Salisbury Playhouse – until 28 October 2017. Reviewed by Sharon McDonald Armitage
4.5****
Ian Hislop and Nick Newman’s theatre adaptation of their successful television drama The Wipers Times is based on a true story of British soldiers who during WWI published a newspaper in conditions that have been well documented as being ghastly. Using typical British trench humour; as would be expected from Hislop, whose humour is well established as a captain on BBC’s quiz show Have I Got News For You and as editor of the satirical Private Eye magazine, we are shown how despite adversity the British Army never fails to keep its sense of humour.
The unlikely coming together, in Ypres, of two young officers: Captain Roberts (James Dutton) and Lieutenant Pearson (George Kemp) over an abandoned printing press and the luck of Sergeant Tyler (Dan Mersh) an ex-printer when in Civvy Street, surely doesn’t seem possible, but indeed it was. Based on a true story of soldiers from the 24th Division of the Sherwood Foresters The Wipers Times (named after the mispronunciation by the soldiers of the town of Ypres) was a journal that poked fun at the war and those involved in it. When Captain Dutton announced he wanted the journal to be “something like Punch but with jokes” the audience quickly picked up on the satirical tone of not only the production but of what the journal was trying to achieve. As such The Wipers Times became extremely popular with not only front line troops but even those back home in England.
The serious nature of life in the trenches is lightened by interjections of Vaudeville moments. Designer Dora Schweitzer’s atmospheric set depicts not only the claustrophobic nature of life in the trenches but accompanied by James Smith’s lighting makes the switch to Vaudeville punchy and funny and highlights the satirical nature of what The Wipers Times was all about. The neon lights hanging over the barbed wire of the trench juxtaposes the humour and tragedy in equal measure and provides an opportunity to visually represent the spoof adverts that The Wipers Times was renowned for.
This cast is full of talent, with Dutton and Kemp epitomising what appears to be on the surface a jolly hockey sticks humorous approach to the war. There is superb timing from Dutton in delivering both comic and poignant lines with an equal and natural skill, which makes his performance all the more believable. Kemp too gives a strong performance as the foil to Dutton and the two men play off against each other with consummate ease.
A question that needs asking is how can the impact of a few flimsy pieces of paper mean so much not only to those responsible for creating it, but to those that read and enjoy it? Surely it is immeasurable? However, the use of such satire and gallows humour was clearly just what was needed to uplift the spirits in such dreadful conditions. The same can be said for this show; humour at its best which lifts the soul and with Armistice Day fast approaching The Wipers Times is a show everyone should experience.
Great show, great cast, great production!