Playing at Greenwich Theatre 13-31 October, the world premiere of Hugh Salmon’s moving, affecting and humorous debut play Into Battle.
TV Favourite Iain Fletcher (The Bill) plays the real-life figure Revd. Neville Talbot who steers audiences through the play based on the true story of a bitter feud at Oxford University.
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.
Iain Fletcher will be joined on stage by 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).
Into Battle unearths a true story that has been buried for over 100 years: a story which shows how the political and social divisions tearing Britain apart were reflected in a ‘bitter feud’ at Balliol College Oxford.
Told with wit and humour, Into Battle exposes the inequalities of life and shows how human beings can be brought together by adversity.
For more information visit the website www.intobattleplay.co.uk .
