Centering on South London's working class, and the social causes of violence, the piece was censored by the Lord Chamberlain's Office due to the then-in-effect Theatres Act of 1843, which required all scripts to be approved by the Chamberlain. When Mr. Bond refused to alter his work, a fierce campaign against the attempted censorship rallied, with Sir Laurence Olivier delivering a particularly passionate defense of Mr. Bond's work. The company was nevertheless found guilty of violating the Theatres Act, and were given a conditional discharge.