DEATH AT DAWN
A play by North Tyneside writer Peter Mortimer
This is a powerful, and controversial play specially commissioned in 2011 by the Tynemouth Project and based around the events leading to the execution in France in 1916 of the young North Shields soldier William Hunter.
Hunter was one of more than 300 members of the British Army to face the firing squad in World War One and his case is specially significant due to the doubt cast on his age – had he been underage when he signed up? In such cases, the penalty was almost always reduced to imprisonment. For reasons unknown, Hunter was shot.
With a mix of both comedy and tragedy, the play’s action moves from North Shields, to Montreal, to Merseyside and finally to the Western Front. The seven-strong professional cast are supported by a group of young student actors from Tyneside of similar age to Hunter when he enlisted. This was the region’s only new World War One play to be professionally commissioned for the Centenary period; it is performed by Cloud Nine Theatre Company and directed by Neil Armstrong for this production following the tragic death of Jackie Fielding (May 2015) who had brought the play so successfully to the stage in 2014.
Peter Mortimer is one of the region’s leading dramatists with more than two dozen plays produced.
The play received critical acclaim for it’s premiere performances, including:
British Theatre Guide Regional Awards
WINNER Best Direction – Jackie Fielding
The Journal Culture Awards
WINNER Best Newcomer – Heather Carroll
FINALIST Best Performance, FINALIST Writer of the Year.
Early Booking is strongly recommended for the performances at both venues.
TICKETS £10.00 / £8.00 concessions
Tickets are available from TicketSource. 
In person – from Customer First Centres – North Shields, Wallsend and Whitley Bay – for North Tyneside performances.
From Discovery Museum and Newcastle City Library for Discovery performances.
TELEPHONE HOTLINE : 0191 259 2743 – Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm – Courtesy of Essell Accountants.
All usual cards are accepted – £1.50 booking fee per transaction, includes postage.
The play is not suitable for persons aged under fourteen years.
Death at Dawn – Play by North East playwright Peter Mortimer
Following the highly successful premiere performances of the play in September 2014, new productions will be staged in February 2016 at The Memorial Hall, Wallsend (19th to 23rd February) and the Great Hall, Discovery Museum, Newcastle (26th February to 2nd March). Tickets available from December 2015. For more information please visit Death at Dawn,
Tickets are available from TicketSource.
