WITH Winston Churchill back in the news recently, a stellar cast will be winging in to Monmouth Savoy in a new radio play about Britain’s wartime leader, The Lion And The Unicorn, by Robin Hawdon.

It centres around a private dinner he had with Neville Chamberlain and their wives in 1939, and stars Brian Capron (Coronation Street, Where The Heart Is) as Chamberlain, Tim Hudson (Father Brown, De Gaulle) as Churchill, Frazer Hones (Doctor Who, Emmerdale) as the butler Inches, and Corriinne Wicks as Clementine Churchill (Doctors, Emmerdale).

Chamberlain has seen all his efforts to negotiate peace with Hitler shattered, while Churchill has been recalled to the cabinet after ten years, his dire warnings of the Nazi threat vindicated.

History tells us this was the only time the four ever met alone together socially, and there is no official record as to what transpired during that unique evening…

Brian reveals: "This is a fascinating new play set at a crunch time in history, bringing together two of the major players involved as World War II broke out.

"It's particularly interesting because they are on opposing sides of the argument, whether to still pursue peace or prepare for war.

“Chamberlain whom I play is in my view a very underrated and misunderstood character and here I have the opportunity, through this cleverly drawn portrait, to balance the scales a bit."

Tim adds: "In a deceptively intimate and domestic context, we see the radically different approaches of two key players as they seek a resolution of the impending conflict, and the subtle but significant influence wielded by their wives.

"The butler Inches lends a commentary full of sardonic humour and robust common sense.

"The play contains great writing, trenchant observation, and memorably drawn characters, presented as a radio play live on stage."

Produced by The Crime and Comedy Theatre Company who previously toured with The Hound of the Baskervilles in 2022, The Lion And The Unicorn is at Monmouth’s Savoy on Saturday, October 12 (7.30pm).

Tickets £21 are available from the box office or via monmouth-savoy.co.uk