New Jack Thorne play When Winston Went to War with the Wireless to premiere at Donmar Warehouse

Jack Thorne’s new play When Winston Went to War with the Wireless will make its world premiere at Donmar Warehouse.

Directed by Katy Rudd, the production will run 2 June – 29 July 2023 as part of the London venue’s 30th birthday season.

The cast will feature Stephen Campbell Moore as John Reith and Adrian Scarborough as Winston Churchill.

Joining them will be Kitty Archer, Ravin J Ganatra, Haydn Gwynne, Mariam Haque, Kevin McMonagle, Luke Newberry, Seb Philpott, Elliott Rennie, Laura Rogers and Shubham Saraf.

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 The British Gazette, edited by Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill, and the independent, fledgling British Broadcasting Company, led by John Reith. What follows is a fierce battle for control of the news and who gets to define the truth.

The production is designed by Laura Hopkins, with sound design by Ben and Max Ringham, lighting design by Howard Hudson, movement direction by Scott Graham, music by Gary Yershon and casting by Anna Cooper CDG.

Jack Thorne said: “So delighted to announce this wonderful cast. Adrian is going to dazzle as the younger Churchill we’ve barely seen before, and Stephen will delight in bringing all the Gary Lineker shades in Reith. The BBC has constantly found itself pinched by Government crows, this was the first pinching and it feels an ever more apposite time to bring it to the stage.”

When Winston Went to War with the Wireless joins Donmar’s 30th season of shows including the UK premiere of Next To Normal and a revival of Noël Coward’s Private Lives with Stephen Mangan.

For more information and tickets, visit donmarwarehouse.com