David Haig’s World War II thriller Pressure, in which hundreds of thousands of lives hinge on two warring meteorologists’ forecasts, makes a West End transfer to the Ambassadors Theatre.

Based on a remarkable true story, the brilliant drama 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.

Written by – and starring – Haig, Pressure opens in the West End on 6 June 2018 – the 74th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Haig reprises his role as Group Captain James Stagg, alongside Sinclair as General Eisenhower and Laura Rogers as Kay Summersby. Many of the original company also return to their roles.

Haig is a five-time nominee and Olivier Award-winning actor best known for his roles in the film Four Weddings And A Funeral, TV series The Thin Blue Line and stage production of The Madness Of King George III (Tour and West End). He is also an award-winning playwright – he wrote and starred alongside Daniel Radcliffe in My Boy Jack, later made into a TV drama in 2007.

Pressure was originally commissioned by the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh as a co-production with Chichester Festival Theatre. The production premiered in Edinburgh in 2014, followed by a run at Chichester Festival Theatre. The transfer follows a further national tour (in association with Cambridge Arts Theatre and Touring Consortium Company) and a sold out run at the Park Theatre.

Pressure is directed by John Dove, with design by Colin Richmond, lighting by Tim Mitchell, sound by Philip Pinsky, video by Andrzej Goulding and casting by Lisa Makin.