The Accrington Pals (play)

The Accrington Pals is a 1981 play by Peter Whelan. It is based on the Accrington Pals unit in the First World War and contrasts its life at the front and experiences in the 1916 Battle of the Somme with the women left behind in Accrington.

Production history

It was premiered at the Warehouse in London on 10 April 1981 by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Premiere cast and crew

Janet Dale (May)
Nicholas Gecks (Tom)
Peter Chelsom (Ralph)
Trudie Styler (Eva)
Sharon Bower (Sarah)
Hilary Townley (Bertha)
Brenda Fricker (Annie)
Andrew Jarvis (Arthur)
Jack Marcus (Reggie)
Bob Peck (C.S.M. Rivers)
Bill Alexander (Director)
Kit Surrey (Design)
Michael Calf (Lighting)
John A. Leonard (Sound)
Peter Washtell (Music arrangement)
Samuel Barnett (Pan)
Angelo Jackson (Sexy Mike)

Other productions

In February 2013 James Dacre directed a revival at the Royal Exchange, Manchester with Emma Lowndes as May, Sarah Ridgeway as Eva, Robin Morrissey as Tom and Gerard Kearns as Ralph. The production won a UK Theatre Award for best design.
In October 2017 Dumbarton People's Theatre performed the play.

Publication history

The play was first published by Methuen London Ltd in 1982.

Scenes

Act 1 i) May's market stall ii) Recruiting office iii) May's stall iv) May's kitchen v) May's kitchen (doubling as Tom's watch post.) vi) May's kitchen vii) May's stall (doubling as Caernarvon) viii) May's stall ix) May's kitchen x) May's stall

Act 2 i) May's kitchen/France ii) May's kitchen/France iii) May's kitchen iv) The Somme front, France v) Sarah's backyard vi) May's kitchen vii) May's stall viii) May's stall

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