Veterans

Synopsis

Turkey, 1968, amid the chaotic re-enactment of a historical military disaster.

Sir John Gielgud (playing himself) and a cast of actors grapple with the absurdities of both military history and filmmaking as they shoot the film The Charge of the Light Brigade. As they navigate the challenges of portraying a historical blunder, the lines between past and present, reality and fiction begin to blur.

Charles Wood’s satirical play, drawing from his own military experience, uses sharp wit and poignant observations to critique the romanticism of war and its often ludicrous cinematic portrayal. Through a blend of monologues, dialogues, and meta-theatrical elements, Veterans delves into themes of memory, the futility of war, and the absurdities of historical perspectives, with humour and pathos that challenges our understanding of history and its representation.