HISTORY OF THE PRODUCTION

WELLINGTON was first presented in 1991 at the Rose Theatre in Fulham as a two-hander play, with a cast consisting of Martin Wimbush and Sarah Sherborne, directed by Ellis Jones. The production received wide press acclaim and the 8th Duke of Wellington subsequently asked for the play to be presented at Apsley House, the Wellington Museum, for a number of performances. The play was then presented at the Century Theatre Keswick and the National Portrait Gallery in London.

In 1997 the play was revived, this time as a one-man play, and presented at the Jacqueline du Pre University Theatre in Oxford. In 2002 Martin was invited back to Apsley House to perform the play for the 150th anniversary of the first Duke’s death, and in 2004 he was asked to play the Duke of Wellington to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the founding of King’s College London.

In 2013 he performed the play at the Camden Solo Festival, winning the prestigious Best Male Act award.

Other venues at which the play has been staged include the Rye Arts Festival, Memorial Theatre Broadstairs, Wildwood Theatre Downe and the Barn Theatre Smallhythe.

SOME LETTERS OF APPRECIATION...

Martin Wimbush meets the
Duke of Wellington

"I felt you gave a really wonderful interpretation of the Duke as an old man reminiscing about his life; a rounded, moving picture, with so much introduced in so short a time. You looked surprisingly like him and showed why everybody loved him in old age"
The Countess of Longford

"May I congratulate you on a sparkling performance last Wednesday. In company with the Duke & Duchess of Wellington and the Countess of Longford we must have seemed like the grand jury seated on the back row in judgement. We were, however, all unanimous in our praises and, in fact, His Grace was enthusiastic about my idea to stage it at Apsley House"
Jonathan Voak, House Curator, Apsley House

"We very much enjoyed the show the other evening. I thought your performance was highly accomplished... the script was lively and it was an altogether enjoyable evening"
Richard Harries, The Bishop of Oxford

"I saw the play last night and was utterly captivated by it. You conveyed - brilliantly I think - the complexity of this stern commander, who could be so sensitive, vulnerable and loveable underneath. Thank you for such a magical and thought-provoking evening"
Mike Paterson, Military Expert

"It's a very good play and beautifully epitomises Wellington's career and attitudes... your performance is a masterly evocation of a man and his period"
Vere Lorimer, Television Director

"Thank you so much for the splendid production of Wellington, which was so much enjoyed by our audience. I greatly enjoyed it myself, and felt that you have deep sympathy for him"
John Cooper, Head of Education, National Portrait Gallery

"I felt that I must write to say how much I enjoyed your Wellington performance. I found it moving, always interesting and in total a most absorbing experience"
Alan Shallcross, Television Producer