4 MAY 2024: D-DAY PLAY COMES TO IMH

Award-winning Yorkshire theatre company Talking Stock Productions is bringing one of its most successful plays to Ilkley Manor House on Friday, 24 May, as part of a tour to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

About

‘Le Grand Return’, by Calderdale Playwright Alan Stockdill, is a gentle comedy-drama about love, remembrance, war and peace. Set in 1994 on the 50th anniversary of D-Day, Tommy, Alf and Edwin are incarcerated in Coldrick Nursing Home. Despite his ever-worsening heart condition, plucky veteran Tommy is determined to break out and rejoin his old comrades on the French beaches and visit the grave of his best friend George, who died at the scene. How he gets there and what happens along the way makes for a charming and compelling piece of theatre loved by all who see it.

The play premiered at the Viaduct Theatre, Dean Clough, Halifax, back in February 2015 and performed at various venues, including Bradford Cathedral, raising money for the Royal British Legion and the Artspace.

It beat off stiff competition at the Greater Manchester Fringe that year, coming away with the Best New Writing award.

“Le Grand Return is really beautifully written and touching play, funny, yet also so poignant,” said one of the judges. “It ticked all the boxes for us. Everyone who saw it raved about it.”

The play has toured several times with Talking Stock’s original cast – Keith Royston, Roy Byrom, Stuart Davison and Giselle Herbert – who will all be back in their roles for this latest tour. Theatre groups all over the UK now publish and perform the play.

Tickets

This performance takes place at Ilkley Manor House, Castle Yard, Ilkley, LS29 9DT on Friday, 24 May, starting at 7:30pm (doors open from 7pm). Tickets are £12, and visitors can book via Eventbrite (there is a booking fee) or purchase them at the house on weekends.

The play lasts 75 minutes and includes an optional Q&A session with the writer, producer, and actors at the end.