The Dare Devil of this new play by Neil Gore is Clem Beckett, a famed dirt track rider in the 1930s. Jarama is the battlefield of the Spanish Civil War on which he and his fellow Briton Chris Caudwell (and many others) died. This two-hander tells their story as they make their way to Spain to join the International Brigades and fight alongside the Spanish people against Franco's fascist army.

In a mixture of poetry, prose and music, David Heywood plays Clem, while writer Neil Gore takes on nearly all the other parts of the play. Gore certainly has fun playing the numerous other parts. The sold-out audience was equipped with red rattles on arrival, helping to build the obvious rapport between the audience and cast.

The first half focused on Clem's development as an active campaigner for workers' rights; taking in his involvement in a mass trespass in defence of ramblers' rights, his membership of the communist party, and his opposition to Moseley's blackshirts. Clem was an ordinary working man who, because of his skill as a bike rider, his sense of injustice, and his political campaigning, travelled widely in Europe, as well as Russia. All this was skilfully presented by our two actors, and the play was often funny and always informative. The music too was excellent, with 'I am a rambler from Manchester Way' being enthusiastically taken up by most of the audience.

The second half of the play is more sombre, taking Clem and Chris to Spain where their first experience of military action takes place. This is against a background, as we learn, of appeasement, with Britain and France refusing to sell arms to the Spanish republicans while Hitler and Mussolini gave powerful military backing to Franco. At a time when right-wing views seems to have gained ground in many places around the world, this play acts as a timely reminder and warning to those who disapprove of current political trends, but wring their hands over what to do.

Dare Devil Rides to Jarama was commissioned by the International Brigades Memorial Trust and sponsored by a number of unions as well as the Arts Council and Harrogate Theatre. It is an excellent evening of entertainment as well as an educational experience. If you missed it, it will be showing at Thame in April. It is well worth seeing.