When Winston Went to War with the Wireless
Cast: 3-4f 9-10m (larger cast possible, 30+)
Staging: Flexible staging (with sound effects created live on stage)
Amateur rights performance fee: £85 per performance (plus VAT where applicable)
8 Jun 2023Size: 198mm x 129mm
8 Jun 2023
When Winston Went to War with the Wireless
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In May 1926, Britain grinds to a halt, as workers down tools for the General Strike.
With the printing presses shut down, the only sources of news are the government's British Gazette, edited by Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill, and the independent, fledgling British Broadcasting Company, led by John Reith. The stage is set for a fierce battle over control of the news and who gets to define the truth.
Jack Thorne's When Winston Went To War With The Wireless is a gripping play about the birth of a great British institution and its efforts to stay impartial. It premiered at the Donmar Warehouse, London, in June 2023, directed by Katy Rudd, with Stephen Campbell Moore as Reith, Adrian Scarborough as Churchill, and Haydn Gwynne as Stanley Baldwin.
'Jack Thorne never ceases to stimulate and entertain' Evening Standard
'Utterly compelling'
The Times'Wily and fascinating... the script teems with detail... glows with affection for the idea and the ideals of early radio... Alongside acute sideswipes at police violence, the restriction of the right to strike or protest, and Tory infighting, Thorne has tremendous, debunking fun with his main characters... a fascinating reminder of how history repeats itself, usually as comedy'
Evening Standard'Gripping... a riveting, resonant play'
Financial Times'A fascinating segment of history... the play creates a shimmering sense of the past... Thorne triumphantly uses real history to create a compelling drama that is both amusing, touching and revealing'
WhatsOnStage'A steel-coated document of the icy political waltz between the BBC and Winston Churchill... what is it to control truth and speak truth to power?'
Broadway World'Pacy and evocative... the stagecraft dazzles'
Guardian'Fascinating... Jack Thorne is a one-man writing powerhouse'
iNews'A joyful celebration of the BBC... vividly evokes the Corporation's giddy early days'
Telegraph'Enthralling... magical... plenty of humour... a fascinating glimpse at two men who have shaped the history of this country'
Theatre WeeklyCast: 3-4f 9-10m (larger cast possible, 30+)
Staging:Flexible staging (with sound effects created live on stage)
Amateur rights performance fee: £85 per performance (plus VAT where applicable)
8 Jun 2023Size: 198mm x 129mm
8 Jun 2023
