David Haig’s World War II play Pressure is nothing if not surprising. A play about the weather… that’s also a nail-biting thriller. A play stooped in historical gravity… but one that also manages to accommodate laughter and romance for good measure.
But even by their own high standards, Pressure sprung a vivacious gala night to mark their first West End performance. Decorating the street outside the Ambassadors Theatre, where the production is playing until 1 September, the cast, creatives and guests enjoyed a celebratory village-style féte to mark the 74th anniversary of D-Day. And the details were stunning.
Based on a remarkable true story, Pressure is a brilliant drama which centres on remarkable events which took place 72 hours prior to the D-Day landings in 1944.
Scottish meteorologist, Group Captain James Stagg (Haig), advises General Eisenhower (Malcolm Sinclair) on the weather conditions likely to prevail when 350,000 troops are to be sent across the Channel in Operation Overlord.
With Stagg predicting severe storms and Irving P. Krick – Hollywood’s meteorological movie consultant – predicting beautiful weather, the future of Britain, Europe and the United States rests on one single forecast. That’s Pressure.