UK Theatre Network

It is where the balance quivers and the proportions are veiled in mist, that the opportunity for world-saving decisions presents itself.

 The World Premiere of Ben Brown’s political drama takes us behind the doors of Number Ten during three of the most pivotal days in British History, when appeasement was considered by some to be a viable option. 

May 1940. The Norwegian debacle leads to Chamberlain’s resignation after Labour refuse to serve under him in a national coalition government. On the same day, Churchill becomes Prime Minister of the coalition after Halifax – preferred by the King, most of the aristocracy and much of his own party – declines it. Initially, Churchill’s appointment is widely suspect in Westminster because of his half-American ancestry and his uncouth manner. Chamberlain remains Party Leader and Halifax Foreign Secretary. 

Having urgently assembled the British war cabinet, the new Prime Minister is suddenly confronted with a dangerous game of political chess as he tries to persuade peace treaty supporters Neville Chamberlain and Lord Halifax to give up on their appeasement policy and confront Hitler. Lord Halifax proposes a settlement with Hitler considering Mussolini as mediator to secure Britain’s independence and to save the British and French troops stranded in Dunkirk. General Dill makes it clear that the British forces are outnumbered on almost every level and defeat is a probability yet Churchill is not impressed by the German superiority, he believes that “our morale might save us.” 

Churchill’s secretary Jock Colville serves as a narrator. He sets the scene at the beginning as the play opens with the cabinet praying in church on “the blackest day of all”. France is close to defeat leaving Britain at her knees with Hitler planning to invade. The play is a bit slow going at first but the pace soon picks up as it turns into a gripping and brilliantly acted political thriller providing minute historical details of those fateful three days. 

Warren Clarke is outstanding as Winston Churchill. He gets all the mannerisms and rhetoric of this larger-than-life character right. Jeremy Clyde is suave and persuasive as Lord Halifax who is convinced he does the right thing no matter how disastrous the consequences. Robert Demeger’s Chamberlain is a broken man who sadly compares his book “My Struggle for Peace” with Churchill’s more accurate work “While England Slept”. There are also excellent performances by Timothy Kightley as Paul Reynaud, Paul Ridley as General Dill, Michael Sheldon as Clement Attlee, Dicken Ashworth as Arthur Greenwood, and James Alper as Jock Colville. 

Three Days in May, directed by Alan Strachan, goes on a limited national tour prior to the West End.

 Richmond Theatre, An Ambassador Theatre Group TheatreThe Green, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1QJ

 http://www.atgtickets.com/2654/659/Richmond/Richmond-Theatre/Three-Days-in-May-Tickets