THE Cotswold Players will commemorate the forthcoming centenary with a production of Blighty Bound, a brand-new play which utilizes poetry from 1914.

The play is inspired by a book of women’s poetry by Catherine Reilly and a book of men’s poetry by Brian Gardner, with the narrative contrasting the home front expressed through the women’s words with the horrors of trench life as told by the soldiers.

Pip Royall, writer and director of the production, said “By weaving these strands together, adding soldier’s songs to lighten the atmosphere and then setting the events against the life of a small Gloucestershire community, we can witness the devastating effect that this disruption wrought on everyday lives at that time.”

“We have discovered some interesting links through the process, like my Grandfather, having joined a Bristol Bantam Regiment, served overseas in the First World War as part of the Gloucestershire Regiment; one of the actresses’ grandmother worked in a shell factory just like the character she is playing; and, extraordinarily, during a costume fitting one of the actors realized he was trying on his Grandfather’s military greatcoat!”

Pip started directing and writing long ago in the 1960’s, and this culminated in his winning the Michael Codron Award for best new writing in 1974. There followed a short tour of Poland and Hungary, sponsored by the British Council, using three of his one-act plays. Then, following a stage management career at Bristol Old Vic and Chichester Festival Theatre, he went on to write and direct a full-length play for the Interim Theatre Company, which used mainly deaf actors, which meant that part of the script was in sign language.

Since moving to Stroud, Pip has been an active member of the Cotswold Players, mostly involved with back-stage activities. More recently he returned to his former role in directing, serving as Assistant Director for Jack and The Beanstalk and then in the summer of 2014 he was Stage Manager for the musical Acorn Antiques.

A Gala First Night of Blighty Bound on November 25 and donations throughout the run, which finishes on Novemebr 29, will go to support the Alabaré Gloucestershire Homes for Veterans.

To book tickets for Blighty Bound visit www.cotswoldplayhouse.co.uk/tickets or call 0333 666 3366. Seats are priced at £12.