Photo Flash: First Look at SOMEWHERE A GUNNER FIRES

Cavalry Theatre's today announce the world première of Tom Stuchfield's play Somewhere a Gunner Fires. The play marks the 100th anniversary of the ceasefire of the First World War in 1918 and is set in its final months. Tom Stuchfield directs Chris Born (Volker) Guy Clark (Dixon), Olivia Hanrahan-Barnes (Isabella), Julia Kass (Mathilde) and Max Roberts (Wilkinson). Stuchfield also performs in the piece as Spencer. The production opens at King's Head Theatre, on 9 February 2018, with previews from 6 February, and runs until 24 February.

In the final months of the First World War, as the gears of the Great War machine grind inexorably to a halt, as the snows thaw, and the troops desert - six stories reach their end. The volunteer, the girl in the blitz; the builder, the tailor, the American objector; the officer who can never live down his mistakes - survivors in a world gone mad.

Experiencing the war from home fronts and trench lines, the distances between the characters are both immense, and intimate. The connections that bind them, and the disasters that split them, supported by a host of minor characters and a relentless soundscape, emphasise how the scale of war can be simultaneously epic and highly personal.

Somewhere a Gunner Fires is based on true events. In 2014 Writer/Director Tom Stuchfield spent some time researching his family during the war. He discovered an incredible story, largely occurring on the Italian Front. Taking this piece of intimate family history and extrapolating, he has written a war story for the modern age - without judgement, and without prejudice.

Tom Stuchfield is an emerging playwright, who last year completed a MSc in Playwrighting from the University of Edinburgh. This production marks his professional stage debut.

Chris Born plays Volker. For theatre, his credits include The Provok'd Wife (Network Theatre and TheatreN16), Force of Trump (Brockley Jack and Theatre N16), Weekly Art Night (The Space) and Sex Machina (Brainchild Arts Festival).

Guy Clark plays Dixon. Recent theatre credits include Diary of a Madman (Gate Theatre), The Overcoat and Heart of Darkness (Omnibus Theatre and OSO Arts Centre), Valley of the Weird (The Vaults) and Banquo in Macbeth (European Tour). He is also Artistic Director for Scandal and Gallows Theatre, and has recently performed for them in The Overcoat (Omnibus Theatre) and Heart of Darkness (The Arcola, The Space Triplex and Omnibus Theatre).

Olivia Hanrahan-Barnes plays Isabella. For theatre her credits include The Gospel According to Philip (Brockley Jack and Theatre N16), Last Orders and Uncle Fred's Shed (Solomon Theatre Company UK tour) and Persuasion (Pavilion Dance South West). For television, her work includes Humans 2.

Julia Kass plays Mathilde. Her previous work for theatre includes Force of Trump (Brockley Jack) and The Taming of the Shrew (US tour), The Vagina Monologues (Shakespeare's Sister), Twelfth Night and Macbeth (European tour), The Taming of the Shrew (US tour), Mercury Fur (Corpus Playroom) and Happy Days (ADC Theatre).

Max Roberts plays Wilkinson. This marks his professional stage debut.

Cavalry Theatre Company is made up of Writer/ Director Tom Stuchfield, Producer Laura Sedgwick and Designer Johannes Ruckstuhl. Somewhere a Gunner Fires is the company's inaugural production but as a team they have produced plays at the Edinburgh Fringe and on the London Fringe. Cavalry Theatre is a new company focus on developing and producing plays which are historic in theme and cinematic in style.

The King's Head Theatre was established in 1970. The most ethically and socially responsible fringe theatre in the UK, we are known for our challenging work and support of young artists. Last year 87,031 audience members saw a show of ours: 43,857 at our 110-seater home on Upper Street and 43,174 on tour. At our home in Islington we had 861 performances last year of 84 different shows. We are committed to fighting prejudice through the work we stage, the artists and staff we work with and by producing work for minority audience groups. We believe in fair pay for all on the fringe and create accessible routes for early career artists to stage their work; work we are passionate about. This year we announced the theatre is on the move. In 2019, subject to a fundraising campaign, the King's Head Theatre will move into a custom-built space in the heart of Islington Square, directly behind its current home securing the future of the venue for generations to come.

Photo Credit: Alex Brenner

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