Playwrights and actors paid homage to the small but mighty UK theatre company that nurtured them, as part of a fundraising initiative for new writers

A politician bounds on to the stage to talk about the future of theatre. “I’m here to help,” she announces with an unctuous smile, holding an iPad. The occasion is the 50th anniversary of a celebrated touring company. The politician tries to convince her audience that technology will lead the way. Drama is not real but “artificial” so, moving ahead, wouldn’t it make more sense for artificial intelligence to produce it? “Let’s reset!” she says, whooping at her idea.

The scenario is, thankfully, artificial itself: a short new satirical work by James Graham, written to mark the 50th anniversary of Paines Plough, which has championed new writing and helped kickstart the careers of Graham and a glittering alumni of other leading British playwrights.