Theatre News

Full casting announced for The Wipers Times

Ian Hislop and Nick Newman’s play is about a satirical newspaper published by British fighters in the First World War

James Dutton, Kevin Brewer and Eleanor Brown
James Dutton, Kevin Brewer and Eleanor Brown

Full casting has been announced for the stage premiere of Ian Hislop and Nick Newman's The Wipers Times, which will open at The Watermill Theatre this month.

James Dutton (Noises Off, Early One Morning, Journey’s End) plays Roberts, a Captain who discovers a printing press in the ruins of Ypres, Belgium in 1916.

The Wipers Times was a satirical newspaper produced by the soliders, and paved the way for publications such as Private Eye and The Onion.

Kevin Brewer makes his professional stage debut as Henderson, Eleanor Brown (Singing In The Rain) will play Kate Roberts/Madame Fifi/Lady Somersby Smith and Sam Ducane (Cosmic Fear) will play Howfield/MC.

The cast also includes George Kemp (Posh), Peter Losasso (Parents of the Band), Jake Morgan (The Laramie Project) and Dan Tetsell (Sins of the Grandfathers).

The play is adapted from Hislop and Newman's 2013 BBC film, and will be directed by Caroline Leslie. The creative team includes design by Dora Schweitzer, lighting by James Smith, Sound by Steve Mayo. The music is composed by Nick Green and direction comes from Paul Herbert.

The Wipers Times opens at The Watermill Theatre, Newbury on 22 September before touring to Sheffield, Ipswich and Sailsbury.