THE purpose of theatre is far greater than simply being a forum to entertain – it is to educate, inform, revisit past experiences and maybe to prevent mistakes from happening again by laying bare attitudes that have rightly been left in the past. The Incident Room then, is all of these.

Set in the police station which was the hub of the investigation into the murders committed by Peter Sutcliffe, this is powerful, visceral drama – often at its most raw. And it is brilliant.

The police station is fantastically recreated in Gordon Williamson’s atmospheric set. Dominated by towering filing cabinets and with papers and folders covering every surface, five desks are arranged, each a hive of desperate activity. They are beautifully lit with amber glowing light – strangely reminiscent of the street lamps of the 1970s – or even the eerie light of Hallowe’en. And there is noise – a constant background sound of activity and action – phones ringing, talking and typing and then a low rumble - like a tube train running beneath the auditorium or an ill-wind blowing down a deserted street.

Julie Domaille has directed this play with extraordinary precision – these are actors who know the importance and significance of the story they are telling and there is not a spare moment or a second when the pace drops. Within the incident room, are police Dick Holland (Wander Bruijel) and Meg Winterburn (Paula Boyle), Senior Inspector George Oldfield (Martin Isbister) and the rookie, Jack Ridgeway, played by Rick Hyland. There are some seriously powerful performances here. Each of the police characters plays the part of a person obsessed, taunted and traumatised. Each murder that occurs during the investigation is another huge blow to the team and the action almost literally freezes – a lighting change to signal the devastation. All of the parts are written beautifully and the emotions of the characters are tangible – seeing Paula Boyle as Meg, struggle with being patronised and overlooked, whilst it is her character that appears to be holding the investigation together is powerful; Wander Bruijel’s fury when he is challenged to consider another suspect that he considers to be impossible is frightening. Martin Isbister’s explosive temper is so expressive and raw – his torment is almost painful to observe and we feel it. Rick Hyland as Ridgeway, plays his meteoric rise through the ranks as seeming to embarrass even him, especially when he is compared with the efficient and determined Meg.

Into the fraught and frantic back office comes a host of equally rounded and powerful characters. Cari Marston plays Sylvia – a more flippant police administrator than her colleague Meg but nonetheless rounded; Elliott Matthews is the cocky upstart from the Manchester constabulary whose behaviour is so reviled by his Yorkshire counterparts. Eoin Howe is an almost tragic character as the falsely accused taxi driver Terence Hawkshaw, whilst Kate Maddison Greenwell is the intrusive and pushy hack who gets everyone’s backs up with her insensitive sniffing for a scoop. Somehow at a different pace is Kate Dobson as Maureen Long – a victim who has survived - and her experience is equally agonising and real, having in common a desperation to see the murderer caught.

Anybody who lived through the time when Peter Sutcliffe was at large in our region, will have their memories of the investigation in all its failures, false turns and ultimate success. This play explores them with such an intensity that the tragedy of it all is brought back in clear view – it may not be an easy watch but it is so powerful, moving and cleverly executed that it will be one to talk about for years to come. Bravo. It runs in Ilkley Playhouse’s Wharfeside theatre until November 11.

To book call 01943 609539 or on line at www.ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk