Ian Hislop & Nick Newman's THE WIPERS TIMES Comes to Birmingham Rep

Ian Hislop and Nick Newman's play, The Wipers Times tells the true and extraordinary story of the satirical newspaper created in the mud and mayhem of the Somme. It comes to Birmingham Repertory Theatre from Monday 8 - Saturday 13 October following two sold-out tours and a critically acclaimed West End season.

In a bombed out building during the First World War in the Belgian town of Ypres (mispronounced Wipers by British soldiers), two officers discover a printing press and create a newspaper for the troops. Far from being a somber journal about life in the trenches they produced a resolutely cheerful, subversive and very funny newspaper designed to lift the spirits of the men on the frontline.

Defying enemy bombardment, gas attacks and the disapproval of many of the top Brass, The Wipers Times rolled off the press for two years and was an extraordinary tribute to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Interspersed with comic sketches and spoofs from the vivid imagination of those on the front line, this stage adaptation, based on the award-winning BBC film, originally launched one hundred years after the Battle of the Somme and publication of The Wipers Times. The run at Birmingham Repertory Theatre coincides with the commemoration of the end of the First World War.

Ian Hislop and Nick Newman said, "What was so extraordinary about discovering The Wipers Times was the fact that it was original source material, written on the frontline by troops on active service. What stood out was that it was genuinely funny and that the jokes had survived the test of time.

We're delighted The Wipers Times is on manoeuvres again around Britain and we look forward to sharing the remarkable trench humour of the Wipers Times with theatre-goers in Birmingham and the West Midlands."

The Wipers Times is directed by Caroline Leslie, designed by Dora Schweitzer, with lighting design by James Smith, sound design by Steve Mayo. The composer is Nick Green, and Musical Director Paul Herbert. It is produced by Bob Benton & David Parfitt.

The cast is Emilia Williams (Kate Roberts), Dan Mersh (General Mitford), Clio Davies (Nurse / Madame Fifi / Lady Somersby), George Kemp (Lieutenant Pearson), Amar Aggoun (Barnes), James Dutton (Captain Roberts), Kevin Brewer (Henderson), Chris Levens (Dodd), Joseph Reed (Chaplain / Bobbing Bobby), Sam Ducane (LT Colonel Howfield / MC).

The Wipers Times is presented by Trademark Touring and Watermill Theatre.

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