A wartime drama of domestic tensions

Alastair Whatley and Olivia Hallinan in Flare Path

Based on Rattigan’s experiences as a tail gunner during the Second World War, Flare Path paints an evocative portrait of life in wartime Britain for the life-and-death existence of the RAF bomber crews, and their wives and sweethearts who were left waiting their return.

The production, directed by Justin Audibert and starring Philip Franks, Olivia Hallinan, Leon Ockenden and Alastair Whatley, runs from Tuesday to Saturday November 7.

Philip Franks, who will play Squadron Leader Swanson, is perhaps best known for his television roles as Charley in The Darling Buds of May and Sergeant Craddock in Heartbeat, as well as Tom Pinch in Martin Chuzzlewit and Richard in Bleak House.

Recent theatre credits includes UK tours of The History Boys and The Rocky Horror Show. Philip has played many leading roles for the Royal Shakespeare Company including Bertram in All’s Well That Ends Well and the title role in Hamlet.

Olivia Hallinan will play Patricia Graham. Olivia’s television credits include Laura Timmins in Lark Rise To Candleford, Kim in the award-winning series Sugar Rush, Ellie Allard in Girls in Love and Liddy Blakeman in Murder in Suburbia.

Set in 1942 against a backdrop of heartache and quiet bravery, Flare Path tells the story of former actress Patricia, the wife of RAF pilot Teddy, whose marriage is tested by the surprise arrival of Patricia’s ex-lover and Hollywood idol Peter Kyle. An unexpected and dangerous mission over Germany puts Patricia at the centre of an emotional conflict as unpredictable as the war in the skies.

This new production will be directed by Justin Audibert, who is currently directing The Jew of Malta for The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford.

Tickets start at £11.25. Visit www.belgrade.co.uk or call 024 7655 3055 to book.