The Wipers Times
Nov. 18th, 2017 02:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smallhobbitWe haven't been to the Cheltenham Everyman for over a year - nothing has particularly appealled, so it was good to find something I wanted to go and see.
The Wipers Times is a new play, written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman. It begins in 1916 and tells the true story of Capt Fred Roberts and Lt Jack Pearson, who find a printing press when they and the other soldiers from the 24th Division of the Sherwood Foresters are sent to Ypres. With the help of their sergeant - a printer before he was called up - they produced a newspaper, called The Wipers Times. In it they published jokes, spoofs, poetry, advertisements, satirised the press, poked fun at the high command and paid tribute to fallen comrades. Often it was produced under enemy fire, and it was very popular with the troops.
The play tells the story of this venture, part as drama, part as pseudo music hall numbers. The humour at times is quite dark - SM didn't always find it funny, being near the bone - but I found it hilarious. It was very well acted, and hit the right balance between sadness and humour. Its aim was to convey a little of what life was like at the front in WWI.
I really enjoyed it. This production is almost at the end of its tour this year, heading to Chichester next week, but there will be another tour next autumn, including Malvern and Nottingham, and I'd recommend it to anyone if it comes to their local theatre.
The programme includes excerpts from the paper and begins with this exchange from two characters at HQ:
Lt Col Howfield, complaining, "The war is not funny, sir!"
Gen Mitford, who understands the humour behind the publication, "I've a feeling that may be the point."
The Wipers Times is a new play, written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman. It begins in 1916 and tells the true story of Capt Fred Roberts and Lt Jack Pearson, who find a printing press when they and the other soldiers from the 24th Division of the Sherwood Foresters are sent to Ypres. With the help of their sergeant - a printer before he was called up - they produced a newspaper, called The Wipers Times. In it they published jokes, spoofs, poetry, advertisements, satirised the press, poked fun at the high command and paid tribute to fallen comrades. Often it was produced under enemy fire, and it was very popular with the troops.
The play tells the story of this venture, part as drama, part as pseudo music hall numbers. The humour at times is quite dark - SM didn't always find it funny, being near the bone - but I found it hilarious. It was very well acted, and hit the right balance between sadness and humour. Its aim was to convey a little of what life was like at the front in WWI.
I really enjoyed it. This production is almost at the end of its tour this year, heading to Chichester next week, but there will be another tour next autumn, including Malvern and Nottingham, and I'd recommend it to anyone if it comes to their local theatre.
The programme includes excerpts from the paper and begins with this exchange from two characters at HQ:
Lt Col Howfield, complaining, "The war is not funny, sir!"
Gen Mitford, who understands the humour behind the publication, "I've a feeling that may be the point."
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Date: 2017-11-18 08:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-11-18 08:57 pm (UTC)I would definitely recommend the stage version if you can get to see it.
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Date: 2017-11-19 09:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-11-19 10:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-11-19 05:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-11-19 05:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-11-29 10:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-11-30 10:35 pm (UTC)