Pressure Tickets

The scene? D-Day 1944. The play? Pressure. The venue? The Ambassadors theatre. June 2018 sees a true story take to the stage, a tale that has already thrilled audiences at the Chichester Festival Theatre and Royal Lyceum in Edinburgh. 

The Telegraph says this is a "Funny, tense and deeply affecting" play. The Evening Standard and Observer have both given it five stars and the Daily Mail concurs, calling it “thrilling”. With 350,000 lives at stake, it's crucial to get the weather forecast right – will they pull it off?

In June 1944 the allied forces, led by General Eisenhower, are about to launch. But the attack will fail unless the weather forecast is exactly right, and the conditions perfect.  The fate of the free world is at stake, Hitler is still at large, and this is without a doubt the most important weather forecast of all time.

The Olivier Award-winner David Haig plays the Scottish meteorologist, Group Captain James Stagg, the man whose job it was to keep the military informed about the weather for the D-Day landings. The play covers a tense 72 hour period at the Allied Expeditionary Force's HQ, where Operation Overlord, the codename for the battle of Normandy, is being organised.  

The play is also written by Haig, clearly a seriously talented chap. And the date of the play's transfer to the Ambassadors Theatre is highly significant too - 6th June 2018 is the 74th anniversary of the landings.

The show runs until 1st September. It's beautifully directed by John Dove. Malcolm Sinclair plays General Eisenhower and Laura Rogers portrays Kay Summersby. Designs come from Colin Richmond, the lighting is by Tim Mitchell, the sound is by Philip Pinsky, the video design comes from Andrzej Goulding and the casting is by Lisa Makin.

When announcing the West End transfer, Haig said: “What sublime timing that my play about the weather forecaster for D-Day, will open on the 74th anniversary of the D-Day invasions. The play has been profoundly fulfilling to write and perform. It's about one of the great unsung heroes of the 20th century and I'm so proud that his story will now be available to a West End audience. I couldn't be more excited.” 

Who is this show for?
Anyone who is old enough to appreciate the implications of this very special weather forecast will enjoy this exceptional play, full of life and wonderfully tense.