When Winston Went to War with the Wireless
Closed 2h 30m
When Winston Went to War with the Wireless
71%
71%
(12 Ratings)
Positive
58%
Mixed
42%
Negative
0%
Members say
Intelligent, Great acting, Slow, Clever, Disappointing

About the Show

Jack Thorne's new play about the 1926 General Strike.

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Critic Reviews (10)

Theatre Weekly (UK)
June 13th, 2023

When Winston Went to War With The Wireless is a fascinating glimpse at two men who have shaped the history of this country, regardless of how accurate all the elements of it are, the early pioneers of the BBC would be proud to know that this is a play that mirrors the Royal Charter as it succeeds in informing, educating and entertaining.
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West End Best Friend
June 15th, 2023

“A fascinating, funny and shockingly relevant historical snapshot – audiences can learn a lot from ‘When Winston Went To War With The Wireless,’ which balances warm affection and bitter critique of Britain during the inter-war years.”
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The Telegraph (UK)
June 14th, 2023

“Thorne’s play is an unabashed celebration of the BBC and the haunted, brittle man who built it. Undoubtedly, the 1926 general strike was the making of the nascent corporation – but was it also its finest hour? It’s a question that doesn’t trouble ‘When Winston...’ – but perhaps it should trouble us.”
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WhatsOnStage
June 15th, 2023

“...Thorne triumphantly uses real history to create a compelling drama that is both amusing, touching and revealing.”
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The Times (UK)
June 14th, 2023

“If Thorne’s script has a flaw, it’s that most of the characters remain cheerfully two-dimensional.”
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London Theatre
June 14th, 2023

“Katy Rudd’s beautifully crafted production utilises radio-style foley effects throughout...Overall, however, there is too much informing for a drama (and actually, with so much narration and audio work, it might be better suited to radio). But it’s still a potent love letter to the BBC, in all its messy glory.”
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The Guardian (UK)
June 14th, 2023

“If Reithian principles represent the ideal of truth-telling and impartiality in public service broadcasting today, Jack Thorne’s play looks back at the man who established them at a delicate moment in the history of the BBC, and dramatises his inner tussle with truth.”
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The Stage (UK)
June 14th, 2023

“Unfortunately, Thorne also saddles Archer with some clumsy narrating duties...All his characters here, in fact, are broad and flat, and although there are flashes of strobe-lit police violence and confrontation with strikers, the texture of interwar life is not pungent enough. Still, it is a piece full of interest; the sort of play, in fact, that would sound at home on Radio 4.”
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