In a small town haunted by the legacy of coal mining and the miners’ strike, 17-year-old Keli is the most talented member of the Snaresbrook Mineral And Coal Company band. As she struggles to prepare for the upcoming band competition at the Royal Albert Hall, she must also juggle her commitments at her retail job and look after her fragile, agoraphobic mother.

KELI begins in an abandoned mineshaft, where the title character finds herself trapped with a kind but eccentric old socialist to whom she recounts her tale. The first thing that stands out is Liberty Black’s performance as Keli. She’s brash, lashes out and leaps to conflict in an instant, and delivers flawlessly on the comic moments, but there’s a clear fragility underneath it all. Keli is a teenager with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Martin Green’s play is ultimately about community, and specifically how difficult histories have the power to both unite and divide. Keli herself is two generations removed from the strike and cannot always understand its impact on the other characters, from her policeman grandfather’s shadow hanging over her family to band leader Brian’s utter devotion to the band. Through complex, tenderly portrayed relationships, the audience comes to understand the people of Anston just as Keli does. Keli’s relationship with Brian is especially moving. As the two learn more about each other’s struggles, a touching father-daughter relationship emerges.

Not quite a musical, but music is still an integral part of KELI. Moments of stress are highlighted by a cacophonous hubbub, while Keli’s rehearsals in the abandoned water tower produce angelic, plaintive notes that echo through the theatre. Music takes centre stage at the play’s climax, when the audience are treated to a full band performance. It’s the perfect way to end a story about community, family, and solidarity.

KELI, Tramway, Glasgow, Wednesday 11–Saturday 14 June; reviewed at Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh; main picture: Mihaela Bodlovic.