Pressure

This was one of the most demanding and well written plays I have seen in a long time. Taking place in a makeshift office, the set was simple but elaborately dressed with two desks, a few filing cupboards, various wall maps, type writers, three telephones and all the clutter of an office in business. The entire play takes place in the one set, covering the period from 2nd June to 6th June 1944 when the D Day landings were planned to take place.

The start was inevitably a little slow as we were drawn into the story of the problems facing Group Captain James Stagg, [superbly performed by Rebel Atkinson] who had been called in to give his opinion as to the vitally important weather forecast for the period of June 6th. Added to his problems Colonel Irving P Krick, [Trevor Hodgeson] General Dwight Eisenhower’s chief advisor of such matters, had a very different opinion as to the forecast of the coming week. Bearing in mind that thousands of men’s lives depended upon the accuracy of this particular forecast, the PRESSURE was immense. [Ian Henham] Eisenhower and [Emily Norman] Lt. Kay Summersby both gave delightful performances and all the other military men walked, talked and stood appropriately for their position in life. 

The nine men and one woman who made up the cast coped admirably with the dialogue considering the similarity of the ten scenes. I feel it was one of the most difficult plays in which to perform bearing in mind the set and the subject matter varied very little from one scene to another. The result was both moving and thought-provoking, considering it was one of the most important moments in our country’s history.

Perhaps my finest accolade should go to the sound department. They were superb!! Their timing in conjunction with the opening and closing of the patio doors was perfect and the actual sound effects of sea gulls, low flying aircraft and falling bombs was totally conviincing.

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