at Johannesburg Airport and were deported, but eventually saw the banning of South African produce in Ireland.
A group of 20 young actors, many of whom weren’t even born at the time of the protest, are now in rehearsal for this play.
See STRIKE! at the Samuel Beckett Theatre – starting on Tuesday May 25th at 7.30 p.m. for five nights only. All tickets for Tuesday 25th May €9.99 Wednesday 26th/Thursday 27th/Friday 28th/Saturday 29th May: Tickets €15.99; €11.99 concession Saturday 29th May Matinee – €9.99 adult/€4.99 children/young adult.

1984: Dunnes Stores strikers against apartheid