The world premiere of Hugh Salmon’s debut play will take place at the Greenwich Theatre from the 7th October.
Rehearsal images have been released for the upcoming world premiere of Hugh Salmon’s debut play heading to the Greenwich Theatre next month.
Directed by Ellie Jones, the play based on a true story of a bitter feud at Oxford University is set to star: Iain Fletcher (Revd. Neville Talbot), Anna Bradley (Florence Smith/Walter Perkins) Alexander Knox (Patrick Shaw Stewart), Gabriel Freilich (Hon. Julian Grenfell) Joe Gill (Keith Rae) Molly Gaisford (Lady Ettie Desborough) Nik Salmon (Hon. Billy Grenfell ) and Sam Barrett (Ronald Poulton-Palmer).
In 1906, of the fifty-three freshers who went up to Balliol college Oxford, eighteen had been to Eton. By 1910 they had formed an exclusive group, including the future war poets Hon. Julian Grenfell and Patrick Shaw Stuart. Standing up to the behaviour of the Etonians were socially aware Keith Rae and future England rugby international Ronald Poulton, who were dedicated to improving the lives of the poor and hungry on the back streets of Oxford. By 1912, the feud has polarised Keith Rase and Hon. Billy Grenfell on an individual level. After an incident between then Billy is sent down for a year, disgracing his aristocratic mother Lady Ettie Desborough. Finally, Into Battle reveals the differences between Keith and Billy, and their destinies are resolved in the face of a far greater adversity.
Talking about the play, Hugh Salmon said: “The more I researched the Balliol Feud, and the people involved, the more I realised that I was uncovering and piecing together a story that has been buried in history but that I could bring back to life for today’s audiences. These individual real-life characters are so wildly full, interesting and engaging I wanted to share their journeys and let their voices be heard by a new generation. Whatever our differences, we can come together.”
Into Battle will play at the Greenwich Theatre from the 7th to the 31st October.